Select specific files from Azure Blob Storage

[awepdn]

Hi,

I am using the Azure Blob Storage connector to connect to my storage account.

I need to display data from several CSV files (about 50MB in total) that are hosted in a specific container.

The issue is that apart from these CSV files there are lots of other files in the same container that I am not interested in (> 10 GB and increasing).

When I try to load the files I need, the connector first downloads all of the files in that container and then filters on the files I need.

Obviously, this generates lots of unnecessary costs and compute overhead.

Is there a way to only load files I specify from a container in Azure Blob Storage into Power BI without downloading all the content?

Thanks,

Andreas

[sankarsudarsan]

I had a dynamic folder in blob storage. i tried using the blob storage connector which could not connect to the specific folder. One side effect of not being able to do this for dynamic folders is that Powerbi will not add new files in the folder to the data source. this will give you incorrect data when new data files appear. 

I tried Lake storage connecter instead of the blob storage connected to access the specific dynamic folder in azure blob storage. "It Worked".  You can use folder url and the same access key that you used with blob storage. 

[v-danhe-msft]

Hi @awepdn,

Based on my research, I am afraid you could not achieve this feature currently, I suggest you clean your data in query editor firstly then load into your data model.

Or you could submit an idea in ideas forum:https://ideas.powerbi.com/forums/265200-power-bi-ideas

Regards,

Daniel He

[awepdn · Accepted solution]

Hi @v-danhe-msft,

Thanks for your response.

I think that is quite a limitation for the Blob Storage Connector at the moment.

I finally ended up with a workaround saving the source files I need for my report on Azure Data Lake Storage.

The Power BI Data Lake Storage Store connector fortunately is capable of connecting to a specific file (files) only without importing the entire folder (just paste the complete file url).