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Add support for Data Packages (datapackage.json)

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Power BI User on 17 Mar 2015 18:05:07

Add support for Tabular Data Package. Tabular Data Package is a simple structure for publishing and sharing tabular data with the following key features:
- Data is stored in CSV (comma separated values) files
- Metadata about the dataset both general (e.g. title, author) and the specific data files (e.g. schema) is stored in a single JSON file named datapackage.json which follows the Data Package format

For more information visit: http://data.okfn.org/doc/tabular-data-package

Because of the simple publishing design PowerBI would be required to load from the URL. More info on creating a datapackage visit: http://data.okfn.org/doc/publish-tabular

This is Open Data Institute (ODI) recommended approach of publically publishing data - http://theodi.org/blog/2014-the-year-of-csv

Comments (2)
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Jamie Thomson on 05 Jul 2020 22:15:27

RE: Add support for Data Packages (datapackage.json)

The organisation that is behind Tabular Data Packages, Open Knowledge, announced yesterday (2/2/16) that Google will be funding further work in this area (http://blog.okfn.org/2016/02/01/google-funds-frictionless-data-initiative-at-open-knowledge/). Seems like data packages are gaining traction, would be great to see them supported in Power BI

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Jamie Thomson on 05 Jul 2020 21:59:22

RE: Add support for Data Packages (datapackage.json)

I'm an advocate of open data thus Tabular Data Packages seem like a great idea to me so I'd love to see them supported in Power Query. I note that Power Query team member Curt Hagenlocher has commented on the above linked to blog post (http://theodi.org/blog/2014-the-year-of-csv) where he says:
"In any event, I'm curious to see what you come up with. If it's successful enough, we'll be forced to support it in Power Query some day :)."