Forum Discussion

Anonymous's avatar
Anonymous
Not applicable
6 years ago

How do you import txt with tabs?

I have a text file that I can open up in excel and it comes thru just fine (with tabs) but when I import in PowerQuery it puts everything in one column?   First screen show from PowerBI...there is ...
Need Help
mjsch8686's avatar
mjsch8686
New Member
2 years ago

Hey,

Not sure if you're still struggling with this all these years later but I suddenly updated to Power BI 2021 and am now having the same issue.

 

This was my workaround = 

In previous versions of Power BI this was the source formula when importing tab delimited files:

= Csv.Document(Parameter1,[Delimiter="            ", Columns=25, Encoding=65001, QuoteStyle=QuoteStyle.None])  (The Delimter here is not spaces but rather an actual result of hitting "tab" on the keyboard)

 

I checked the source formula for the Power BI 2021 file (made in Jan 2021 Power BI).  The source formula shows as follows:

= Csv.Document(Parameter1,[Delimiter="#(tab)", Columns=1, Encoding=65001, QuoteStyle=QuoteStyle.None])

 

I went in to my source formula and changed the "Columns" to 25 so now the Power BI 2021 formula shows like this:

= Csv.Document(Parameter1,[Delimiter="#(tab)", Columns=25, Encoding=65001, QuoteStyle=QuoteStyle.None])

This seems to fix my issue temporarily.   

 

I hope this helps.  If not you, then someone else struggling with issue.

-M-