Need unified Grafana variable across Prometheus + Infinity datasource (model name mapping fails)

[nadiayoussef635]

Hi everyone,
I am trying to build a single unified dropdown variable in Grafana that filters panels coming from two different datasources:

1. vLLM Prometheus metrics

Models look like:

gpt-4o
gpt-4.1
o1-mini

2. AI Analysis API (Infinity datasource)

Models come as slugs:

gpt-4o-latest
gpt-4.1-preview
o1-mini-2024-12

---

Goal

I need ONE Grafana dropdown variable (for example: model) that can filter both:

• Prometheus panels

• Infinity datasource panels

at the same time.

Example:
If user selects gpt-4o, both panels should show only that model’s data, regardless of how each datasource names it internally.

---

The problem

The naming between the two datasources is inconsistent:

Prometheus (vLLM)	Infinity API slug
gpt-4o	gpt-4o-latest
gpt-4.1	gpt-4.1-preview
o1-mini	o1-mini-2024-12

I need mapping like:

gpt-4o → gpt-4o-latest
gpt-4.1 → gpt-4.1-preview
o1-mini → o1-mini-2024-12

---

Constraints

These constraints make it difficult:

• Custom variables only allow static comma-separated values (no mapping)

• Query variables work only with:

  • Regex

  • Value → Text mapping

• Infinity datasource does NOT allow variables inside jq parsing

• I want one dropdown, not multiple variables

• Need to access both values:

  • ${model_prom}

  • ${model_api}

but I cannot define two linked variables automatically.

---

What I tried (and why it failed)

1. Defining a single variable with combined values

Example:

gpt-4o : gpt-4o-latest
gpt-4.1 : gpt-4.1-preview

Grafana ignores mapping inside Custom variables → fails.

2. Using regex in Query variable

Prometheus supports it, Infinity does not → fails.

3. Using transformations to rewrite variable values

Transformation UI does not expose variable context → fails.

4. Using Chained variables

Works only if the second variable can access the first,
but Infinity datasource prevents using ${var} in jq → fails.

5. Hard-coded mapping in JQ

Infinity parser can’t evaluate Grafana template variables → fails.

I’ve tried many mapping approaches, but Grafana always fails to read the variable in one of the two datasources.

---

The Question

How can I create ONE Grafana dropdown that selects a model and automatically maps it to:

• the Prometheus model name

• the Infinity API slug

so both datasource panels filter correctly?

Ideally, I need:

• one variable like ${model}

• and automatically generate ${model_prom} + ${model_api}
  or something equivalent.

Is there a recommended Grafana pattern for cross-datasource variable mapping when variable substitution is partially unsupported?

If not, is there a known workaround for the Infinity datasource so it can use variables inside jq?

Any guidance, patterns, or examples would really help.

---

Thanks!

This is a blocker for making a unified dashboard, so any help from the community, Grafana engineers, or Infinity plugin maintainers would be very appreciated.

---

[yosiasz]

Try infinity data source with these values

grafana will understand those custom __text and __value column headers to mean key: value, hide __valueshow __text.

Then use ${combined:text} and ${combined:value}

[nadiayoussef635]

Thank you but the issue when I called this way in jq Query, it is is inteprpreted as string and it didnt get passed as parameter to jq query .data as $row

| $row.over_time_performance\[\]
| {
    time: .date,
    tftt_ai: .median_time_to_first_token_seconds,
    model_name: $row.model_name,
    model_slug: $row.model_slug,
    selected_value: "${model__value}"  # Add this to see what value is being passed
  }

[yosiasz]

What if you used single quote instead of double quotes

| $row.over_time_performance
| {
time: .date,
tftt_ai: .median_time_to_first_token_seconds,
model_name: $row.model_name,
model_slug: $row.model_slug,
selected_value: ‘${model__value}’ # Add this to see what value is being passed
}