KB2430162 - FIX: "The expression contains a function that cannot operate on a set with more than 4,294,967,296 tuples" error message occurs when you try to run an MDX query in SSAS 2008 or in SSAS 2008 R2

Symptoms

Consider the following scenario:

• You have a Multidimensional Expressions (MDX) query that meets the following conditions in Microsoft SQL Server 2008 Analysis Services (SSAS) 2008 or in Microsoft SQL Server 2008 R2 Analysis Services (SSAS) 2008 R2:

  • The query uses the CROSSJOIN function.

  • The expression of the query has more than two argument sets that are composed of tuples from different attribute hierarchies in the same dimension.

  • These sets are separated by another set that is composed of tuples from another dimension.

  • The theoretical result set for the CROSSJOIN function is usually more than 4,294,967,296 tuples.
    For example, you have an MDX query that contains the following:
    

    WITH SET S AS CROSSJOIN([Product].[Large Photo].[Large Photo], [Customer].[Customer].[Customer], [Product].[Product].[Product])
    SELECT {} ON 0,
    S.ITEM(1) ON 1
    FROM [Adventureworks]

• You try to run the query.

In this scenario, the query does not run. Additionally, you receive the following error message:

Note This type of MDX query may be automatically generated by an Excel Pivot table.

Resolution

Workaround

To work around this issue, use an expression that has two adjacent attributes from the same dimension in the query. For example, the MDX query contains the following:

WITH SET S AS CROSSJOIN([Product].[Large Photo].[Large Photo], [Product].[Product].[Product], [Customer].[Customer].[Customer])
SELECT {} ON 0,
S.ITEM(1) ON 1
FROM [Adventureworks]

Status

Microsoft has confirmed that this is a problem in the Microsoft products that are listed in the "Applies to" section.