Implementing OLAP Gauges

When to Use This Skill

• Display KPI data from OLAP cubes in gauge format
• Connect to OLAP data sources (XML/A, SQL Server Analysis Services, Mondrian, ActivePivot)
• Visualize business metrics with goals, status, and trend indicators
• Create executive dashboards with KPI visualizations
• Bind OLAP gauge to offline cubes or local/online servers
• Customize gauge appearance with frames, themes, and layouts
• Configure multiple gauges in structured layouts
• Implement OLAP reports with dimensions and KPI elements
• Localize OLAP gauge for international applications
• Add tooltips to display value and goal information

Component Overview

Key Capabilities

• OLAP Data Binding: Built-in support for XML/A data sources, offline cubes, SQL Server Analysis Services, Mondrian, and ActivePivot servers
• KPI Visualization: Displays KPI values (pointers), goals (markers), status, and trend indicators
• Visual Indicators: Traffic lights, road signs, and standard arrow images for status and trend
• Multiple Gauge Layouts: Customizable row and column layouts for displaying multiple gauges
• Frame Types: Various built-in frame types (circular, half-circle, full-circle) for rich appearance
• Theming: Supports Office 2010/2013, Metro, Blend, and VisualStudio themes
• Tooltips: Interactive tooltips for pointers and markers
• Customization: Control visibility of headers, labels, factors, and adjust gauge radius
• Localization: Multi-language support with RTL (Right-to-Left) capability
• XAML Configuration: Complete design-time control configuration without code-behind

Architecture

OlapGauge Control
├── OlapDataManager (manages OLAP connections)
├── OlapReport (defines cube, dimensions, KPI elements)
├── Gauge Visualization (renders KPI data)
│   ├── Pointers (KPI values)
│   ├── Markers (KPI goals)
│   ├── Status Indicators (visual feedback)
│   └── Trend Indicators (directional arrows)
└── Layout (rows/columns for multiple gauges)

Documentation and Navigation Guide

Getting Started

• Installing and adding control through Visual Studio
• Installing and adding control through Expression Blend
• Adding control programmatically through code-behind
• Required assembly references (Syncfusion.OlapGauge.WPF, Syncfusion.Olap.Base, etc.)
• Setting up OlapDataManager with connection strings
• Creating basic OlapReport with KpiElements and DimensionElements
• Defining cube names and configuring dimensions
• Required namespaces (Syncfusion.Olap.Reports, Syncfusion.Olap.Manager, Syncfusion.Windows.Gauge.Olap)
• Initial rendering and sample output

Data Binding

• Binding to offline cube files (.cub) with physical path
• Binding to cube in local SQL Server Analysis Services
• Binding to cube in online SQL Server via XML/A
• Binding to Mondrian server OLAP cubes
• Binding to ActivePivot server OLAP cubes
• Connection string formats for different providers
• Authentication and credential configuration
• Setting DataProvider.ProviderName for different servers
• Troubleshooting connection issues

KPI Visualization

• Understanding KPI elements and structure
• KPI value representation using pointers
• KPI goal representation using markers
• KPI status indicators (traffic lights, road signs)
• KPI trend indicators (directional arrows)
• Configuring KpiElement properties (ShowKPIGoal, ShowKPIStatus, ShowKPIValue, ShowKPITrend)
• Display options for each KPI component
• Member-KPI combination display patterns
• Visual feedback for performance metrics

Customization

• Layout customization with ColumnsCount and RowsCount properties
• Controlling multiple gauge arrangements
• Gauge header visibility (ShowGaugeHeaders)
• Gauge label visibility (ShowGaugeLabels)
• Gauge factor visibility (ShowGaugeFactors)
• Complete XAML configuration without code-behind
• DataSource.ConnectionString and DataSource.ConnectionName properties
• ReportName and CurrentCubeName configuration in XAML
• CategoricalAxis, SeriesAxis, and SlicerAxis definition
• Dimension and KPI elements in XAML markup
• Calculated members configuration

Appearance

• Adjusting gauge radius for size control
• Built-in frame types (CircularCenterGradient, CircularWithDarkOuterFrames, FullCircle, HalfCircle)
• Applying themes with SkinStorage.VisualStyle
• Available themes: Metro, Blend, Office2010Black, Office2010Blue, Office2010Silver
• Office 2013 themes: LightGray, DarkGray, White
• VisualStudio2013 theme
• Setting themes in XAML vs code-behind
• SfSkinManager.SetVisualStyle usage

Tooltips and Localization

• Enabling pointer tooltips (ShowPointersTooltip)
• Enabling marker tooltips (ShowMarkersTooltip)
• Tooltip content and formatting
• Localization overview and translation process
• Creating resource files (.resx) with proper naming conventions
• File naming format: Syncfusion.OlapGauge.wpf.<Culture Code>.resx
• Setting CurrentUICulture for culture specification
• RTL (Right-to-Left) support with FlowDirection property
• Combining localization with RTL for Arabic, Hebrew, etc.

