Programming AMO Data Mining Objects

New: 5 December 2005

Programming data mining objects by using AMO is simple and straightforward. The first step is to create the data structure model to support the mining project. Then you create the data mining model that supports the mining algorithm you want to use in order to predict or to find the unseen relationships underlying your data. With your mining project created (including structure and algorithms), you can then process the mining models to obtain the trained models that you will use later when querying and predicting from the client application.

One thing to remember is that AMO is not for querying; AMO is for managing and administering your mining structures and models. To query your data, use ADOMD.NET.

This topic contains the following sections:

• MiningStructure Objects
• MiningModel Objects

MiningStructure Objects

A mining structure is the definition of the data structure that is used to create all mining models. A mining structure contains a binding to a data source view that is defined in the database, and contains definitions for all columns participating in the mining models. A mining structure can have more than one mining model.

Creating a MiningStructure object requires the following steps:

1. Create the MiningStructure object and populate the basic attributes. Basic attributes include object name, object ID (internal identification), and data source binding.
2. Create columns for the model. Columns can be either scalar or table definitions.
   Each column needs a name and internal ID, a type, a content definition, and a binding.
3. Update the MiningStructure object to the server, by using the Update method of the object.
   Mining structures can be processed, and when they are processed, the children mining models are processed or retrained.

The following sample code creates a mining structure to forecast sales in a time series. Before running the sample code, make sure that the database db, passed as parameter for CreateSalesForecastingMiningStructure, contains in db.DataSourceViews[0] a reference to the view dbo.vTimeSeries in the AdventureWorksDW sample database.

public static MiningStructure CreateSalesForecastingMiningStructure(Database db)
{
    MiningStructure ms = db.MiningStructures.FindByName("Forecasting Sales Structure");
    if (ms != null)
        ms.Drop();
    ms = db.MiningStructures.Add("Forecasting Sales Structure", "Forecasting Sales Structure");
    ms.Source = new DataSourceViewBinding(db.DataSourceViews[0].ID);

    ScalarMiningStructureColumn amount = ms.Columns.Add("Amount", "Amount");
    amount.Type = MiningStructureColumnTypes.Double;
    amount.Content = MiningStructureColumnContents.Continuous;
    amount.KeyColumns.Add("vTimeSeries", "Amount", OleDbType.Currency);

    ScalarMiningStructureColumn modelRegion = ms.Columns.Add("Model Region", "Model Region");
    modelRegion.IsKey = true;
    modelRegion.Type = MiningStructureColumnTypes.Text;
    modelRegion.Content = MiningStructureColumnContents.Key;
    modelRegion.KeyColumns.Add("vTimeSeries", "ModelRegion", OleDbType.WChar, 56);

    ScalarMiningStructureColumn qty = ms.Columns.Add("Quantity", "Quantity");
    qty.Type = MiningStructureColumnTypes.Long;
    qty.Content = MiningStructureColumnContents.Continuous;
    qty.KeyColumns.Add("vTimeSeries", "Quantity", OleDbType.Integer);

    ScalarMiningStructureColumn timeIndex = ms.Columns.Add("TimeIndex", "TimeIndex");
    timeIndex.IsKey = true;
    timeIndex.Type = MiningStructureColumnTypes.Long;
    timeIndex.Content = MiningStructureColumnContents.KeyTime;
    timeIndex.KeyColumns.Add("vTimeSeries", "TimeIndex", OleDbType.Integer);

    ms.Update();
    return ms;
}

MiningModel Objects

A mining model is a repository for all columns and column definitions that will be used in a mining algorithm.

Creating a MiningModel object requires the following steps:

1. Create the MiningModel object and populate the basic attributes.
   Basic attributes include object name, object ID (internal identification), and mining algorithm specification.
2. Add the columns of the mining model. One of the columns must be defined as the case key.
3. Update the MiningModel object to the server, by using the Update method of the object.
   MiningModel objects can be processed independently of other models in the parent MiningStructure.

The following sample code creates a Microsoft Time Series forecasting model based on the "Forecasting Sales Structure" mining structure:

public static MiningModel CreateSalesForecastingMiningModel(MiningStructure ms)
{
    if (ms.MiningModels.ContainsName("Sales Forecasting Model"))
    {
        ms.MiningModels["Sales Forecasting Model"].Drop();
    }
    MiningModel mm = ms.CreateMiningModel(true, "Sales Forecasting Model");
    mm.Algorithm = MiningModelAlgorithms.MicrosoftTimeSeries;
    mm.AlgorithmParameters.Add("PERIODICITY_HINT", "{12}");

    MiningModelColumn amount = new MiningModelColumn();
    amount.SourceColumnID = "Amount";
    amount.Usage = MiningModelColumnUsages.Predict;

    MiningModelColumn modelRegion = new MiningModelColumn();
    modelRegion.SourceColumnID = "Model Region";
    modelRegion.Usage = MiningModelColumnUsages.Key;

    MiningModelColumn qty = new MiningModelColumn();
    qty.SourceColumnID = "Quantity";
    qty.Usage = MiningModelColumnUsages.Predict;

    MiningModelColumn ti = new MiningModelColumn();
    ti.SourceColumnID = "TimeIndex";
    ti.Usage = MiningModelColumnUsages.Key;

    mm.Update();
    mm.Process(ProcessType.ProcessFull);
    return mm;
}

See Also

Reference

Microsoft.AnalysisServices

Concepts

AMO Fundamental Classes
Introducing AMO Classes
AMO Data Mining Classes

Other Resources

Analysis Services Concepts and Objects
Analysis Services Objects

Help and Information

Getting SQL Server 2005 Assistance