Making dynamic API call using a slicer/filter

[prashankpm]

Hello, hope you are doing well 🙂

Is there any workaround to make a dynamic API call based on slicer? I know we can make a parameter in Power Query and then bind a field to that parameter and link that field to a slicer. However, this is only supported in Direct Query mode and, from my understanding, APIs do not support Direct Query in Power BI. Is there any alternative solution to this such as using Power Automate/Flow or any other Microsoft/third-party services?

Thanks for your time!

[burakdemirtas]

Sorry but this is not solved at all. User asks something very much needed and the answer should have been "there is no such thing at the moment, but you can add suggest the idea."

It's really misleading when something is flagged as "solved" and then when you go to solution, solution is "don't try it".

[prashankpm]

Gauges are read every 15 minutes. 

Thanks for mentioning streaming dataset. I think I can look more into it and the Power Automate visual, those should give some workarounds for what I am trying to accomplish. Thank you for your time. I will accept your reply as a solution. Have a nice day!

[lbendlin]

Emulate the slicer with a Power Automate visual.  The problem will be that this visual can then not influence the rest of the data model.

Describe what you are trying to achieve.

[prashankpm]

Thank you very much for your suggestion! I will look into the Power Automate visual. 

Basically, I want to use a web source to import data into power bi for different gauge stations. However, I was thinking if instead of loading data for all the stations (more than 20) I could allow user to select a station name in the slicer and that would alter the API call in the Power Query editor. So every slicer selection by the user will make a new api call to import the data.  

[lbendlin · Accepted solution]

That may not be a good user experience.  How often are the gauges read?  You may be better off using  a streaming dataset, a direct query dataset, or even an import mode dataset.