Quick Start Example

Basic OLAP Gauge with KPI

<Window x:Class="OlapGaugeApp.MainWindow"
        xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml/presentation"
        xmlns:x="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml"
        xmlns:syncfusion="http://schemas.syncfusion.com/wpf">
    <Grid>
        <syncfusion:OlapGauge x:Name="OlapGauge1"/>
    </Grid>
</Window>

using Syncfusion.Olap.Manager;
using Syncfusion.Olap.Reports;
using System.Windows;

namespace OlapGaugeApp
{
    public partial class MainWindow : Window
    {
        public MainWindow()
        {
            InitializeComponent();
            
            // Create data manager with connection string
            var olapDataManager = new OlapDataManager(
                "Data Source=http://bi.syncfusion.com/olap/msmdpump.dll; " +
                "Initial Catalog=Adventure Works DW 2008 SE;");
            
            // Set OLAP report
            olapDataManager.SetCurrentReport(CreateOlapReport());
            
            // Bind to gauge
            this.OlapGauge1.OlapDataManager = olapDataManager;
        }

        private OlapReport CreateOlapReport()
        {
            OlapReport report = new OlapReport();
            report.CurrentCubeName = "Adventure Works";

            // Configure KPI element
            KpiElements kpiElement = new KpiElements();
            kpiElement.Elements.Add(new KpiElement 
            { 
                Name = "Revenue", 
                ShowKPIGoal = true, 
                ShowKPIStatus = true, 
                ShowKPIValue = true, 
                ShowKPITrend = true 
            });

            // Configure dimensions
            DimensionElement dimensionElement = new DimensionElement();
            dimensionElement.Name = "Date";
            dimensionElement.AddLevel("Fiscal Year", "Fiscal Year");

            // Add elements to report
            report.CategoricalElements.Add(new Item { ElementValue = kpiElement });
            report.CategoricalElements.Add(new Item { ElementValue = dimensionElement });
            
            return report;
        }
    }
}

Common Use Cases

Executive Dashboard with Multiple KPIs

// Configure 2x2 layout for 4 KPIs
this.OlapGauge1.RowsCount = 2;
this.OlapGauge1.ColumnsCount = 2;

Offline Cube Binding

string connectionString = @"DataSource = C:\Cubes\Adventure_Works_Ext.cub; Provider = MSOLAP;";
OlapDataManager dataManager = new OlapDataManager(connectionString);

Complete XAML Configuration

<syncfusion:OlapGauge x:Name="olapGauge" 
                      CurrentCubeName="Adventure Works" 
                      ReportName="SalesReport"
                      olapshared:DataSource.ConnectionString="datasource=localhost; initial catalog=adventure works dw">
    <syncfusion:OlapGauge.CategoricalAxis>
        <syncfusion:Dimension Name="Date" HierarchyName="Fiscal" LevelName="Fiscal Year"/>
        <syncfusion:Kpi Name="Revenue" ShowGoal="True" ShowStatus="True" ShowValue="True"/>
    </syncfusion:OlapGauge.CategoricalAxis>
</syncfusion:OlapGauge>

Themed Gauge with Tooltips

<syncfusion:OlapGauge x:Name="OlapGauge1" 
                      ShowPointersTooltip="True" 
                      ShowMarkersTooltip="True"
                      sfshared:SkinStorage.VisualStyle="Metro"/>

Key Properties

Core Properties

OlapDataManager

RowsCount

ColumnsCount

CurrentCubeName

ReportName

Visibility Properties

ShowGaugeHeaders

ShowGaugeLabels

ShowGaugeFactors

ShowPointersTooltip

ShowMarkersTooltip

Appearance Properties

Radius

FrameType

FlowDirection

XAML Configuration Properties

DataSource.ConnectionString

DataSource.ConnectionName

SharedDataManagerName

CategoricalAxis

SeriesAxis

SlicerAxis

Related Components

Within Data Visualization Category

• Circular Gauges - For non-OLAP radial gauge visualizations with pointers and ranges
• Charts - For detailed OLAP data visualization with multiple chart types

Other Syncfusion WPF Components

• Main WPF Library - Complete Syncfusion WPF component documentation

Assembly References

• Syncfusion.OlapGauge.WPF

• Syncfusion.Gauge.WPF

• Syncfusion.Olap.Base

• Syncfusion.OlapShared.WPF

• Syncfusion.Core

• Syncfusion.Shared.WPF

{Drive}:\Program Files (x86)\Syncfusion\Essential Studio\{version}\precompiledassemblies\{version}\{framework}\

Licensing