Analysis services task does not have "Process Update" option

[SQLWilts]

Hi,
I am a newbie at AS, so please bear with me.
I am not sure whether this should be in the AS section, or here - but as the AS side looks OK, here, I am.
I am in the process of converting DTS 2000 to SSIS 2005. I have exported/imported the OLAP cubes to a seperate server - no problems. I can right click the dimension, choose process and change it to process update (the 2005 version of an incremental update, I believe).
When I add an "Analysis Services Processing Task" in SSIS, point it at the dimension - process update is not available. The only options available are:

Process Default
Process Full
Unprocess
Process Data

Any ideas why this may be happening?

thanks in advance

 

[MDXer]

I would help if I could but I don't use the process cube tasks. I write script tasks and harness AMO to handle all of my processing. It is more dynamic and gives you greater control.

 

[SQLWilts]

MDXer,
Thanks for replying. I sussed the issue - AS needs to know that the cube has already been fully processed before allowing that option in the gui.

I am a SQL server DBa of a <ahem> number of years, and yes, I agree that scripting is the only way to go. Which scripts control AS? I have a book on MDX solutions, but havent had the time to open it yet - I really need to as I think AS is the way I want to go.

Especially as my current work place is about to embark on a massive AS/MOLAP/ROLAP project - and I want to be at the front of it

Any thought/comments?

 

[MDXer]

You need to create a custom process in SSIS or a desktop .NET app. C# and VB.NET have access to AMO which is the object model for SSAS.

The way I usually handle this process is to create a set of tables that allow me in a somewhat 3rd normal form manner have a record for the various SSAS Objects

Servers
Databases
Dimensions
Cubes
MeasureGroups
Partitions (if needed)

your app would read in elements that need to be processed along with the process type to preform (full, update, indexes)

you then feed these elements into a SSIS Script Task that connects to the cube and issues the appropriate command.

You should be aware that when you preform an incremental build that indexes for non rigid attributes will be dropped so you need to do an incremental followed by a process index on the dim and fact tables.

I prefer to base everything in tables rather than have all the process built in a black box style process (fightinh with that now). You gain control and managability which in my opimions out weighs the development effort.