Convert a ThoughtSpot Worksheet or Model into a Snowflake Semantic View by exporting TML, mapping columns and joins, translating formulas, and creating the view via SYSTEM$CREATE_SEMANTIC_VIEW_FROM_YAML.
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Convert a ThoughtSpot Worksheet or Model into a Snowflake Semantic View by exporting TML, mapping columns and joins, translating formulas, and creating the view via SYSTEM$CREATE_SEMANTIC_VIEW_FROM_YAML.
ThoughtSpot → Snowflake Semantic View
Convert a ThoughtSpot Worksheet or Model into a Snowflake Semantic View. Searches
ThoughtSpot for available models, exports the TML definition, maps it to the Snowflake
Semantic View YAML format, and creates it via SYSTEM$CREATE_SEMANTIC_VIEW_FROM_YAML.
relationships[] — top-level, no join/cardinality type
Right-side join table
primary_key section on that table entry
properties.synonyms[] (NOT top-level synonyms)
synonyms[] — TS stores synonyms under properties:; top-level is silently dropped
description (column / table / model)
description (or comment='...' in DDL form)
ai_context
description — merged with [TS AI Context] prefix
Key structural rule:dimensions, time_dimensions, and per-table metrics are
nested under each tables[] entry — they are not top-level keys in the semantic
view. The one exception is root-level metrics:, valid only for derived metrics
that combine metrics across multiple tables (this skill does not currently emit
derived metrics) — see snowflake-schema.md's "Key Structural Rules" and "Derived
Metrics" sections.
Key keyword: Use metrics, not measures. measures is not a valid key and
will cause a parse error.
User account with DATAMANAGEMENT or DEVELOPER privilege
Authentication configured — run /ts-profile-thoughtspot if you haven't already
Quick auth decision:
Can you log into ThoughtSpot in a browser (even via SSO)?
YES → token — get a bearer token from Developer Playground (no admin needed)
NO → password — use username/password credentials — see /ts-profile-thoughtspot
Snowflake
Role with CREATE SEMANTIC VIEW on the target schema — only required if creating live
Connection configured — run /ts-profile-snowflake if you haven't already
Not sure where to start? → Python connector + password auth has the fewest setup steps
No CREATE SEMANTIC VIEW access? You can still run this skill in file-only mode — it
generates the Semantic View YAML in a code block for you to create manually later. Select FILE
at the Step 10 checkpoint or say "file only" at any point before Step 12.
Workflow
SQL Call Batching (Minimise UI Confirmations)
CRITICAL for Snowsight Workspaces: Every snowflake_sql_execute call triggers a
UI confirmation prompt that the user must click. Minimise the number of separate SQL
calls by batching related statements together.
Rules:
Combine independent queries into one call. Use semicolons to separate multiple
statements in a single snowflake_sql_execute invocation. For example, instead of
12 separate CREATE VIEW calls, combine all into one multi-statement call:
CREATEOR REPLACE VIEW A ASSELECT ...;
CREATEOR REPLACE VIEW B ASSELECT ...;
CREATEOR REPLACE VIEW C ASSELECT ...;
Combine independent reads. When you need to check stored procedures, get
profiles, and detect schemas — batch them:
SELECT PROCEDURE_NAME FROM SKILLS.INFORMATION_SCHEMA.PROCEDURES
WHERE PROCEDURE_SCHEMA ='PUBLIC'AND PROCEDURE_NAME IN ('TS_SEARCH_MODELS', 'TS_EXPORT_TML', 'TS_IMPORT_TML');
SELECT NAME, BASE_URL, USERNAME, TOKEN_EXPIRES_AT FROM SKILLS.PUBLIC.THOUGHTSPOT_PROFILES;
Combine TML metadata extraction. After storing TML in a temp table, extract
model_tables, joins, columns, and table physical details in a single query using
CTEs or UNION ALL rather than one query per aspect:
-- All model metadata in one querySELECT'model_tables'AS section, ... FROM ...
UNIONALLSELECT'joins'AS section, ... FROM ...
UNIONALLSELECT'columns'AS section, ... FROM ...;
Batch wrapper view DDL. All CREATE OR REPLACE VIEW statements for wrapper
views MUST be combined into a single multi-statement SQL call — never one call per
view.
Batch schema + column inspection. Combine SHOW SCHEMAS and
INFORMATION_SCHEMA.COLUMNS queries where possible.
Combine dry-run with prerequisite DDL. When dropping an existing semantic view
before re-creating, combine the DROP + dry-run CALL in one statement.
Target call budget per model: Aim for 5–8 total SQL calls per model conversion:
Call
Purpose
1
Setup: check stored procedures + get profile
2
Search for models
3
Export TML + store in temp table
4
Extract all metadata (tables, joins, columns, table details)
5
Check Snowflake schemas + column case (INFORMATION_SCHEMA)
6
Create all wrapper views (one batched call)
7
Dry-run validation
8
Create semantic view
For batch conversions of N models that share the same schema, calls 1, 2, and 5 are
only needed once — not per model.
API method selection:
The workflow calls the ThoughtSpot API in two places: Step 2 (search) and Step 3
(TML export). There are two ways to make these calls:
Method
When to use
Stored procedures (preferred)
When SKILLS.PUBLIC.TS_SEARCH_MODELS and SKILLS.PUBLIC.TS_EXPORT_TML exist — installed via /ts-setup-sv
Direct API (fallback)
When the stored procedures do not exist (e.g. setup was not completed) — uses inline Python with /tmp/ts_token.txt. Not available in Snowsight Workspaces — requires CLI environment.
Auto-detect at the start of the workflow (batch with profile query):
SELECT PROCEDURE_NAME FROM SKILLS.INFORMATION_SCHEMA.PROCEDURES
WHERE PROCEDURE_SCHEMA ='PUBLIC'AND PROCEDURE_NAME IN ('TS_SEARCH_MODELS', 'TS_EXPORT_TML', 'TS_IMPORT_TML');
SELECT NAME, BASE_URL, USERNAME, TOKEN_EXPIRES_AT FROM SKILLS.PUBLIC.THOUGHTSPOT_PROFILES;
Run both in a singlesnowflake_sql_execute call to minimise UI prompts.
