How to expand all nested tables at once table.expandtablecolumn

[cpinho]

Hi guys,

I've an issue, when working with getting data from web (html) it is common to have a source with hundred or more nested tables. How can i expand it all at once?

I've seen a code from Chris for PowerQuery, but i was unable to use it in Power BI.

Glad you can assist.

Best

Carlos

[MarcelBeug · Accepted solution]

The code below expands all nested tables from this webpage (as an example) as requested, but I'm note sure if the result makes much sense.
It includes an embedded recursive function fnCombineAll.

Possibly some further refinement would be required, but at least we have a start.

let
    Source = Web.Page(Web.Contents("https://community.powerbi.com/t5/Desktop/How-to-expand-all-nested-tables-at-once-table-expandtablecolumn/m-p/129451#U129451")),
    Data0 = Source{0}[Data],
    ChildrenWithTable = Table.SelectRows(Data0, each [Children] is table),

    fnCombineAll = (TableSoFar as table, newChildren as table) as table =>
    let
        Combined = Table.Buffer(Table.Combine(List.Union({{TableSoFar},newChildren[Children]}))),
        ChildrensChildrenWithTable = Table.AddColumn(newChildren, "ChildrensChildren", each Table.SelectRows([Children], each [Children] is table)),
        ChildrensChildrenCombined = Table.Combine(ChildrensChildrenWithTable[ChildrensChildren]),
        CombinedAll = if Table.RowCount(ChildrensChildrenCombined) = 0 then Combined else @fnCombineAll(Combined, ChildrensChildrenCombined) 
    in
        CombinedAll,


    CombinedAll = if Table.RowCount(ChildrenWithTable) = 0 then Data0 else fnCombineAll(Data0, ChildrenWithTable),
    #"Added Index" = Table.AddIndexColumn(CombinedAll, "Index", 1, 1),
    #"Reordered Columns" = Table.ReorderColumns(#"Added Index",{"Index", "Kind", "Name", "Children", "Text"})
in
    #"Reordered Columns"

[ooptennoort]

I now see I should not have "gone" to the end of all steps but filled in the parameters for fnCombineAll, but... what parameters? What other tables have we besides the ones in this/provided url? I'm lost 😉 Can you explain a bit? (Is your code still relevant, so many years on??)

[ooptennoort]

Dear Marcel, I've been trying to get your code to work but... I've changed the url and row (Source = Web.Page(Web.Contents("https://community.fabric.microsoft.com/t5/Desktop/How-to-expand-all-nested-tables-at-once-table-expa...")),
Data0 = Source{2}[Data],) but still... this code should expand all Children, right and check for children in children etc? What am I doing wrong?

[DebbieE]

Im new to Power BI and Im not sure how you would use the above code.

Do you have the steps on how to actually implement this?

Thanks

[Anonymous]

Hello,

@MarcelBeug

I need to do a similar thing as I also have rows with nested tables. Is there a way to do this via the UI?

Thank you

J

[cpinho]

Hi Marcel,

Thank you very much for you great assistance. Trying to put it working together. But sometimes is just a mess.