Issues with multiple Databases

[GuidoMS]

Hi,

We are having an issue where when I try to access new Views from our database power BI prompt us with a warning "Power BI Service Live Connection: The connect live option for this file is disabled because it already contains data from another data source....."

We are connecting to our DB thorugh ODBC. Recently an excel file was added as a new DB but it was inmediately removed (erasing all its tables and as a data source). Is there something i might be missing? Where can i check if there are any remnants of this last source we added?

Thanks in advance

[Anonymous · Accepted solution]

Hi @GuidoMS 

The problem is that you could not use Import and Live Connection in one report at the same time.

For Excel, you could use Import model in this report, then you could import another datasource or DirectQuery a data, then you could shape data and modeling, etc. But when you use live connection model, you use live connection mode to connect a complete data model, for this case, you couldn't modeling anymore. So you couldn’t use Live connection with Import/DirectQuery at the same time.

Here is a blog, please refer to it:

https://community.powerbi.com/t5/Community-Blog/Power-BI-Live-connection-vs-Import-comparison-and-li...

As for the feature you discussed above, it only applies to connecting to a dataset or Azure Analysis Services , it does not support other data sources . This blog introduces the new features you mentioned above in detail, you can refer to it .

https://powerbi.microsoft.com/en-cy/blog/directquery-for-power-bi-datasets-and-azure-analysis-servic...

Therefore, for your problem this time, after you have used ODBC to connect to your DB, you cannot connect to other data sources .

Best Regards

Community Support Team _ Ailsa Tao

If this post helps, then please consider Accept it as the solution to help the other members find it more quickly.

[GuidoMS]

Right. This was the problem. The thing we were tryting to do is add new tables from our DB. We used to do this selecting "Datasets" and selecting those new tables.

Yesterday I learnt to do this from "Transform Data" creating a new query filling the "Applied Steps" with where to get the data.  

This problem is resolved. Thanks

[lbendlin]

Go to the settings/options page and enable 

under preview features

[lbendlin]

Do you see the same issue when you start from a blank PBIX?

[GuidoMS]

Hi!

When I open a new file and select the same source (through Power BI Dataset) every option under 'DATA' gets greyed out. I don't know why.

[lbendlin]

Use a more recent version of Power BI Desktop (latest is September 2021) and change from live connection to mixed mode.

[GuidoMS]

I downloaded and installed said version. Where can i change my connection mode? It s a parameter in the file we work on or is it an optión in PBI Service through the dataset configuration?

[lbendlin]

look at the bottom right corner of your Power BI desktop window.

[GuidoMS]

All i see is grey space at the bottom right corner. 

Could be a visual setting in Desktop?

Thanks for the help by the way..

[GuidoMS]

Seeing it now (new file) but theres no "change" option. Maybe i'm limited because the method we use to get the data.