Establishing Cube Context in a Query (MDX)
Every MDX query runs within a specified cube context. This context defines the members that are evaluated by the expressions within the query.
In the SELECT statement, the FROM clause determines the cube context. This context can be the whole cube or just a subcube from that cube. Having specified cube context through the FROM clause, you can use additional functions to expand or restrict that context.
Note
The SCOPE and CALCULATE statements also let you manage cube context from within an MDX script. For more information, see MDX Scripting Fundamentals (MDX).
FROM Clause Syntax
The following syntax describes the FROM clause:
<SELECT subcube clause> ::=
Cube_Identifier |
(SELECT [
* |
( <SELECT query axis clause> [ , <SELECT query axis clause> ... ] ) ]
FROM <SELECT subcube clause> <SELECT slicer axis clause> )
In this syntax, notice that it is the <SELECT subcube clause> clause that describes the cube or subcube on which the SELECT statement is executed.
A simple example of a FROM clause would be one that runs against the entire Adventure Works sample cube. Such a FROM clause would have the following format:
FROM [Adventure Works]
For more information about the FROM clause in the MDX SELECT statement, see SELECT Statement (MDX).
Refining the Context
Although the FROM clause specifies the cube context as within a single cube, this does not have to limit you from working with data from more than one cube at a time.
You can use the MDX LookupCube function to retrieve data from cubes outside the cube context. Additionally, functions such as the Filter function, are available that allow temporary restriction of the context while evaluating the query.