bulk_retrieval

A retrieval tool that pulls a set of objects from the Alation catalog based on a signature.

Functionality

• Retrieve catalog objects without conversational queries.
• Useful for having an LLM decide which items to use from a larger set.
• Accepts a signature defining which objects and the fields required.
• Returns relevant catalog data in JSON format
• Can return multiple object types in a single response

Usage

# Get tables from a specific datasource
bulk_signature = {
    "table": {
        "fields_required": ["name", "description", "columns"],
        "search_filters": {
            "fields": {"ds": [123]}  # Specific datasource
        },
        "limit": 100,
        "child_objects": {
            "columns": {
                "fields": ["name", "data_type", "description"]
            }
        }
    }
}

response = sdk.bulk_retrieval(signature=bulk_signature)

Input Parameters

• signature (dict): The configuration controlling which objects and their fields
• chat_id (optional, uuid): An existing chat to use. If not provided, a new chat will be created.

Returns

• JSON-formatted response of relevant data products

Shape the SDK to your needs

The SDK's bulk_retrieval tool supports customizing response content using signatures. This powerful feature allows you to specify which fields to include and how to filter the catalog results. For instance:

# Define a signature for searching only tables. Return joins and filters.
signature = {
    "table": {
        "fields_required": ["name", "title", "description", "common_joins", "common_filters"],
    }
}

# Use the signature with your query
response = sdk.bulk_retrieval_tool(
    signature=signature
)

For more information about signatures, refer to <a href="https://developer.alation.com/dev/docs/customize-the-aggregated-context-api-calls-with-a-signature" target="blank"> Using Signatures </a>