Report not upgraded to use enhanced metadata format, required to make modeling changes

[AlB]

Hi all,

I have a pbix created by somebody else that on opening shows the warning message:

This report has not been upgraded to use enhanced metadata format, which is required to make modeling changes

It then provides the option to "Upgrade report" but fails when I try to. This prevents me from making any changes to the report.

1. What is the meaning of that warning message? Can it be eliminated by doing something at the source (i.e. by the person that creates the file)?  Perhaps by changing the the way it is saved, the options, etc?

2. The report supposedly uses live connections. Could that be the cause for the message?

Many thanks

[AlB]

@v-yingjl 

Thanks very much for your prompt response.

I will try what you suggest and most likely open a support ticket.

One more question, what if the person creating the file updated his version to the last one (from Aug to Nov 2020) and then save the file with the new version? Perhaps that would solve the issues?

Although we've tried downloading the pbix from the service, which I assume would be equivalent to processing the file with the latest version?) and it didn't solve the issue either

Many thanks

[AlB]

Hi @v-yingjl 

Thanks for your answer.

I have the latest version (Nov 2020). The file was created with the August 2020 version but with the enhanced dataset metadata preview feature turned off. So I guess that shouldn't be the problem. I also tried opening the file with the August version but still get the same errors.   

Thanks

[v-yingjl]

Hi @AlB ,

Based on my search, the same error has been submitted to the internal team and has been continuously followed up. Currently PG's suggestion is that you can try these steps:

1. Uninstall PBI Desktop
2. Install the Aug version of PBI Desktop
3. Make sure Store datasets using enhanced metadata format Preview Feature is disabled (restart PBI Desktop if necessary)
4. Open the PBIX file
5. Apply unapplied query changes and perform a full refresh
6. Save the file
7. Enable the preview feature and restart PBI Desktop
8. Open the file and upgrade the report

In addition, wants to confirm whether it used a third-party tool to edit the model inside Desktop.

If it has any latest information, I will update here as soon as possible. If the above suggestion could not help you and this is urgent for you, I would suggest to to create a support ticket for faster help.

Best Regards,
Community Support Team _ Yingjie Li
If this post helps, then please consider Accept it as the solution to help the other members find it more quickly.

[lbendlin]

DON'T ask them to install the latest version just yet - that could make them be unable to open the file too!

[AlB]

@lbendlin 

I installed the version (couple of months old) they created the file with. Exactly the same error messages.

Downloaded the pbix from te service. Still same result

[v-yingjl]

Hi @AlB ,

Which version of previous power bi desktop you have installed? Since Sep 2020 update, PBIX files are automatically upgraded to enhanced metadata upon opening the file. With enhanced dataset metadata, metadata created by Power BI Desktop uses a format similar to what is used for Analysis Services tabular models, based on the Tabular Object Model.

If you have installed the version after Sep 2020, you could face the same issue as your mentioned. You can try to install August 2020 version and disable the enhanced dataset metadata feature in the preview feature beacuse since March 2020 version this feature is a prevew feature and optional. Once you’ve stored a file with this feature turned on, there is no way to open this file in an older version of PBI Desktop where this feature is not available. So if you exchange your files with colleagues or clients who might use older versions, you should not turn this feature on.

In addition, you can refer these document, article and simliar issue that could help you:

1. Sep'2020 Upgrade Issue 
2. Using enhanced dataset metadata 
3. Power BI “Store datasets in enhanced metadata format” warning 

Best Regards,
Community Support Team _ Yingjie Li
If this post helps, then please consider Accept it as the solution to help the other members find it more quickly.

[AlB]

@lbendlin 

Ok, I'll then ask them to:

1. install the latest version in another machine and try to open a copy of the file there (and save it)

2. check what version they crated the file with, install it on my side and try to open the file

See what happens.

Thank you

[lbendlin]

@AlB That's royally messed up. Do you still have the Power BI Desktop version from the time when the pbix was last modified? Might be worth trying to reinstall that version and to see if you can open the pbix with it.

Alternatively - have you tried downloading a copy of the pbix from the service?

[AlB]

@lbendlin 

😁 Quite right. Nice mess

Don't know what version the file was created with. I can ask the person that created it to make sure they install the  latest version of the Desktop and then save the file again, perhaps? What do you think?

I believe the service was not involved at all. I'd say the file was created with PBI Desktop and never published. But I'll double check with them

Do you have any idea what this metadata warning is all about,  in any case? Would it have to do with the (supposed) live connection or is it something completely unrelated?

Many thanks

[AlB]

@lbendlin 

thanks for your reponse. Plenty of them. First:

Then two more:

- Object reference not set to an instance of an object.

- The given key was not present in the dictionary

I'm attaching text files with the details of the error message for both

and then:

In between I am asked to provide my credentials to the SQL server, which I do not have. I am looking to make changes to the model without access to the source data.

Many thanks

[lbendlin]

Does the failure provide an error message?