Highlander - Data Marts

Building Data Marts with Highlander

Step 5 -Compile a Multi-Dimensional Database

Highlander builds a Multi-Dimensional Database to resolve user queries. This database stores data in a multi-dimensional format; compared to relational databases, multi-dimensional formats are more compact and faster to access. Moreover, because record keys are stored and used to retrieve source records on reach back, Highlander retains recourse to the record level data.

Compiling a Highlander database requires source tables and a Highlander dictionary with defined dimensions and datasets. The compiling process automatically builds the multi-dimensional database in the background. Depending on which Highlander edition you are using, the database build process can be run from the following environments:

Highlander Explorer
Highlander Viewer
Windows Run Line
Visual Basic, Visual C++, Access,
Delphi and other development environments¹.

Database compiling is fast. Load times depend on the number of multi-dimensional cells and the number of source records being processed, as well as the source data itself.

Since queries are resolved through a separate database, you can work independently from source data servers. Compiled databases are small and access is fast. Just load the Highlander Viewer and the compiled database on your desktop or laptop machine and go.

¹ Window's programming environments supporting the Microsoft COM technology.

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