Parse the combined result to determine both {api_method} and {profile_name}.
Check token expiry immediately: if TOKEN_EXPIRES_AT <= CURRENT_TIMESTAMP() or is NULL,
stop and tell the user:
"Your ThoughtSpot token has expired. Run /ts-profile-thoughtspot → U → Refresh token, then retry."
Do not proceed to Step 1 until the token is valid.
If TS_SEARCH_MODELS and TS_EXPORT_TML both appear in the result, set {api_method} = stored_procedure.
If either is missing, set {api_method} = direct_api and inform the user:
Stored procedures not found in SKILLS.PUBLIC. Run /ts-setup-sv to install them.
Snowsight Workspace: If running in a Snowsight Workspace, STOP here and tell
the user: "The stored procedures are required in Snowsight Workspaces. Please run
/ts-setup-sv to install them." The direct API fallback uses python3
and curl which are not available in this environment.
The {api_method} selection applies to both Step 2 and Step 3.
Step 1: Authenticate
When {api_method} = stored_procedure:
Authentication is handled by the stored procedures themselves via the Snowflake
EXTERNAL_ACCESS_INTEGRATIONS and SECRETS configured during /ts-profile-thoughtspot.
Skip the token file workflow below — only profile selection is needed (to determine
which profile name to pass to the procedures).
Profile name discovery (mandatory before any CALL):
Use the profile rows already fetched in the auto-detect query above — do not query
the profiles table again. The NAME column is the exact profile name.
If one profile: use it directly (confirm with user).
If multiple: display a numbered list and ask the user to select.
Store the exact NAME value as {profile_name} for all subsequent
CALL statements — do not modify it.
When {api_method} = direct_api:
Snowsight Workspace limitation: The direct API fallback uses python3 and
curl via the Bash tool, which are not available in Snowsight Workspaces.
If the stored procedures are missing and you are in a Snowsight Workspace, inform
the user they must run /ts-profile-thoughtspot first to create the stored procedures.
Do not attempt direct API calls.
Step 1.5: Choose conversion mode
Present this menu to the user and wait for a response:
Choose a conversion mode:
A — Convert ThoughtSpot Model → new Snowflake Semantic View (default)
B — Split ThoughtSpot Model → MULTIPLE Snowflake Semantic Views
C — Update an EXISTING Snowflake Semantic View from a changed Model
Mode A — continue with Step 2 and the standard workflow. Produce one SV regardless
of domain count.
Mode B — continue with Step 2 and the standard workflow. At Step 8 (DDL generation),
detect multi-fact domains and produce one SV per domain.
Mode C — continue through Step 3 (TML export) to get the model data, then jump to
the Mode C workflow section. Store the existing SV name alongside the target.
Step 2: Find and Select a Model or Worksheet
Present the following options to the user:
How would you like to find your model?
G — I have a GUID
S — Search (by name, author, tags, or a combination)
B — Browse all
Option G — Direct GUID
If the user provides a GUID, skip search entirely. Store it as {selected_model_id}.
The model name will be confirmed from the TML export in Step 3.
Option S — Search
Ask the user which filters to apply (they may provide any combination):
Enter search criteria (leave blank to skip):
Name keyword:
Author (username or email):
Tags (comma-separated):
profile_name: the ThoughtSpot profile name selected in Step 1
ARRAY_CONSTRUCT('{name_keyword}'): single-element array with the name keyword; pass ARRAY_CONSTRUCT() for browse-all
owner_only: TRUE to filter to models owned by the profile's user, FALSE for all
When a single keyword is supplied the procedure applies name_pattern substring
matching server-side; results are already filtered to names containing the keyword.
Display the results as described in "Displaying Results" below.
If no results are returned, inform the user and offer to browse all or refine the search.
Note: The stored procedure supports name keyword and owner_only filtering. If the
user also wants to filter by tags, fall back to the direct API approach for that search
or apply tag filtering client-side on the stored procedure results.
If {api_method} = direct_api:(CLI only — not available in Snowsight Workspaces)
Build the request body from whichever fields are provided. All supplied filters
combine with AND semantics — results must satisfy every condition:
POST {base_url}/api/rest/2.0/metadata/search
{
"metadata": [{"type": "LOGICAL_TABLE", "name_pattern": "%{name_keyword}%"}], // omit name_pattern if blank
"created_by_user_identifiers": ["{author}"], // omit if blank; accepts username or GUID
"tag_identifiers": ["{tag1}", "{tag2}"], // omit if blank; accepts tag name or GUID
"record_size": 50,
"record_offset": 0
}
Paginate in increments of 50 until an empty page is returned before displaying results.
Client-side filtering (mandatory — same as stored procedure method): After
collecting all pages, apply case-insensitive substring filtering on model names
using the user's search keyword. Display only matching results.
Zero results fallback (both methods): If a name-only search returns zero results,
re-run with no name filter (or empty string for stored procedure), collect all
results, and apply case-insensitive substring matching against metadata_name
client-side. Present matches or offer to browse all.
Filter the results to type == 'WORKSHEET' and display the full numbered list.
If {api_method} = direct_api:(CLI only — not available in Snowsight Workspaces)
Fetch all pages (record_offset 0, 50, 100, …) until an empty page is returned.
Filter to metadata_header.type == 'WORKSHEET' and display the full numbered list.
Displaying Results
1. [WORKSHEET] Retail Sales WS id: e61c7c4c-...
2. [WORKSHEET] TS: BI Server id: eaab6de7-...
API subtype note: Both Worksheets and Models appear as type: WORKSHEET in the
search response — there is no separate MODEL subtype. metadata_detail is
frequently null and must not be relied on for subtype filtering. The actual TML
format (worksheet vs model top-level key) is only determined after export in
Step 3.
Store metadata_id as {selected_model_id} and metadata_name as
{original_model_name}.
