If you assign nonconstant values to members of a sparse dimension, blocks are created based on the Create Blocks on Equations setting. The Create Blocks on Equations setting is defined at the database level, as a database property. (See Nonconstant Values.)
Within calculation scripts, you can temporarily override the Create Blocks on Equations setting. Consider the effects of the following calculation when West does not have a value and Create Blocks on Equations is enabled:
West = California + 120;
Unneeded blocks may be created for all sparse-member intersections with West, even if the corresponding block value is #MISSING for all of the children of West. Especially in a large database, creation and processing of unneeded blocks requires additional processing time.
To control creation of blocks when you assign nonconstant values to members of a sparse dimension, use the SET CREATEBLOCKONEQ ON | OFF calculation command, as shown in the following script:
FIX (Colas); SET CREATEBLOCKONEQ OFF West = California + 120; SET CREATEBLOCKONEQ ON East = “New York” + 100; ENDFIX
Because the Create Block on Equation setting is disabled at the beginning of the script, West blocks are created only when values exist for the children of West. Later, because the Create Block on Equation setting is enabled, all blocks for East are created.