Power Query - Loop through unknown number of Tables and append them all - solved

Anonymous
2018-07-17T09:29:18+00:00

Hello,

I have an Excel spreadsheet with a lot of columns but I want to save it in csv format with line breaks to put certain columns on different lines.   This is because I can upload different record types into my database but each record type needs its own line in csv with a header type as the first field on that line.

eg this in Excel:

col1   col2   col3   col4   col5   col6   col7   col8   col9   col10

01        b        c        d       e        02         g       h        03         j

01        r         s         t       u        02         v       w        03         x

becomes this in csv:

01, b, c, d, e

02, g, h

03, j

01, r, s, t, u

02, v, w

03, x              

Is this possible?  Easy?  

thanks

Louise

<The thread has been moved to the correct category by forum moderator>

Microsoft 365 and Office | Excel | For home | Windows

Locked Question. This question was migrated from the Microsoft Support Community. You can vote on whether it's helpful, but you can't add comments or replies or follow the question.

0 comments No comments
Answer accepted by question author
Lz365 38,201 Reputation points Volunteer Moderator
2018-08-01T12:23:56+00:00

This is a very simplified version of this thread. We have an Input Table that looks like:

where each Group of colored columns needs to be transformed in a separate Table (so 3 in this case) and at the end we want the 3 Tables to be Appended (Combined according to Power Query M language)

Challenge

The number of Groups may vary (i.e. from 1 to say 10) from time to time. So we need a query that is flexible enough to handle this variation

Note

In the above example the 1st Group has 3 columns, the 2nd has 4 and the last has 5. To properly Append/Combine Tables they all must have the same number of columns. That aspect of the problem is not detailed in the below Power Query M snipet.

How To

Power Quey M language doesn't offer an easy way to loop. This example uses the List.Generate function to do that the appropriate number of times to build each Table and then Append/Combine them

let

    ...

    GroupsList = Record.ToList(Table.FirstN(Source, 1){0}),

    NbGroups = List.Count(List.Distinct(GroupsList)),

    // Loop (actually NbGroups of times) to create a Table for each "Group"

    // At the end we get a List that contains Table(s)

    The next Step will Append/Combine all Table(s)

    TablesToAppend = List.Generate(

         ()=> [i = -1, j = 0, OutputTable = #table({"Col","Index","Index2"},{})],

            each [i] < NbGroups,

                each

                    [

                        j = [j] +1,

                        ...,              // step1 to build the OutputTable

                        ...,              // step2 to build the OutputTable

                        TableIdx = ...,   // step3 to build the OutputTable

                        OutputTable = Table.AddIndexColumn(TableIdx, "Index2", j, 1),

                        i = [i] +1

                    ],

                each [OutputTable]

                                  ),

    // Append all tables from above List

    TablesAppended = Table.Combine(List.Transform(TablesToAppend, each (_))),

    ...

in

    ...

Was this answer helpful?

2 people found this answer helpful.
0 comments No comments

59 additional answers

Sort by: Oldest
  1. Lz365 38,201 Reputation points Volunteer Moderator
    2018-07-26T10:47:13+00:00

    I'm at work so the X drive is where I save things, but yes it is a network drive.  I've tried saving it on my desktop and got the same error message

    Very very strange except if by mistake the INPUT file name is incorrect OR the latter is correct but the input table is no longer named TBL_INPUT in that file. The name TBL_INPUT is harded in the query code and I can't change this nor "dynamically" capture the name of that Table w/o causing of problems & constrains

    Can the input table be another sheet in the same doc as the macro/output sheet rather than a separate doc?

    In principal YES but I need to check a couple of things before updating. Expect something before end of day

    Just in case, what is you version of Windows?

    Was this answer helpful?

    0 comments No comments
  2. Anonymous
    2018-07-26T10:59:14+00:00

    "by mistake the INPUT file name is incorrect"

    No, I can copy and paste the link into Windows Explorer and it opens the file.

    "the input table is no longer named TBL_INPUT"

    No, I went into the table designer and extended the range.  I've updated the error message file with a screen shot of this.  Please use the last link I sent you to see.

    Thanks

    Was this answer helpful?

    0 comments No comments
  3. Lz365 38,201 Reputation points Volunteer Moderator
    2018-07-26T11:41:28+00:00

    Louise

    (thanks for checking/confirming my previous points). Updated file here with INPUT and OUTPUT Tables in the same file. Tested several times (adding/removing rows to Input table). Works for me.

    If possible 1st test it after saving it to your local PC drive.

    IMPORTANT: as you download the file from an external source (Internet), make sure you check any kind of "Trust file…" when opening it the 1st time as I now wonder if the previous issue wasn't due to a security problem

    Was this answer helpful?

    0 comments No comments
  4. Anonymous
    2018-07-26T11:48:19+00:00

    This item might not exist or is no longer available

    This item might have been deleted, expired or you might not have permission to view it. Contact the owner of this item for more information.

    Ooh, can you check you link please as I got the above message.

    thanks

    Was this answer helpful?

    0 comments No comments