Step 3: Export the TML
If {api_method} = stored_procedure:
The CALL result can be truncated when read inline. Always store via RESULT_SCAN.
These must be two separate SQL calls — RESULT_SCAN depends on LAST_QUERY_ID().
-- Call 2: store full result (column is always named after the procedure, uppercase)CREATEOR REPLACE TEMPORARY TABLE SKILLS.TEMP.TML_RAW (tml_data VARIANT);
INSERT INTO SKILLS.TEMP.TML_RAW
SELECT PARSE_JSON("TS_EXPORT_TML") FROMTABLE(RESULT_SCAN(LAST_QUERY_ID()));
For batch mode (multiple models), same pattern — just pass multiple GUIDs in Call 1:
Do not use the procedure in a FROM clause or as a UDF — it is a stored procedure,
not a function. FLATTEN and direct SELECT from the CALL result will not work.
Proceed to the separation logic below using tml_data from SKILLS.TEMP.TML_RAW.
If {api_method} = direct_api:(CLI only — not available in Snowsight Workspaces)
When the user has selected multiple models for conversion (e.g. "convert all BIRD_
models"), export all their TMLs in a single request rather than one per model:
Separate the combined response by top-level key (worksheet/model = primary objects;
table/sql_view = associated objects). Cache associated table TMLs by GUID — if
two models share a physical table, the TML is returned once and should not be
re-fetched for the second model.
Non-printable characters: Some TML contains special characters (e.g. #x0095)
that cause yaml.safe_load to raise a ReaderError. Strip them before parsing:
import re
cleaned = re.sub(r'[^\x09\x0A\x0D\x20-\x7E\x85\xA0-\uD7FF\uE000-\uFFFD]', '', edoc)
parsed = yaml.safe_load(cleaned)
Parse every edoc string as YAML (with cleaning). Separate into:
Primary object: parsed YAML has top-level key worksheet or model
Table objects: parsed YAML has top-level key table
SQL view objects: parsed YAML has top-level key sql_view — collect separately for handling in Step 5
Step 4: Identify TML Format
Top-level key
Format
Key difference
worksheet
Worksheet
Join conditions in Table TML; columns explicit in worksheet_columns[]
model
Model
Joins use referencing_join or inline on; columns derived from Table TML
Step 5: Resolve Physical Table Names
to_snake(name) — used throughout this step and Step 7:
Convert a display name to a valid Snowflake identifier:
Lowercase the string
Replace any run of non-alphanumeric characters with _
Strip leading/trailing underscores
import re
defto_snake(name):
s = re.sub(r'_+', '_', re.sub(r'[^a-z0-9]', '_', name.lower())).strip('_')
ifnot s:
s = 'field'elif s[0].isdigit():
s = 'field_' + s
return s
# Examples: "eye colour" → "eye_colour", "# of Products" → "of_products"# "1st Quarter" → "field_1st_quarter", "$" → "field"
Build a map: logical_table_name → { database, schema, physical_table }.
From each Table TML object extract:
table:name:fact_sales# map keydb:ANALYTICSschema:PUBLIC# accessed as tbl.get("schema") — NOT tbl.get("schema_")db_table:FACT_SALES
Schema is reliably exported: With export_fqn: true and export_associated: true,
the schema value is present in Table TML whenever it is set in ThoughtSpot. If it
appears missing, first verify with tbl.keys() — do not prompt the user until confirmed
genuinely absent.
If db or schema is confirmed absent after inspection, ask the user to provide them.
If a table has no associated TML, fetch it separately using its FQN GUID:
POST /api/rest/2.0/metadata/tml/export { "metadata": [{"identifier": "{fqn}"}] }
Use TODO_DATABASE / TODO_SCHEMA placeholders for unresolved tables and flag them.
SQL view resolution: For every sql_view object referenced in model_tables[]
(or table_paths[] for Worksheet format), classify its sql_query using the logic
in ../../shared/schemas/thoughtspot-tml.md:
Simple — SELECT * FROM single_table [AS alias]:
Extract the physical FQN from the FROM clause
Resolve db, schema, db_table from the FQN
Borrow column types from the matching physical table TML or from the col_types
map already built via INFORMATION_SCHEMA.COLUMNS — no additional query needed
unless the physical table was genuinely absent from both
Treat the sql_view as a regular table for all subsequent steps
Note it in the Unmapped Properties Report under "SQL Views resolved automatically"
At the Step 10 checkpoint, present the sql_query to the user and ask:
sql_view "{name}" uses SQL that cannot be auto-mapped to a single physical table:
{sql_query}
How should this be handled?
C — Create a Snowflake VIEW from this SQL in the target schema, then reference it
M — Map to an existing Snowflake table or view (you provide the name)
S — Skip — omit all columns sourced from this view
C (Create view): Collect all "C" views before executing any DDL. Batch the
CREATE statements into a single SQL call (same pattern as wrapper views):
CREATEOR REPLACE VIEW {target_db}.{target_schema}.{to_snake(sv_name_1)} AS {sql_query_1};
CREATEOR REPLACE VIEW {target_db}.{target_schema}.{to_snake(sv_name_2)} AS {sql_query_2};
After all views are created, resolve column types for all of them in one query:
SELECT table_name, column_name, data_type
FROM {target_db}.INFORMATION_SCHEMA.COLUMNS
WHERE table_schema ='{target_schema}'AND table_name IN ('{view_name_1}', '{view_name_2}', ...)
ORDERBY table_name, ordinal_position;
Reference each new view as base_table.table.
M (Map to existing): Collect all "M" mappings before querying. Resolve column
types for all mapped objects in oneINFORMATION_SCHEMA.COLUMNS query using
the same pattern as above (filter by schema and table_name IN (...)). Use each
as base_table.
S (Skip): Omit all model columns whose column_id references this sql_view.
Log each omitted column in the Unmapped Properties Report under "SQL Views skipped".
Case-sensitivity detection — connect to Snowflake now, before building the YAML:
This step requires a live Snowflake connection. Select the Snowflake profile and
establish the connection now using the profile selection and auth logic described in
Step 12 — do not wait until Step 12 to do this. The quoting decisions made here
affect every expr, base_table.schema, and base_table.table value in the YAML.
