If you use this build method, when Essbase encounters a new member in the source, it scans the outline for a member name with similar text and adds the new member as a sibling of the member with the closest string match.

For example, the following text file of data contains two new members (100-11 and 200-22) to add to the Product dimension. The new members are similar to strings in the Product dimension: they contain three digits, one dash, and two digits.

100-11	Texas	Sales	100	120	100
200-22	Texas	Sales	111	154	180

The following hierarchy shows 100-11 added as a sibling of 100, and 200-22 added as a sibling of 200.

To recreate this example,

1. Import/build the Sample Basic cube, using the application workbook available from the gallery in the file catalog on the Essbase Server.

2. Create a tab-delimited data file like the following, name it stringmatch.txt, and upload it to the Sample Basic cube directory.

   100-11	Texas	Sales	100	120	100
   200-22	Texas	Sales	111	154	180

3. On the Applications page, expand the application (Sample).

4. From the Actions menu, to the right of the cube name (Basic), launch the inspector.

   
   
   
   
   

5. Select the Scripts tab, and then click Rules.

   
   
   
   
   

6. Click Create and choose Dimension Build (Regular).

   
   
   
   
   

7. In the New Rule dialog,

   1. Enter a rule name; for example, stringmatch.

   2. For Source Type select File, click Catalog and navigate to stringmatch.txt.

      When you click Catalog, the file is expected to be located in the cube directory on the Essbase Server by default, so you must have already uploaded it using the Files section of the Essbase web interface. If the file is on your client machine, click File Browser to locate the file.

   3. Leave the Header Record Number and Dimension Build Record Number fields as 0. Header records are not useful for dimension builds.

   4. Change the Delimiter value from Comma to Tab.

   5. Click Proceed.

   6. The dimension build rule opens with undefined fields, and preview data (from the text file) populating the grid below the fields.

      
      
      
      
      

8. As this is a new rule, there are no dimensions associated yet.

   1. Click Dimensions.
      
      
      
      
   2. Select or type the dimension name Product, and click Add.

9. Now you need to define the build method and check other dimension build operational instructions. Click Product to edit the properties.
   
   

10. Change Build Method to Add as sibling of matching string, and leave the Member Name field underneath it blank.

    
    
    
    
    

    Click OK.

11. Click the Dimension selector in Field 1, and select Product.

    
    
    
    
    

12. Leave the Type selector of Field 1 blank.

13. Select Fields 2-6. To do this, click on the inactive header area labeled Field 2, hold down Shift key, and click the Field 6 header area. Click Ignore.

    
    
    
    
    

    As a result, this rule will only operate on the first field of each record. Ignoring fields can be helpful when you don't need to use every field in the source for your dimension build, yet you don't want to prepare different sources.

14. Verify the rule, then save and close. If there are any errors, see Requirements for Valid Dimension Build Rule Files.

15. Run the dimension build job.

16. View the outline, and inspect the children Product members 100 and 200 to confirm that the members were added.