Error connecting to Oracle Object reference not set to an instance of an obj

[friedcc]

We continue to get this error on ONE machine.   Things that we have tried:

1. Read all the posts on this site that reference this error

2. Installed , Uninstalled, Re-installed Oracle client 12.1 32-bit and 12.1 64-bit and the 12.1 ODAC

3. Rebooted multiple times

4. Setup tnsnames, path variable, etc

5. Ranted, cursed, lit sticks of incense, etc.

All other applications that use Oracle client work fine.  tnsping works fine.

What the BLEEP Is wrong with Power BI????

UPDATE: Uninstalled Power BI, and re-installed the May 2017 version.  That will connect to Oracle.  Then upgraded to Sept 2018 version. That has the error again.  So maybe this is a problem with the Sept 2018 version??

UPDATE 2:  Turns out the latest (Sep 2018) version of PBI has this issue if it is downloaded from the Microsoft Store. If it is downloaded from the download webpage, it works with Oracle just fine.  So... DO NOT USE the Microsoft Store to install Power BI.

[Anonymous]

Hi! Thank you for this post, I  am having this same issue with the October 2018 release! It was working just fine on the September version. Do you have a link to the September 2018 version you could share with me? I would like to re-download! I found a link to a June version and I am using that in the meantime.

[friedcc]

The download page now shows the Oct 2018 release: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=45331 

I am in the habit of keeping old versions of the download in my downloads folder just in case there are issues with an update and I need to go back to a previous release.  But those old versions are not available from Microsoft 😞

If you upgraded using the Microsoft Store,you might try the download version, or vice versa. At least with the Sep 2018 release, the Store version had the Oracle problem and the download version did not.

This Oracle bug is something that Microsoft needs to fix ...

[Scottr]

I'm also having the same error (Object reference not set to an instance of an object) on my Oracle personal gateway when trying to refresh pbix files that I created prior to upgrading to the October release. I have no issues if I create a brand new pbix file and query on the October release.

I uninstalled the October release and re-installed the September release. Now all my pbix files with Oracle data refresh correctly.

Any updates if this is a bug in the connector or how to resolve the error?

[Anonymous]

Hi

I raised a ticket with MS on this and got it solved.

We were not seeing the error when we manually downloaded and installed PBI. Our default is the MS Store for our users and thats where we saw the same error.

I got a workaround today from MS that I have confirmed is working for the Nov/Dec 2018 MS Store release.

1. Locate and copy the oraons.dll file in ‘<<ORACLE_CLIENT_INSTALL>>product\12.2.0\client_1’ on your oracle install path

2. Paste the file into the ‘<<ORACLE_CLIENT_INSTALL>>product\12.2.0\client_1\bin directory

3. Fire up PBI and get some Oracle data.

The reason is, that the MS Store version of PBI looks in very specific directories for dlls, then to driver registry settings. The Oracle registry setting is not poiinting to the correct directory for the oraons.dll >>> error! I guess you could correct the registry setting but thats not an option for us and would prolly break the Oracle Client for other uses ... ugh!

Cheers

Tim

[v-juanli-msft · Accepted solution]

Hi @friedcc

Turns out the latest (Sep 2018) version of PBI has this issue if it is downloaded from the Microsoft Store. If it is downloaded from the download webpage, it works with Oracle just fine.  So... DO NOT USE the Microsoft Store to install Power BI.

It seems you have solved problem by yourself, thans for sharing here.

Best Regards

Maggie