When Step 12 is reached, skip profile selection (already done) and proceed directly
to target location selection.
Schema case — infer directly from the TML, no Snowflake query needed:
The schema field value exported by ThoughtSpot with export_fqn: true reflects
exactly how the identifier was stored. If it is lowercase, it is case-sensitive and
must be quoted:
Column case — use a single INFORMATION_SCHEMA.COLUMNS query per schema:
Instead of running one SHOW COLUMNS per table (N round-trips), run a single
INFORMATION_SCHEMA.COLUMNS query that returns all columns for all tables at once.
INFORMATION_SCHEMA stores names as they were created, so lowercase = case-sensitive.
Python connector (method: python):
table_names_sql = ", ".join(f"'{t.upper()}'"for t in all_physical_tables)
cur.execute(f"""
SELECT table_name, column_name, data_type
FROM {db}.INFORMATION_SCHEMA.COLUMNS
WHERE table_schema = '{schema.upper()}'
AND table_name IN ({table_names_sql})
ORDER BY table_name, ordinal_position
""")
cs_columns = {} # phys_table → set of case-sensitive column names
col_types = {} # (phys_table, col_name) → data_typefor table_name, col_name, data_type in cur.fetchall():
cs_columns.setdefault(table_name, set())
if col_name != col_name.upper(): # lowercase → case-sensitive
cs_columns[table_name].add(col_name)
col_types[(table_name, col_name)] = data_type
Snowflake CLI (method: cli):
import subprocess, json
defsnow_json(snow_cmd, cli_connection, query):
r = subprocess.run(
[snow_cmd, 'sql', '-c', cli_connection, '--format', 'json', '-q', query],
capture_output=True, text=True
)
return json.loads(r.stdout)
table_names_sql = ", ".join(f"'{t.upper()}'"for t in all_physical_tables)
rows = snow_json(snow_cmd, cli_connection, f"""
SELECT table_name, column_name, data_type
FROM {db}.INFORMATION_SCHEMA.COLUMNS
WHERE table_schema = '{schema.upper()}'
AND table_name IN ({table_names_sql})
ORDER BY table_name, ordinal_position
""")
cs_columns = {}
col_types = {}
for r in rows:
tbl_name = r['TABLE_NAME']
col_name = r['COLUMN_NAME']
cs_columns.setdefault(tbl_name, set())
if col_name != col_name.upper():
cs_columns[tbl_name].add(col_name)
col_types[(tbl_name, col_name)] = r['DATA_TYPE']
Note:INFORMATION_SCHEMA stores schema names in uppercase for case-insensitive
schemas and lowercase for case-sensitive ones — use schema.upper() in the WHERE
clause when querying a case-insensitive schema; use the literal value when case-sensitive.
In practice, the schema.upper() form works for both because Snowflake normalises the
comparison.
Rule: lowercase column name in INFORMATION_SCHEMA.COLUMNS → the column is
case-sensitive (created with a quoted identifier).
Apply quoting as follows:
Location
Case-insensitive (UPPERCASE)
Case-sensitive (lowercase)
base_table.schema
schema: PUBLIC
schema: '"superhero"'
base_table.table
table: FACT_SALES
table: '"colour"'
expr column
expr: t.HEIGHT_CM
expr: t."height_cm"
primary_key.columns
- ID
⚠ see below
relationship_columns
left_column: PRODUCT_ID
⚠ see below
primary_key and relationship_columns — Cortex Analyst conflict:
There is no single YAML format that satisfies both tools for case-sensitive columns
in these two fields. SYSTEM$CREATE_SEMANTIC_VIEW_FROM_YAML requires '"id"';
Cortex Analyst rejects '"id"' with error 392700.
If any SHOW COLUMNS result returns lowercase column names that are used as join
keys or primary keys, you MUST create uppercase wrapper views before generating the
YAML. Do not proceed to Step 6 without resolving this:
# Detect whether wrapper views are needed
needs_wrapper = any(
cs_cols_map.get(phys['db_table'], set()) # any cs columns in join-key tablesfor phys in phys_map.values()
)
If needs_wrapper is True:
Create a new uppercase schema: CREATE SCHEMA IF NOT EXISTS {db}.{TARGET_SCHEMA}_SV
For each physical table, create a view that uppercases all column names:
CREATEOR REPLACE VIEW {db}.{TARGET_SCHEMA}_SV.{TABLE_NAME} ASSELECT "col1" AS COL1, "col2" AS COL2, ...
FROM {db}."{schema}"."{table}";
Update phys_map to point at the new schema and uppercase table/column names
All YAML identifiers will then be bare uppercase — no quoting needed anywhere
IMPORTANT — batch all wrapper DDL into one call: Combine the CREATE SCHEMA and
all CREATE OR REPLACE VIEW statements into a single multi-statement SQL call.
This reduces N+1 UI confirmations to just 1:
Execute these DDL statements using the same method as the column queries above.
Python connector — run wrapper view DDL in parallel:
from concurrent.futures import ThreadPoolExecutor, as_completed
defexec_ddl(connection_factory, ddl):
conn = connection_factory()
conn.cursor().execute(ddl)
conn.close()
return ddl.split('\n')[0][:60] # first line for progress output
ddl_list = [
f"CREATE OR REPLACE VIEW {db}.{TARGET_SCHEMA}_SV.{VIEW_NAME} AS SELECT ...",
# one entry per physical table
]
with ThreadPoolExecutor(max_workers=min(len(ddl_list), 8)) as pool:
futures = {pool.submit(exec_ddl, connection_factory, d): d for d in ddl_list}
for f in as_completed(futures):
print(f" Created: {f.result()}")
Snowflake CLI — write all DDL to one file, execute in a single call:
Step 6: Build Path → Table Map (Worksheet format only)
Skip for Model format.
