ODBC
Power Query is a powerful data connectivity and transformation tool that is built into Power BI. With Power Query, you can easily connect to a wide variety of data sources, and then transform and shape the data to meet your needs. One of the data sources that you can connect to using Power Query is an ODBC data source.
In this article, we will take a look at the Power Query M Language code that is required to connect to an ODBC data source from inside Power BI.
What is the ODBC Data Source?
ODBC stands for Open Database Connectivity, which is a standard programming interface that allows applications to access data in database management systems. An ODBC data source can be a database, a spreadsheet, or any other data source that supports the ODBC interface.
The Power Query M Language
The Power Query M Language is a functional programming language that is used to query and transform data in Power Query. It is a powerful and flexible language that allows you to perform complex data transformations with ease.
Connecting to the ODBC Data Source
To connect to an ODBC data source from inside Power BI, you will need to use the Power Query M Language code. Here is an example of the code that you can use:
let
Source = ODBC.DataSource(“dsn=myDataSource;uid=myUsername;pwd=myPassword”),
#”Table Name” = Source{[Name=”myTableName”]}[Data]
in
#”Table Name”
Let’s break down this code to understand what it is doing.
Defining the Data Source
The first line of the code defines the data source. In this example, we are using the ODBC.DataSource function to define the data source. The function takes a connection string as its argument. In the connection string, you will need to replace “myDataSource” with the name of your ODBC data source, “myUsername” with your username, and “myPassword” with your password.
Retrieving the Data
The second line of the code retrieves the data from the data source. In this example, we are retrieving the data from a table named “myTableName”. If you have a different table name, you will need to replace “myTableName” with the name of your table.
Shaping the Data
The third line of the code shapes the data. In this example, we are simply returning the data as a table. However, you can use the Power Query M Language to perform complex data transformations, such as filtering, grouping, and merging.
Conclusion
Connecting to an ODBC data source from inside Power BI is easy with the Power Query M Language. By using the code that we have provided, you can quickly and easily connect to your ODBC data source and start transforming your data.
