I beforehand wrote a weblog publish explaining easy methods to rename all columns in a desk in a single go together with Energy Question. One in all my guests raised a query within the feedback in regards to the chance to rename all columns from all tables in a single go. Curiously sufficient, considered one of my prospects had an identical requirement. So I believed it’s good to put in writing a Fast Tip explaining easy methods to meet the requirement.

The Downside

You’re connecting to the info sources from Energy BI Desktop (or Excel or Information Flows). The columns of the supply tables usually are not consumer pleasant, so that you require to rename all columns. You already know easy methods to rename all columns of a desk in a single go however you’d like to use the renaming columns patterns to all tables.

The Answer

The answer is sort of easy. We require to connect with the supply, however we don’t navigate to any tables right away. In my case, my supply desk is an on-premises SQL Server. So I hook up with the SQL Server occasion utilizing the Sql.Database(Server, DB) perform in Energy Question the place the Server and the DB are question parameters. Learn extra about question parameters right here. The outcomes would love the next picture:

As you see within the above picture, the outcomes embrace Tables, Views and Capabilities. We’re not focused on Capabilities due to this fact we simply filter them out. The next picture exhibits the outcomes after making use of the filter:

If we glance nearer to the Information column, we see that the column is certainly a Structured Column. The structured values of the Information column are Desk values. If we click on on a cell (not on the Desk worth of the cell), we will see the precise underlying information, as proven within the following picture:

Because the above picture illustrates, the chosen cell comprises the precise information of the DimProduct desk from the supply. What we’re after is to rename all columns from all tables. So we will use the Desk.TransformColumnNames(desk as desk, NameGenerator as perform) perform to rename all tables’ columns. We have to move the values of the Information column to the desk operand of the Desk.TransformColumnNames() perform. The second operand of the Desk.TransformColumnNames() perform requires a perform to generate the names. In my instance, the column names are CamelCased. So the NameGenerator perform should remodel a column identify like EnglishProductName to English Product Identify. As you see, I want to separate the column identify when the characters transit from decrease case to higher case. I can obtain this through the use of the Splitter.SplitTextByCharacterTransition(earlier than as anynonnull, after as anynonnull) perform. So the expression to separate the column names based mostly on their character transition from decrease case to higher case seems like beneath:

Splitter.SplitTextByCharacterTransition({"a".."z"}, {"A".."Z"})

As per the documentation , the Splitter.SplitTextByCharacterTransition() perform returns a perform that splits a textual content into an inventory of textual content. So the next expression is official:

Splitter.SplitTextByCharacterTransition({"a".."z"}, {"A".."Z"})("EnglishProductName")

The next picture exhibits the outcomes of the above expression:

However what I want isn’t an inventory, I want a textual content that mixes the values of the checklist separated by an area character. Such a textual content can be utilized for the column names. So I take advantage of the Textual content.Mix(texts as checklist, elective separator as nullable textual content) perform to get the specified outcome. So my expression seems like beneath:

Textual content.Mix(
            Splitter.SplitTextByCharacterTransition({"a".."z"}, {"A".."Z"})("EnglishProductName")
            , " "
            )

Right here is the results of the above expression:

So, we will now use the latter expression because the NameGenerator operand of the Desk.TransformColumnNames() perform with a minor modification; fairly than a continuing textual content we have to move the column names to the Desk.TransformColumnNames() perform. The ultimate expression seems like this:

Desk.TransformColumnNames(
                    [Data]
                    , (OldColumnNames) => 
                    Textual content.Mix(Splitter.SplitTextByCharacterTransition({"a".."z"}, {"A".."Z"})(OldColumnNames)
                    , " ")
                    )

Now we will add a Customized Column with the previous expression as proven within the picture beneath:

The next picture exhibits the contents of the DimProduct desk with renamed columns:

The final piece of the puzzle is to navigate by way of the tables. It is vitally easy, good click on on a cell from the Columns Renamed column and click on Add as a New Question from the context menu as proven within the following picture:

And… right here is the outcome:

Does it Fold?

That is certainly a basic query that you need to all the time ask when coping with the info sources that help Question Folding. And… the short reply to that query is, sure it does. The next picture exhibits the native question handed to the back-end information supply by right-clicking the final step and clicking View Native Question:

In case you are not accustomed to the time period “Question Folding”, I encourage you to study extra about it. Listed here are some good assets:

Conclusion

As you see, we will use this method to rename all tables’ columns in a single base question. We should always disable the question’s information load as we don’t have to load it into the info mannequin. However consider, we nonetheless have to broaden each single desk as a brand new question by right-clicking on every cell of the Columns Renamed column and choosing Add as a New Question from the context menu. The opposite level to notice is that everybody’s instances may be completely different. In my case the column names are in CamelCase, this may be very completely different in your case. So I don’t declare that we absolutely automated the entire technique of renaming tables’ columns and navigating the tables. The desk navigation half remains to be a bit laborious, however this method can save loads of growth time.

As all the time, if in case you have a greater concept I recognize it in the event you can share it with us within the feedback part beneath.