Skip to main content
cancel
Showing results for 
Search instead for 
Did you mean: 

Join us at FabCon Atlanta from March 16 - 20, 2026, for the ultimate Fabric, Power BI, AI and SQL community-led event. Save $200 with code FABCOMM. Register now.

Reply
paul-maessen
Resolver I
Resolver I

Error when running pbiviz start-command after installing powerbi-visuals-api v.3.5.1

Hi,

 

I am doing some tests with the latest version of the powerbi-visuals-api, version 3.5.1.

I updated my packages also running "npm update"

 

So far so good.

 

However when I start the custom visual using the command "pbiviz start"

I do get an error (white letters, red background) without further information (see attached screenshot)

Screenshot 2021-01-08 at 14.01.15.png

 

After this error the visual is compiled without any errors and I still can use it. I am just wondering what this error-message means.

In fact I have two questions:

 

  1.  Why does the powerbi-visuals-api@3.5.1 install every time I start the visual with "pbiviz start"?
  2.  Why do I get this "error"?

Let me know if you need more information.

 

Thanks in advance.

 

Paul

 

 

2 ACCEPTED SOLUTIONS

Hi @Anonymous ,

 

I am using my development environment for more than a year now and got this problem when I created a new visual and started using the powerbi-visual-api@3.5.1. When using version 3.2.0 or 3.4.0 this error does not occur!

 

I updated the powerbi-visual-api from version 3.2.0 to 3.5.1 for this particular visual using the command "npm update" 

 

After the update the setting in the package.json for the api is changed to 

"powerbi-visuals-api": "^3.5.1",

 

Regards,

 

Paul Maessen

 

 

View solution in original post

Hi @Anonymous 

 

I did run the command "npm update -g powerbi-visuals-tools" on my development environment and that did solve this issue!

 

Thanks for guiding me to development environment.

 

Regards

 

Paul

View solution in original post

3 REPLIES 3
Anonymous
Not applicable

Hi @paul-maessen,

Have you correctly configure and install the prerequisite environment of custom visual development?
According to your discretion, it seems like 'power bi visual api' not recognized or installed correctly on your device.

Set up your environment for developing a Power BI visual 
Regards,

Xiaoxin Sheng

Hi @Anonymous 

 

I did run the command "npm update -g powerbi-visuals-tools" on my development environment and that did solve this issue!

 

Thanks for guiding me to development environment.

 

Regards

 

Paul

Hi @Anonymous ,

 

I am using my development environment for more than a year now and got this problem when I created a new visual and started using the powerbi-visual-api@3.5.1. When using version 3.2.0 or 3.4.0 this error does not occur!

 

I updated the powerbi-visual-api from version 3.2.0 to 3.5.1 for this particular visual using the command "npm update" 

 

After the update the setting in the package.json for the api is changed to 

"powerbi-visuals-api": "^3.5.1",

 

Regards,

 

Paul Maessen

 

 

Helpful resources

Announcements
Fabric Data Days Carousel

Fabric Data Days

Advance your Data & AI career with 50 days of live learning, contests, hands-on challenges, study groups & certifications and more!

October Power BI Update Carousel

Power BI Monthly Update - October 2025

Check out the October 2025 Power BI update to learn about new features.

FabCon Atlanta 2026 carousel

FabCon Atlanta 2026

Join us at FabCon Atlanta, March 16-20, for the ultimate Fabric, Power BI, AI and SQL community-led event. Save $200 with code FABCOMM.