How to parametrize in the arm-template-parameters-definition.json the referenceName for Linked Service Reference in the Datasets part.

Question

How to parametrize in the arm-template-parameters-definition.json the referenceName for Linked Service Reference in the Datasets part.

Dina 0

I would like to parametrize in the arm-template-parameters-definition.json the "referenceName" for linked service in the datasets part of the file. You can have a look at the below image the part I want to change in order the production environment to take the correct changes:

User's image

As you can see i tried to add the referenceName with the equal symbol "=" but it did not let me change the value for prod environment. I also tried the minus symbol "-" but it didn't work either. How it should be parametrized in order to have the ability to change the value for the prod environment in the pipeline?

Thank you

Ganesh Gurram 4,965 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff

2025-03-11T04:47:27.6666667+00:00
Hi @Dina

To parameterize the referenceName for a linked service in the datasets section of arm-template-parameters-definition.json, please follow these steps:

Modify arm-template-parameters-definition.json

Define the parameter using the = action to allow environment-specific values:

{ "Microsoft.DataFactory/factories/datasets": { "*": { "properties": { "linkedServiceName": { "referenceName": "=linkedServiceReferenceName" } } } } }

The = action keeps the current value as default but allows overriding.

"linkedServiceReferenceName" is the parameter name that will be set dynamically.

Define the Parameter in arm-template-parameters.json

Ensure the parameter is included in the deployment parameters file:

{ "$schema": "https://schema.management.azure.com/providers/Microsoft.Resources/deploymentParameters?api-version=2019-10-01", "contentVersion": "1.0.0.0", "parameters": { "linkedServiceReferenceName": { "value": "YourLinkedServiceNameForProd" } } }

Replace "YourLinkedServiceNameForProd" with the correct value for the production environment.

Update Your Dataset JSON File

Ensure that the dataset definition references the parameter correctly:

{ "name": "YourDatasetName", "properties": { "linkedServiceName": { "referenceName": "[parameters('linkedServiceReferenceName')]" } } }

Verify that there are no hardcoded values for referenceName in your dataset JSON.

Confirm that your deployment pipeline references the correct arm-template-parameters.json

For more details, refer to:

Use custom parameters with the Resource Manager template

Parameterize linked services in Azure Data Factory and Azure Synapse Analytics

Hope this helps. Do let us know if you have any further queries.
Dina 0 Reputation points

2025-03-11T10:12:58.2+00:00

Hello Ganesh and thank for your response but unfortunately didn't work.

I followed your feedback by trying this in my branch in the dev environment:

When I exported the arm template in order to check it in my branch I couldn't see any dataset in the ARMTamplateParametersForFactory.json in order to be able to change it later in the pipeline. I also tried to put the "=linkedServiceReference" with capital "L" like this "=LinkedServiceReference" but also didn't work.

Is there any mistake I did?

What should I try now?

Thank you
Ganesh Gurram 4,965 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff

2025-03-12T08:30:22.4266667+00:00
@Dina - I understand that the dataset parameters did not appear in ARMTemplateParametersForFactory.json after exporting the ARM template.

Ensure that the dataset parameterization follows the correct structure:

{ "Microsoft.DataFactory/factories/datasets": { "*": { "properties": { "linkedServiceName": { "referenceName": "=datasets_<DatasetName>_properties_linkedServiceName_referenceName" } } } } }

Replace <DatasetName> with the actual dataset name.

Ensure there are no typos (e.g., case-sensitive issues in LinkedServiceReference).

If the dataset parameter is missing from the exported file - Ensure that the dataset is correctly referenced in your Data Factory pipeline. If referenceName is hardcoded in the dataset JSON, it may prevent the parameter from being generated.

I hope this information helps!
Dina 0 Reputation points

2025-03-12T14:38:13.62+00:00

It did not work again. I did what you said. Also I have many datasets that I want to change the value of the linked service reference in the prod environment, not just one.

Unfortunately there is no way to put dynamic content in the linkedServiceReference inside the dataset.

It give you the possibility of only a default selection of linked services. The thing is that when I parametrized the linked services a lot properties like "client_id", "baseUri", "databaseName" etc it worked, although I don't have any dynamic parametrization. Also when I parametrized some pipelines that have the type of AzureMLExecutePipeline and I wanted to parametrize the experimentName and mlPipelineEndpointId, the parametrization was successful , but now in the datasets it doesn't work the linked service reference part.

