Intrinsic Member Properties: The MEMBER_CAPTION Property

In this lesson, we will examine an intrinsic member property, MEMBER_CAPTION. As many of us are aware, the intrinsic member properties supported by SQL Server 2005 Analysis Services are of two types: context sensitive member properties and non-context sensitive member properties. MEMBER_CAPTION belongs to the second group of properties. As a general group, intrinsic member properties provide additional information that can be used by applications to enhance the user's experience. Support for the non-context sensitive member properties is the same for all members, regardless of individual context.

The purpose of the MEMBER_CAPTION property is to support the return of a caption for the member with which it is associated. MEMBER_CAPTION can be useful in a host of different applications, and, as I have noted to be the case for other functions and properties within the MDX Essentials series, MEMBER_CAPTION allows us to exercise a great deal of presentation “sleight of hand,” in working with MDX in Analysis Services, as well as within Reporting Services and various other reporting applications that can access an Analysis Services cube.

The MEMBER_CAPTION property can be leveraged in activities that range from generating simple lists to supporting sophisticated presentations. It is a particularly effective tool when we need to provide parameter picklist support and the like, as we shall see. We will introduce the function, commenting upon its operation and touching upon examples of effects that we can employ it to deliver. As a part of our discussion, we shall:

• Examine the syntax surrounding the function;
• Undertake illustrative examples of the uses of the function in practice exercises;
• Briefly discuss the results datasets we obtain in the practice examples.

Author: [William Pearson]