26.1 Validating the Project¶
Before Datashop users get a changed model, check it: PROJECT → Validate finds errors, incomplete objects and clutter, and helps you fix them.
The Messages Panel¶
Modeller also checks the model automatically – when the project opens, before each save and after many changes. The results are in the Messages panel at the bottom:
- Errors – e.g. a dynamic view with invalid SQL, or a unit without lookup table;
- Warnings – e.g. a fact without dimensions;
- Information – e.g. No errors found., or tables renamed in the data source.
Double-click a message to go to the object. Right-click → Show shows the full text; Save Messages... saves the list to a text file.
Validate¶
PROJECT → Validate opens the Validate project tab. It works like Datashop's Project Cleanup – see 19.3 Project Cleanup – with Modeller's object types: project, dimensions, dimensional units, tables, facts and transformations.
In Modeller all problem types are ticked: Invalid, Unused, Empty, Ambiguous, Duplicate and Warnings (plus Missing translations in multi-language projects). The preset list offers Errors and warnings, Subject to deletion and Translations.
Select a result to see What can you do? and use Edit..., Delete... or Fix problem. In Modeller, fixes and deletions are only stored when you Save the project.
Tips – Validating the Project¶
- Validate before every save that goes to production, and fix errors first.
- The dimensional model is unfinished or contains errors when saving means Datashop users may see errors – don't ignore it.
- Remove Unused objects only after checking Dependencies – Datashop metrics count as users.