This chapter contains the following topics:
One topic for each of the OLAP DML functions that begins with the letters A - K, beginning with ABS.
Reference topics for the remaining OLAP DML functions appear in alphabetical order in Chapter 8, "OLAP DML Functions: L - Z".
For other OLAP DML reference topics, see Chapter 4, "OLAP DML Properties", Chapter 5, "OLAP DML Options", Chapter 9, "OLAP DML Commands: A-G", and Chapter 10, "OLAP DML Commands: H-Z".
OLAP functions work in much the same way as functions work in other programming languages. They initiate action and return a value. The one exception is the looping nature of OLAP DML functions as discussed in "OLAP DML Statements Apply to All of the Values of a Data Object".
Most of the OLAP DML functions are standard text and calculation functions. Other OLAP DML functions return more complex information. For example, the OLAP DML provides the AW and OBJ functions that you can use to retrieve many different types of information about an analytic workspace and its objects and the AGGREGATE function that you can use to calculate aggregate data on-the-fly at user request.
Additionally, you can augment the functionality of the OLAP DML by writing an OLAP DML program for use as a function.
Tip:
Many OLAP DML statements can be coded as a 3-character abbreviation that consists of the first letter of the statement plus the next two consonants.A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W Y
The OLAP DML provides the typical numeric and text functions:
It also has functions that are unique to its data model:
Analytic workspace and object information functions
Aggregation, allocation, and model specification functions
System and Database information functions
Object value retrieval functions
Program argument and context functions
Statistical and forecasting functions