From worksheet.table_paths[], build: path_id → table_alias.
table_paths:-id:fact_sales_1# path_id used in column_id referencestable:fact_sales# resolves to this table alias
Step 7: Build Relationships
For each join, obtain the on condition and produce a Snowflake relationship.
Scope filter — Model format only: A model's model_tables[] is the authoritative
list of tables in scope. Table TML joins_with[] entries may reference tables that
are not in model_tables (e.g. a supplier or status lookup table that exists
in Snowflake but was excluded from the model). Skip any join where either
left_table or right_table is not in model_tables. Only emit relationships
for joins where both tables are present in model_tables.
Table aliases in Model format:model_tables[] entries can have an alias field:
model_tables:-name:colouralias:eyecolour# ← this is the identifier used in column_id references-name:colouralias:haircolour-name:colouralias:skincolour
When alias is present:
Use to_snake(alias) as the Snowflake table name (e.g. eye_colour)
Use the physical db_table as base_table.table (e.g. colour)
Build an alias_to_sf_name map for column_id resolution
Column references in model.columns use the alias: column_id: eye colour::colour
Relationship with: field also uses the alias: with: eye colour
Deduplicate Snowflake table names if the same alias appears twice (append _2, _3).
Worksheet format: Join on conditions are in Table TML joins_with[]. Match
by name field across all Table TML objects.
Search all Table TML joins_with[] for name: DM_ORDER_to_DM_CUSTOMER.
Note: destination in Table TML may be an object (destination.name) — handle both.
Parse on condition: regex \[([^\]:]+)::([^\]]+)\]\s*=\s*\[([^\]:]+)::([^\]]+)\]
→ left_table, left_column, right_table, right_column.
Relationship naming — collision avoidance:
Generate the base name as {left_table}_to_{right_table}. If that name is already
taken by a previously emitted relationship (two different join paths between the same
table pair), append the left join column to disambiguate:
base_name = f"{left_tbl}_to_{right_tbl}"if base_name in used_rel_names:
base_name = f"{left_tbl}_{to_snake(left_col)}_to_{right_tbl}"
used_rel_names.add(base_name)
Initialise used_rel_names = set() before the relationship loop.
primary_key — build the complete right_tables set BEFORE generating any table YAML:
CRITICAL: Do not generate table YAML until you have processed every relationship
and know which tables are right_tables. If you generate table entries first and add
primary_key later, it is easy to miss one — especially fact tables like dm_order
that are both a source table and a join target.
Correct order:
Iterate all joins/relationships → collect right_tables set
Then generate all table YAML — check membership in right_tables for every table entry
# Step 1 — build right_tables first
right_tables = set()
right_table_pk_col = {} # right_table → physical PK column namefor join in joins:
right_tbl = resolve_right_table(join)
right_pk = resolve_right_column(join) # the right_column of the relationship
right_tables.add(right_tbl)
right_table_pk_col[right_tbl] = right_pk
# Step 2 — generate table YAML, adding primary_key where neededfor table in tables:
if table.name in right_tables:
emit primary_key section using right_table_pk_col[table.name]
Any table can be a right_table — including fact/transaction tables like dm_order
that also have FK columns pointing elsewhere. Never assume only dimension tables
need primary_key.
primary_key:columns:- {PHYSICAL_COLUMN_NAME} # the right_column value from the relationship
Step 8: Map Columns
Source of truth — hierarchy:
Layer
Used for
model.columns[]
All Semantic View field definitions — name, description, type, aggregation, synonyms, ai_context, formula_id, column_id
Table TML columns[]
Resolving column_id → db_column_name and db_column_properties.data_type
Table TML root (db, schema, db_table)
Physical table location for base_table entries
connections.yaml
Fallback only — if Snowflake reports column not found, external_column overrides db_column_name
The model is the semantic layer and the single source of truth for what appears in
the Semantic View. Never derive the column list from Table TML.
Column ID resolution:
column_id format: TABLE_NAME::LOGICAL_COLUMN_NAME
Split on :: → table_name, logical_col_name
Find the Table TML for table_name
Find the column in Table TML columns[] where name == logical_col_name
That column's db_column_name is the physical Snowflake column name (in the
vast majority of cases — it is the actual DB column name)
Build expr as table_name.DB_COLUMN_NAME
If DB_COLUMN_NAME is a SQL reserved word (e.g. date, time, schema),
double-quote it: table_name."date"
If DB_COLUMN_NAME is case-sensitive (lowercase in SHOW COLUMNS output from
Step 5), double-quote it: table_name."column_name"
Both rules may apply simultaneously: table_name."date" (reserved + lowercase)
Use db_column_properties.data_type for date/time classification. If the
col_types map built in Step 5 (from INFORMATION_SCHEMA.COLUMNS) already
has the data type for this column, prefer it — it comes directly from Snowflake
and is authoritative. Fall back to db_column_properties.data_type from the
Table TML only when col_types doesn't have an entry (e.g. a sql_view column).
connections.yaml — do not consult proactively. Only if Snowflake returns a
column-not-found error after execution should you check connections.yaml, where
external_column may override db_column_name for a given column:
column:-name:CATEGORY_ID# = db_column_name in Table TMLexternal_column:CATEGORY_ID# = actual physical column in Snowflake (may differ)
Output structure — fields are table-scoped:
Each field must be placed under the tables[] entry for its owning table. Accumulate
fields per table as you iterate columns, then emit the full table entry with nested
dimensions, time_dimensions, and metrics sections.
Join key columns must be exposed as dimensions (Cortex Analyst requirement):
Cortex Analyst validates that every column used in a relationship is exposed as a
named dimension in its table. It resolves join keys by dimension name using
snake_case(physical_column). Dimension names must be globally unique.
This creates a conflict when FK and PK columns share the same name (e.g.
TRANS.ACCOUNT_ID → ACCOUNT.ACCOUNT_ID) — you cannot expose both as account_id.
