copy activity - nested json data

Question

Hi,
I am using copy activity to read nested json data.
The json returned is complicated as it has several nested hierarchies.
Question:
Is it possible in copy activity - mapping tab to basically flatten every hierarchy or do I have to use dataflow flattened activity?
I ask because in copy activity - mapping tab, it looks like I can only flatten one of the hierarchies from the drop down.
Thanks

Answer 1

Hi @arkiboys ,

Thankyou for using Microsoft Q&A platform and posting your query.

As I understand your ask here , you want to copy hierarchical Json data using Copy activity in ADF. Your assumption is correct . This is doable up to one level of hierarchy by using collection reference option in mapping tab of Copy data activity.

When copying data from hierarchical source to tabular sink, copy activity supports the following capabilities:

• Extract data from objects and arrays.
• Cross apply multiple objects with the same pattern from an array, in which case to convert one JSON object into multiple records in tabular result.

For more advanced hierarchical-to-tabular transformation, you can use Data Flow.
Please refer to the following article for more details: Hierarchical source to tabular sink

Thread on how to use flatten transformation in data flow in order to flatten Json with multiple arrays : https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/answers/questions/715216/index.html

Hope this will help. Please let us know if any further queries.

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