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Google BigQuery Connections

TablePro connects to BigQuery via its REST API. Browse datasets and tables, run GoogleSQL queries, edit rows in the data grid. Plugin auto-installs or grab it from Settings > Plugins > Browse.

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Quick Setup

Click New Connection, select BigQuery, pick an auth method, enter your Project ID, connect.

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Authentication

Service Account Key: Point to a .json key file from Google Cloud Console (IAM > Service Accounts > Keys), or paste the raw JSON content directly into the field. Application Default Credentials: Uses cached credentials from gcloud CLI. Supports authorized_user, service_account, and impersonated_service_account credential types. Run this first: 
gcloud auth application-default login --project=my-project
Google Account (OAuth 2.0): Sign in with your Google account via browser. Requires an OAuth Client ID from your GCP project:
  1. Go to Google Cloud Console > APIs & Services > Credentials
  2. Click “Create Credentials” > “OAuth client ID”
  3. Select “Desktop app” as application type
  4. Copy the Client ID and Client Secret into TablePro
  5. On first connect, your browser opens for Google authorization
  6. After approving, TablePro receives the token automatically
OAuth tokens are session-only. You’ll need to re-authorize after disconnecting. For persistent auth, use Application Default Credentials instead.

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Connection Settings

FieldRequiredNotes
Auth MethodYesService Account Key, ADC, or Google Account (OAuth)
Project IDYese.g. my-project-123456
Service Account KeySA onlyPath to .json key file, or raw JSON content
OAuth Client IDOAuth onlyFrom GCP Console > APIs & Services > Credentials
OAuth Client SecretOAuth onlyFrom GCP Console > APIs & Services > Credentials
LocationNoProcessing location: US, EU, us-central1, etc.
Max Bytes BilledNoCost cap per query in bytes (Advanced tab). Queries exceeding this limit will fail instead of billing.

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Features

Dataset Browsing: The first dataset is auto-selected on connect. Switch datasets with ⌘K or the database switcher. Datasets show as schemas in the sidebar. Table Structure: Columns with full BigQuery types: STRUCT<name STRING, age INT64>, ARRAY<STRING>, nullable status, field descriptions. Clustering and partitioning info in the Indexes tab. GoogleSQL Queries (docs): 
SELECT * FROM `my_dataset.my_table` LIMIT 100

SELECT country, COUNT(*) as cnt
FROM `my_dataset.users`
GROUP BY country

-- UNNEST arrays
SELECT id, tag
FROM `my_dataset.items`, UNNEST(tags) AS tag

-- STRUCT access
SELECT address.city FROM `my_dataset.customers`
Backtick-quote table names: `dataset.table`. Single-quote strings: 'value'.
Query Cost: After running a query in the SQL editor, the status bar shows bytes processed, bytes billed, and estimated cost (e.g., Processed: 1.5 MB | Billed: 10 MB | ~$0.0001). Use the Dry Run option (Explain dropdown > “Dry Run (Cost)”) to check cost before executing. Data Types: INT64, FLOAT64, NUMERIC, BIGNUMERIC, BOOL, STRING, BYTES, DATE, TIME, DATETIME, TIMESTAMP, GEOGRAPHY, JSON, STRUCT, ARRAY, RANGE. Complex types (STRUCT/ARRAY) display as JSON. Data Editing: Edit cells, insert/delete rows. DML example: 
INSERT INTO `project.dataset.table` (col1, col2) VALUES ('val1', 42)
UPDATE `project.dataset.table` SET col1 = 'new' WHERE col2 = 42
DELETE FROM `project.dataset.table` WHERE col2 = 42
Partitioned tables require a partition filter for UPDATE/DELETE. Every query costs money (billed per bytes scanned). Set Max Bytes Billed in Advanced settings to cap costs.
DDL: Create datasets (CREATE SCHEMA), add/drop columns (ALTER TABLE), create views (CREATE OR REPLACE VIEW). Table DDL viewable via INFORMATION_SCHEMA. Export: CSV, JSON, SQL, XLSX formats.

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IAM Permissions

Minimum roles:
  • roles/bigquery.user — run queries
  • roles/bigquery.dataViewer — browse and read data
  • roles/bigquery.dataEditor — INSERT, UPDATE, DELETE

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Troubleshooting

Auth failed: Check key file path or run gcloud auth application-default login. Permission denied: Ensure bigquery.user role is granted on the project. Project not found: Use the Project ID (not name or number). Query timeout: BigQuery runs jobs async. The plugin polls up to 5 minutes (configurable). Cost: Use LIMIT, select specific columns, prefer partitioned tables. Set Max Bytes Billed to prevent expensive queries. Table browsing caps rows automatically. No tables after connect: Switch datasets with ⌘K. The first dataset is auto-selected, but if it’s empty, switch to one with tables.

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Limitations

  • No SSH tunneling (HTTPS only to BigQuery API)
  • No transactions
  • STRUCT/ARRAY columns excluded from UPDATE/DELETE WHERE clauses
  • Deep pagination (large OFFSET) scans from start. Use filters to narrow results
  • No streaming inserts
  • OAuth tokens are session-only (re-authorize after disconnect)