Dice, Add, Swap, and Remove

Dicing allows users to pick a visible element (or member) in a visualization and - in one step -simultaneously filter the query by that element while exposing the alternative selected hierarchy (chosen from the dice menu) in its place in the visual and query. The ability to dice (or 'drill-across' hierarchies) has numerous uses, and represents one of the strongest and most fluid ways to perform contextual adhoc analysis on a data set, with minimal clicks.

In effect, Dicing offers users a dynamic self-driven hierarchy model, allowing the user to drill down from one hierarchy to the next as needed.

Add, Swap and Remove are variations of Dice:

  • Add allows you to INJECT another hierarchy into the query from the menu, without filtering or removing the current hierarchy
  • Swap allows you to REPLACE the current hierarchy with another hierarchy from the menu
  • Remove allows you to REMOVE the selected hierarchy.

Using the Dice, Add, and Swap Menus

Dicing, Adding and Swapping are only available through the right click menu and may be hidden based on runtime settings for the given Discover report or Present dashboard. The listing of hierarchies in the menu is presented first as an alphabetical list of dimensions (or tables), followed by a second fly out menu of flat attribute hierarchies followed by multi-level user hierarchies. Any hierarchy already in use elsewhere in the query (i.e. appearing in the drop zones) is automatically removed from the menu - including the currently selected hierarchy that is contextually driving the dice operation.

Customizing the Dice, Add, and Swap Menus

The list of hierarchies presented in each of the menus can be customized by report (or dashboard) from the runtime settings panel. Here, designers can choose hierarchies will be hidden in the menu. This is often used to cull very large data models - which can be overwhelming to end users.

Menu Effects

Dice Effect

To use the Dice menu, right click on a member element directly on a visual or legend. This member will be used to drive how the dynamic drill down is triggered to the chosen hierarchy. The element used in the dice is then pushed into the 'background' of the query - effectively acting as a single element filter. If the element is a measure, the dicing operation has the effect of making that measure the only measure in the query - removing all others.

Add Effect

To use the Add menu, right click on a member element directly on a visual or legend. Unlike Dice, the specific member that triggered the menu is ignored. Instead it is used as a anchor for choosing where to INJECT the new hierarchy into the query. There is NO filtering effect. The engine will instead attempt to add the new hierarchy AFTER the selected member's hierarchy in the drop zone (whether the drop zone is visible or not).

Swap Effect

To use the Swap menu, right click on a member element directly on a visual or legend. Unlike Dice - and similar to Add - the specific member that triggered the menu is ignored. Instead it is used as a anchor for choosing which hierarchy to REPLACE with the new hierarchy. There is NO filtering effect. The engine will attempt to swap the old hierarchy with the new hierarchy in the drop zone (whether the drop zone is visible or not).