Also in the below image I am giving you just one dataset of the ones I have to parametrize in order for you to see the content and context. As you can see it is not dynamic the part of linked service it is just hardcoded the linked service and as I told you there is no way to parametrize it(it doesn't show a dynamic content in order to put parameters).

Is there any chance to have another solution? Can you give me all the steps in series that I should for this thing to succeed in case I forgot something?

Your answer

Ganesh Gurram 4,965 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff

2025-03-11T04:47:27.6666667+00:00

Hi @Dina

To parameterize the referenceName for a linked service in the datasets section of arm-template-parameters-definition.json, please follow these steps:

Modify arm-template-parameters-definition.json

Define the parameter using the = action to allow environment-specific values:

{ "Microsoft.DataFactory/factories/datasets": { "*": { "properties": { "linkedServiceName": { "referenceName": "=linkedServiceReferenceName" } } } } }

The = action keeps the current value as default but allows overriding.

"linkedServiceReferenceName" is the parameter name that will be set dynamically.

Define the Parameter in arm-template-parameters.json

Ensure the parameter is included in the deployment parameters file:

{ "$schema": "https://schema.management.azure.com/providers/Microsoft.Resources/deploymentParameters?api-version=2019-10-01", "contentVersion": "1.0.0.0", "parameters": { "linkedServiceReferenceName": { "value": "YourLinkedServiceNameForProd" } } }

Replace "YourLinkedServiceNameForProd" with the correct value for the production environment.

Update Your Dataset JSON File

Ensure that the dataset definition references the parameter correctly:

{ "name": "YourDatasetName", "properties": { "linkedServiceName": { "referenceName": "[parameters('linkedServiceReferenceName')]" } } }

Verify that there are no hardcoded values for referenceName in your dataset JSON.

Confirm that your deployment pipeline references the correct arm-template-parameters.json

For more details, refer to:

Use custom parameters with the Resource Manager template

Parameterize linked services in Azure Data Factory and Azure Synapse Analytics

Hope this helps. Do let us know if you have any further queries.
Dina 0 Reputation points

2025-03-11T10:12:58.2+00:00

Hello Ganesh and thank for your response but unfortunately didn't work.

I followed your feedback by trying this in my branch in the dev environment:

When I exported the arm template in order to check it in my branch I couldn't see any dataset in the ARMTamplateParametersForFactory.json in order to be able to change it later in the pipeline. I also tried to put the "=linkedServiceReference" with capital "L" like this "=LinkedServiceReference" but also didn't work.

Is there any mistake I did?

What should I try now?

Thank you
Ganesh Gurram 4,965 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff

2025-03-12T08:30:22.4266667+00:00

@Dina - I understand that the dataset parameters did not appear in ARMTemplateParametersForFactory.json after exporting the ARM template.

Ensure that the dataset parameterization follows the correct structure:

{ "Microsoft.DataFactory/factories/datasets": { "*": { "properties": { "linkedServiceName": { "referenceName": "=datasets_<DatasetName>_properties_linkedServiceName_referenceName" } } } } }

Replace <DatasetName> with the actual dataset name.

Ensure there are no typos (e.g., case-sensitive issues in LinkedServiceReference).

If the dataset parameter is missing from the exported file - Ensure that the dataset is correctly referenced in your Data Factory pipeline. If referenceName is hardcoded in the dataset JSON, it may prevent the parameter from being generated.

I hope this information helps!
Dina 0 Reputation points

2025-03-12T14:38:13.62+00:00

It did not work again. I did what you said. Also I have many datasets that I want to change the value of the linked service reference in the prod environment, not just one.

Unfortunately there is no way to put dynamic content in the linkedServiceReference inside the dataset.

It give you the possibility of only a default selection of linked services. The thing is that when I parametrized the linked services a lot properties like "client_id", "baseUri", "databaseName" etc it worked, although I don't have any dynamic parametrization. Also when I parametrized some pipelines that have the type of AzureMLExecutePipeline and I wanted to parametrize the experimentName and mlPipelineEndpointId, the parametrization was successful , but now in the datasets it doesn't work the linked service reference part.

Also in the below image I am giving you just one dataset of the ones I have to parametrize in order for you to see the content and context. As you can see it is not dynamic the part of linked service it is just hardcoded the linked service and as I told you there is no way to parametrize it(it doesn't show a dynamic content in order to put parameters).

Is there any chance to have another solution? Can you give me all the steps in series that I should for this thing to succeed in case I forgot something?

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How to parametrize in the arm-template-parameters-definition.json the referenceName for Linked Service Reference in the Datasets part.

Your answer