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Change the data source connection

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Marco Abergo's profile image

Marco Abergo on 01 Jul 2015 13:32:59

We are an ISV with thousand of customer and we need to change the data source connection to each specific database (SQL Azure). How can do programmatically ?Is there any API to do that ?
It is absolutely fundamental features for any ISV.

Comments (8)
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3eaceb84 7337-e811-a955-000d3a1bef07 on 05 Jul 2020 23:30:43

RE: Change the data source connection

The problem is that power Bi desktop does not let you connect to a shared data source which you can create on the power BI report server. Similar to the older versions of SSRS , Other IDE's allow developer to connect to data source stored on their report server, such as Report Builder, mobile report published etc. but they missed the mark on the Power BI desktop which essentially makes it so you have to update the datasource on each an PBIX

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fdba31df 54e3-4f6c-b2fe-ab0fcf4c4661 on 05 Jul 2020 22:42:15

RE: Change the data source connection

It is right. We tried to use Power BI Embed immediatly for what you are saying,
unfortunately we can change the connection string but ONLY with Direct table.
If you use the standard import table it doesn't work and an error occurs because
is not supported.
Every user use the cache mode with refresh scheduled.
Actually we have been waiting this feature for 18 months !

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76f882ab 3230-4fd9-9a62-417e47831b1c on 05 Jul 2020 22:42:04

RE: Change the data source connection

If you're using Power BI Embed, you can actually update the connection string. If not, I think you're still SOL.

Go to the Data source connectivity (and multi-tenancy of data) section of this page:
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/power-bi-embedded/power-bi-embedded-iframe

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8aa9d357 c77b-4995-a078-34d7b8e39b8c on 05 Jul 2020 22:22:01

RE: Change the data source connection

Absolutely agreement, but I think very interesting to do PowerPI DESKTOP API's, not only for AZURE REST API.

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d71d4c0b c9e7-4140-a056-f831b2ebad1c on 05 Jul 2020 22:18:24

RE: Change the data source connection

maybe something like the Linked Table Manager in MS Access, where you can not only create an new ODBC datasource (similar to PowerBI's current data connection wizi), but also have an option to relink current tables to another existing dsn.

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57abf5bf f897-4bf6-b499-32e6b8feff70 on 05 Jul 2020 22:08:31

RE: Change the data source connection

Completely agreed - either all identical connection strings to be changed in bulk, or allow queries to be grouped and then associate the connection string with the group

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1d71c0dd 9968-401f-ac79-ffe1331c1021 on 05 Jul 2020 22:04:53

RE: Change the data source connection

Yes. this is a fundamental requirement for any third party developer to deploy a .pbix file

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3f5acaae 4341-4007-abc7-a58abf104cb6 on 05 Jul 2020 22:03:54

RE: Change the data source connection

Is there a way to change the data source after sharing a .pbix file besides going into each query?