Fix: rename FK columns in wrapper views with a table-specific prefix, then expose
them as uniquely-named dimensions:
-- Instead of: "account_id" AS ACCOUNT_IDCREATEOR REPLACE VIEW TRANS ASSELECT "account_id" AS TRANS_ACCOUNT_ID, ... -- prefixed FKFROM source.trans;
# In the trans table entry — FK dimension-name:trans_account_id# unique name; snake_case(TRANS_ACCOUNT_ID)expr:trans.TRANS_ACCOUNT_IDdata_type:NUMBER# In the account table entry — PK dimension (unchanged)-name:account_idexpr:account.ACCOUNT_IDdata_type:NUMBER# Relationship uses the renamed physical column-name:trans_to_accountrelationship_columns:-left_column:TRANS_ACCOUNT_ID# renamed in wrapper viewright_column:ACCOUNT_ID
When a physical table is aliased multiple times (e.g. a shared DISTRICT table used
as both client_district and account_district), create separate wrapper views
for each alias with a distinct PK column name (e.g. CLIENT_DISTRICT_ID vs
ACCOUNT_DISTRICT_ID) so each satisfies the unique-name requirement independently.
Also expose PK columns as dimensions — primary_key alone is not sufficient for
Cortex. The PK dimension name must equal snake_case(pk_column). For example, if
the PK is DISP_ID, there must be a dimension named disp_id.
For each model column:
If formula_id set → translate formula in Step 9; if untranslatable, omit the
column and log it; do not include placeholder expr values
If column_id set → resolve physical column name as above
Merge ai_context into description with prefix [TS AI Context] if present
Record unmapped properties (format_pattern, default_date_bucket, custom_order,
data_panel_column_groups, geo_config) for the Unmapped Properties Report
Append the field to the field list for its owning table
TML temp file cleanup — do this now, before Step 9:
The exported TML files contain sensitive schema metadata (table names, column
descriptions, join conditions, AI context). Delete them as soon as column mapping
is complete — they are not needed after this point:
rm -f /tmp/ts_tml_*.json
Step 9: Translate Formulas
MANDATORY — read the reference before assessing any formula:
Open ../../shared/mappings/ts-snowflake/ts-snowflake-formula-translation.md
and use its Decision Flowchart to classify every formula. Do not classify
a formula as untranslatable based on function name recognition alone. Patterns
that appear ThoughtSpot-specific have documented Snowflake equivalents — for example:
Looks untranslatable
Actually translatable as
last_value(agg, query_groups(), {date_col})
SUM(col) + non_additive_dimensions on the date table (see below)
safe_divide(sum(m), [NamedMetric]) where NamedMetric is same measure at coarser grain
DIV0(tbl.metric, SUM(tbl.metric) OVER (PARTITION BY dim.COL)) — contribution ratio pattern
Consult the reference. Never reason from first principles about ThoughtSpot functions.
For each formula column (formula_id is set):
Look up formula expression from formulas[] by id or name
Resolve column references using the syntax rules for the TML format (Worksheet uses
[path_id::col], Model uses [TABLE::col])
Classify using the Decision Flowchart in the formula translation reference, then
translate using the rules in that file
Handle nested references up to 3 levels deep
Untranslatable formulas — omit entirely:
For formulas confirmed untranslatable after consulting the reference, do not emit
the column in the YAML. Do NOT use -- TODO, CAST(NULL AS TEXT), or any placeholder
expr — these cause Snowflake parse errors or silent failures.
Instead:
Skip the column in the output YAML
Add an entry to the Formula Translation Log in the Unmapped Properties Report:
last_value formulas → non_additive_dimensions field (NOT inline in expr):
ThoughtSpot last_value(sum(m), query_groups(), {date_col}) translates to a metric
with a non_additive_dimensions structured field. The equivalent DDL syntax is:
TABLE.METRIC NON ADDITIVE BY (DATE_DIM.DATE_COL ASC NULLS LAST) AS SUM(fact.col)
Rules:
expr: standard SUM(fact_table.col) aggregate — same as a regular metric
non_additive_dimensions[].table: the date dimension table (the joined table
whose PK is the date column) — NOT the fact table or its FK column
non_additive_dimensions[].dimension: the time_dimensions field name on that
date dimension table
non_additive_dimensions[].sort_direction: ascending for last_value
# For last_value(sum(FILLED_INVENTORY), query_groups(), {balance_date})tables:-name:dm_date_dim_inventory# date dimension tableprimary_key:columns:-DATE_VALUEtime_dimensions:-name:balance_dateexpr:dm_date_dim_inventory.DATE_VALUEdata_type:DATE-name:dm_inventorymetrics:-name:inventory_balanceexpr:SUM(dm_inventory.FILLED_INVENTORY)# standard SUM — same as regular metricnon_additive_dimensions:-table:dm_date_dim_inventory# the DATE DIMENSION table — not the fact tabledimension:balance_date# time_dimension name on that tablesort_direction:ascending# ascending = last_value (most recent); descending = first_value (earliest)null_order:last
Direction matrix (TS → SV):
ThoughtSpot
non_additive_dimensions.sort_direction
DDL inline form
last_value(sum(m), query_groups(), {date})
ascending
non additive by (DATE.col asc nulls last) as SUM(...)
first_value(sum(m), query_groups(), {date})
descending
non additive by (DATE.col desc nulls last) as SUM(...)
Confirmed untranslatable patterns (after checking the reference):
[parameter_name] — ThoughtSpot runtime parameter (no SQL equivalent)
ts_first_day_of_week(...), last_n_days(...) — period-scoped time intelligence with no Snowflake equivalent
agg(last_value(...)) and agg(first_value(...)) — cannot re-aggregate a NON ADDITIVE BY metric
group_aggregate(...) with any filter argument other than query_filters() — hardcoded/selective filters unsupported
group_aggregate(...) with query_groups() + {attr} or query_groups(attr1, attr2) grouping
Formula Translation Log (all formulas, translated and untranslated)
Other dropped properties
Then ask:
Shall I create this Semantic View in Snowflake?
