---json
{
    "aliases": [
        { "path": ":docs:resource:data_selector" }
    ],
    "page_id": "8lzga27ij3wsrwrhjf0e2"
}
---
====== Data Resource - Data Selector ======

===== About =====
A ''data selector'' is a [[..:resource:data_uri|data uri]] expression that permits to select:
  * [[..:resource:content|data resources]] (file, table,...)
  * or [[..:resource:container|container resources]] (directory, schema, ...)

<note>
If you are new to the concept of data selector, we encourage you to take a look at this page: [[howto:getting_started:4_select_data_resources]]
</note>



===== Syntax =====

This syntax select [[docs:resource:resource|data resources]] listed in the [[docs:connection:connection|connection]]

<code bash>
globPath[@connection]
</code>
where:
  * ''connection'' is the [[docs:connection:name|name of a connection]]
  * ''globPath'' is a path composed  of [[docs:common:globbing|glob pattern]] separated by a [[#separator_syntax_support|path separator]]

<note tip>
You can reference each wildcard character in a [[template_data_uri|target data uri]] to define the target resources.
</note>





==== File System ====

For a [[docs:system:file|file system]], the following special character are supported in the path:
  * ''/'' for the separator
  * ''.'' to design the current working directory
  * ''..'' to design the parent directory of the current working directory

Example:
  * Absolute
<code bash>
# Linux
/globPatternForDirectory/globPatternForFile@fileSystemConnection
# Windows
C:\globPatternForDirectory\globPatternForFile@fileSystemConnection
</code>
  * Relative
<code bash>
# Linux (and Windows)
../globPatternForDirectory/globPatternForFile@fileSystemConnection
# Windows form works also but is not recommended
..\globPatternForDirectory\globPatternForFile@fileSystemConnection
</code>



==== Sql Database ====

For a [[docs:system:database:database|sql database]], the following characters are supported in the path:
  * ''.'', for the path name separator
  * ''/'' to design the current schema
  * ''%%//%%'' to design the parent (schema, catalog)

<code bash>
# an sql object pattern
[catalogueGlobPattern][.schemaNamePattern.]objectNamePattern@database
# a sql schema pattern
//.schemaNamePattern
# a sql catalog pattern
//.//.schemaNamePattern
</code>

==== Http (Web) ====
For a [[docs:system:http|web system]], ''Tabulify'' supports passing directly an [[..:resource:uri|URI/URL]] as a data selector.

<note important>
Only in [[docs:common:bash|bash based terminal]], see [[docs:common:bash#why_do_we_recommend_bash|why]]
</note>


<unit>
<code bash>
tabul data info "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/api.php?action=query&titles=SQL&format=xml&prop=description"
</code>
<console>
Information about the data resource (api.php@https-en.wikipedia.org\w)
attribute          value                                                                                              description
----------------   ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------   ----------------------------------------------------------------------
CHARACTER_SET      UTF-8                                                                                              The character set of the file
COLUMN_NAME        xml                                                                                                The name of the column when the text content is returned on one column
END_OF_RECORD                                                                                                        The End Of Record string sequence
URI                https://en.wikipedia.org/w/api.php?prop=description&format=xml&action=query&titles=SQL             The URI of the file
ABSOLUTE_PATH      /w/api.php                                                                                         The absolute path on the data system
ACCESS_TIME                                                                                                           The access time (access time)
COMMENT                                                                                                               A comment
CONNECTION         https-en.wikipedia.org\w                                                                           The connection name
COUNT              1                                                                                                  The number of records
CREATION_TIME                                                                                                         The creation time (birth time)
DATA_URI           api.php@https-en.wikipedia.org\w                                                                   The data uri
KIND               xml                                                                                                The kind of media
LOGICAL_NAME       api                                                                                                The logical name
MD5                3547b7e2532d9d3faab43788fa3b16e0                                                                   The Md5 hash
MEDIA_SUBTYPE      xml                                                                                                The media subType
MEDIA_TYPE         text/xml                                                                                           The media type
NAME               api.php                                                                                            The name of the data resource
PARENT                                                                                                                The parent
PATH               api.php                                                                                            The relative path to the default connection path
SHA384             821189e9ced47527c2811626813b417adf4152fd02bec10c2a36f95ea9e8d158653e80216edb1b890cef49c449e3a9e0   The Sha384 hash
SHA384_INTEGRITY   sha384-ghGJ6c7UdSfCgRYmgTtBet9BUv0CvsEMKjb5Xqno0VhlPoAhbtsbiQzvScRJ46ng                            The sha384 value used in the html integrity attribute
SIZE               -1                                                                                                 The number of byte
TABULAR_TYPE       data                                                                                               The tabular type
UPDATE_TIME                                                                                                           The last update time (modify time)
</console>
</unit>