YES — proceed
NO — cancel
EDIT — followed by changes to the YAML
FILE — output the YAML without creating it in Snowflake
dimensions, time_dimensions, and per-table metrics are nested under tables[] entries; root-level metrics: is valid ONLY for cross-table derived metrics (not currently emitted by this skill) — see snowflake-schema.md
Keyword is metrics not measures anywhere in the YAML
Field names unique globally across all tables' dimensions, time_dimensions, metrics
All expr table prefixes match a name in tables[]
All relationship left_table/right_table values match a name in tables[]
Every right_table in a relationship has a primary_key section — cross-check by listing every right_table value from relationships[] and confirming each appears in tables[] with a primary_key block
No NON ADDITIVE BY text inside any expr string — non-additive metrics use the non_additive_dimensions structured list field
Non-additive metric expr uses a standard SUM(fact_table.col) aggregate — same format as a regular metric
non_additive_dimensions[].table references the date dimension table (joined table with the date PK), not the fact table or its FK column
non_additive_dimensions[].dimension matches a time_dimensions field name on that date dimension table
Reserved words in column names are double-quoted in expr
No relationship_type, join_type, sample_values, or default_aggregation fields
All expr values are single-line double-quoted strings — no >-, |, or any YAML block scalar (Snowflake rejects them)
No untranslatable formula placeholders (-- TODO, CAST(NULL AS TEXT), NULL)
Valid Snowflake identifiers (view name, all field names): ^[A-Za-z_][A-Za-z0-9_]*$
Valid data_type values on dimensions/time_dimensions: TEXT, NUMBER, DATE, TIMESTAMP, BOOLEAN. Never on metrics — causes Cortex error 392700.
Every join key column (FK and PK) is exposed as a named dimension in its table, with name = snake_case(physical_column)
No two tables in a relationship share a join column name — if they do, rename FK columns in wrapper views with a table-specific prefix
LOD/window metrics (group_sum → SUM(...) OVER (PARTITION BY ...)): the windowed aggregate references a defined base metric alias, not a raw column — SUM(tbl.total_quantity) OVER (...) not SUM(tbl.QUANTITY) OVER (...) (the raw-column form is rejected with error 010256). PARTITION BY may use a dimension on a joined coarser entity; no denormalization needed
Step 12-FILE: Output YAML (file-only mode)
This path is used when the user selected FILE at the Step 10 checkpoint, explicitly
said "file only", or has no CREATE SEMANTIC VIEW permission.
1. Present the YAML for copy-paste:
Display the full Semantic View YAML in a fenced code block labelled yaml:
```yaml
{full sv yaml content here}
```
2. Provide the creation SQL:
To create this Semantic View in Snowflake when you have access, run in a Snowsight worksheet:
USE DATABASE {suggested_db};
USE SCHEMA {suggested_schema};
CALL SYSTEM$CREATE_SEMANTIC_VIEW_FROM_YAML(
'{suggested_db}.{suggested_schema}',
$$ <paste YAML content here> $$
);
Run a dry-run first to validate (add TRUE as a third argument):
CALL SYSTEM$CREATE_SEMANTIC_VIEW_FROM_YAML(
'{suggested_db}.{suggested_schema}',
$$ <paste YAML content here> $$,
TRUE
);
Use the database and schema from the table map built in Step 5 as suggestions (or
YOUR_DATABASE.YOUR_SCHEMA if ambiguous).
3. Proceed to Step 13 (Generate Test Questions) — the test questions help the user
know what to verify once they create the view manually.
Step 12: Execute
Target location — suggest from source tables:
Collect the unique (database, schema) pairs from the table map built in Step 5.
Present them as numbered options so the user can pick with a single keypress:
Where should the Semantic View be created?
1. ANALYTICS.PUBLIC (all 3 tables)
E. Enter a different database and schema
Select (or press Enter for #1):
If the source tables span multiple databases or schemas, list each unique pair with
the tables that belong to it:
Where should the Semantic View be created?
1. ANALYTICS.PUBLIC (fact_sales, dim_product)
2. ANALYTICS.STAGING (dim_customer)
E. Enter a different database and schema
Select (or press Enter for #1):
If the user selects E, ask for target_database and target_schema explicitly.
Snowflake profile selection (skip if already connected in Step 5):
Read ~/.claude/snowflake-profiles.json
If multiple profiles: display a numbered list including each profile's method
(cli / python) so the user can distinguish them at a glance; ask user to select
If one profile: show it (including method) and confirm
If no file: ask for connection details and whether to use the CLI or Python
connector; offer to save profile for future use
If method: python and private_key_passphrase_env is set, read passphrase
from that env var at runtime
Role: Use default_role from the profile if set; otherwise ask the user.
Warehouse: If not specified in the profile:
Python: run SHOW WAREHOUSES via cur.execute() and pick the first non-suspended
CLI: run snow sql -c {cli_connection} --format json -q "SHOW WAREHOUSES" and
pick the first non-suspended warehouse from the JSON results
If dry-run succeeds, combine the DROP (if needed) and CREATE into a single call:
DROP SEMANTIC VIEW IF EXISTS {target_database}.{target_schema}.{semantic_view_name};
CALLSYSTEM$CREATE_SEMANTIC_VIEW_FROM_YAML('{target_database}.{target_schema}', $$
{yaml}
$$);
Notes:
Use CALL, not SELECT
First argument: fully-qualified target schema 'DATABASE.SCHEMA'
If the target schema is case-sensitive (lowercase in SHOW SCHEMAS output),
quote it: 'DATABASE."schema"' — e.g. 'BIRD."superhero"'
Second argument: YAML content in $$ dollar-quotes (safe for YAML with single quotes)
Third argument TRUE: dry-run mode — validates without creating
On success: report the created view name and location.
On failure: show the full Snowflake error. Do not retry automatically — ask the user.
If the view already exists:
DROP SEMANTIC VIEW IF EXISTS {target_database}.{target_schema}.{semantic_view_name};
Then re-run the CREATE call.
Cleanup (direct_api mode only — skip if using stored procedures):(CLI only — not applicable in Snowsight Workspaces)
If more models remain in the current batch, preserve /tmp/ts_token.txt for
the next iteration — do not delete it.
Delete it only after the last model in the session is done (or if the user
cancels the batch), whether the view was created successfully or not:
rm -f /tmp/ts_token.txt
Step 12b: Verify Creation
After a successful SYSTEM$CREATE_SEMANTIC_VIEW_FROM_YAML response, confirm the view
exists and is queryable before reporting success.
1. Confirm the view exists:
SHOW SEMANTIC VIEWS LIKE'{semantic_view_name}'IN SCHEMA {target_database}.{target_schema};
Expected: exactly one row returned with name = '{semantic_view_name}'.
If zero rows returned: the stored procedure reported success but the view was not created.
Report this discrepancy verbatim — do not proceed to test questions.
2. Spot-check — SELECT the first metric:
SELECT {first_metric_name}
FROM {target_database}.{target_schema}.{semantic_view_name}
LIMIT 1;
Replace {first_metric_name} with the first entry in the metrics: list in the
generated YAML. If this returns an error, report it verbatim and do not silently skip.
Common errors at this stage and their causes:
Error
Cause
Fix
error 392700 "unknown field data_type"
A metric has data_type: set
Remove data_type from all metrics: entries
invalid column name "id"
Lowercase case-sensitive column not wrapped in a view
Create uppercase wrapper view (Step 5 / Step 6)
semantic view not found
SHOW result name has different casing
Check exact name: value used in the YAML
The fact entity … must be … lower granularity
Bridge/junction table traversal hit
Use direct SQL instead; see Known Limitations in snowflake-schema.md
After the spot-check passes, proceed to Step 13 (Generate Test Questions).
Step 13: Generate Test Questions
After the view is successfully created, generate 5 natural language questions derived
from the semantic view. Use the actual metrics, dimensions, and time dimensions that
were mapped — not column names, but the name or label values from the YAML.
Question design — aim for variety:
Type
Example pattern
Simple aggregation
"What is the total {metric} ?"
Breakdown
"What is {metric} by {dimension} ?"
Time trend
"How has {metric} changed over {time_dimension} ?"
Ranking
"Which {dimension} has the highest {metric} ?"
Multi-table / filtered
"What is {metric} for {dimension value} broken down by {dimension from joined table} ?"
Span multiple tables where possible to exercise the relationships. Keep phrasing
conversational — these are for testing, not production reports.
Present the questions as:
Test questions for {semantic_view_name}
1. {question}
2. {question}
3. {question}
4. {question}
5. {question}
───────────────────────────────────────────────
Snowflake Cortex Analyst
In Snowsight: open Cortex Analyst, select the semantic view, and ask each question.
ThoughtSpot Spotter
In your ThoughtSpot instance: open Spotter, select the original worksheet/model,
and ask each question.
Claude Code
Ask Claude directly — for example:
"Using the {semantic_view_name} semantic view in {target_database}.{target_schema},
{question}"
───────────────────────────────────────────────
After completing a model — batch continuation:
If the user originally requested multiple models and more remain, immediately offer
the next one without waiting to be asked:
✓ {semantic_view_name} created in {target_database}.{target_schema}
Next up: {next_model_name}
Ready to convert? (Y / N):
If yes: go directly to Step 2 (model selection is already known — skip straight to
Step 3: Export TML). Reuse the ThoughtSpot profile, Snowflake profile, warehouse,
and role from this session. Do not re-run Step 1 profile prompts.
If no (or no more models remain) and {api_method} = direct_api (CLI only):
rm -f /tmp/ts_token.txt
Mode C workflow — Update existing Snowflake Semantic View
Step C1: Identify the existing SV
After Step 1.5, ask:
Existing Snowflake Semantic View to update: database.schema.view_name
Store as {existing_sv_name}. The user selects this explicitly — the skill does not auto-match by name.
Step C2: Fetch existing SV DDL (parallel with TML export in Step 3)
CREATEOR REPLACE TEMPORARY TABLE SKILLS.TEMP.EXISTING_SV_DDL ASSELECT GET_DDL('SEMANTIC_VIEW', '{database}.{schema}.{existing_sv_name}') AS ddl_text;
SELECT ddl_text FROM SKILLS.TEMP.EXISTING_SV_DDL;
Run simultaneously with the TML export. Generate the full new SV DDL using the same
Steps 4–11 logic as Mode A (dry run — do not execute yet). Parse the existing SV DDL
to extract its current column set.
Step C3: Compute change set
Compare the generated DDL column set against the existing SV DDL column set:
New columns — in generated DDL, not in existing SV → will be added
Removed columns — in existing SV, not in generated DDL → require per-column confirm (default: KEEP)
Modified expressions — expression changed for an existing column → require YES / SKIP per column
Modified descriptions — comment= changed → auto-applied, no confirmation needed
=== Change set for "{existing_sv_name}" ===
✚ New columns: {N} (will be added)
✖ Removed columns: {M} (confirm each — default: keep)
~ Modified expressions: {R} (YES / SKIP per column)
✏ Modified descriptions: {P} (auto-applied)
= Unchanged: {T}
Removed columns — pre-filled unchecked (KEEP). Unchecked columns are re-added
verbatim from the existing SV DDL so no dependent Cortex Analyst queries break silently.
Modified expressions — show old and new DDL expression side-by-side; require
explicit YES before applying. Do not bulk-apply expression changes.
Apply Steps 11b–12b (checkpoint + verify) from the standard workflow unchanged.
Changelog
Version
Date
Summary
1.2.2
2026-07-03
Snowflake currency corrections: soften the "metrics are never top-level" rule to note the root-level derived-metrics exception (Key Structural Rule #1 in snowflake-schema.md).
1.2.1
2026-06-13
Add LOD/window metric alias rule (error 010256) to Step 11 checklist; sync to CLI v1.2.2.
1.2.0
2026-05-05
Add A/B/C mode menu (Step 1.5) and Mode C workflow (update existing Snowflake Semantic View from changed Model) using GET_DDL + CREATE OR REPLACE.
1.1.0
2026-04-28
Document first_value ↔ desc nulls last mapping and properties.synonyms placement (vs top-level which TS drops).
