Way to change datasource import to direct/live query

[odegarun]

Create a way to automate the following manual steps.. Hi all I recently wanted to change the datasource from Import to Live Query using the "Power BI service" and had a good lookaround without turning up much other than "you can not"... However I managed to get it going, effectively maintaining my designs/visuals and changing datasource so that I can get away with publishing one report whenever my data changes. Prerequisites: * TARGET: A .pbix file with designs/visuals using import, no measures. * SOURCE: A clean .pbix file using Live Query to a report/dataset published to app.powerbi.com (no designs/visuals) -This .pbix file must have the same table as the TARGET file (ie: using the same db) Steps: 1. Rename .pbix files to .zip 2. Copy from SOURCE => TARGET these files: Connections , DataMashup (I used Total Commander for this as it was simplest and it supports archive files) 3. Rename TARGET file back to .pbix 4. Open TARGET file in Power BI 5. The design/visuals and the Old table structure should be visible under "Fields" 6. A yellow warning reading "There are pending changes in your queries that haven't been applied [Apply changes]" should also be displayed 7. Click [Apply changes] 8. All designs/visuals should get an (X) and the message "Something's wrong..." 9. Now go to "Get Data" and select your datasource (i wanted to use data from Power BI services, and a previously published reports dataset. Select your datasource and Load it. 10. The designs/visuals should get the proper data filled inn (connection in model checks out) assuming that the previously published report/dataset holds the same table (same name etc). 11. PROSPER!! If you in your TARGET file which is relying on datasource import has created measures and such, these should probably be re-created in the published report/dataset prior to following the steps above (untested). Note: If you are unable to open the .pbix file in PowerBI after renaming it back to .zip, there might be an issue with your zip program. For my part it failed when using windows inbuildt functionality but worked when using Total Commander to copy files between the .zip files... Hope this is of value and help.

[michael_seim]

I'm going to be blasting this same comment in all of these ideas. Idea consolidation is clearly in order. I recommend others who agree to upvote all the listed ideas.

This really needs to happen. The issue of being unable to switch from IMPORT-to-DIRECTQUERY is truly a problem. I know it's possible to switch from IMPORT-to-DIRECTQUERY. The lack of IMPORT-to-DIRECTQUERY is a productivity killer. Field renaming. Measure recreation. Calculated column recreation. Visuals coping and pasting. It's an awfully unproductive exercise.

I understand there are differences between the two storage modes and that there are some things that might break if one switches from one direction to another. That's fair. But why not just alert the developer? As it is, there's no alert or guidance to make it happen because the entire concept of switching is not possible. Stranger still, what of those situations where there are no confounding problems? Even then it's just not possible.Look at all these tickets saying the same thing as early as 2018!

Please, would someone please chart a path forward to finally allow switching from IMPORT-to-DIRECTQUERY as you've previously provided the ability to go from DIRECTQUERY-to-IMPORT?

[michael_seim]

SAME IDEAS EFFECTIVELY: https://ideas.fabric.microsoft.com/ideas/idea/?ideaid=092d297b-314a-4055-b9b9-54612da7fa90 - https://ideas.fabric.microsoft.com/ideas/idea/?ideaid=583aebfa-28e8-ee11-a73d-6045bd7ec416 - https://ideas.fabric.microsoft.com/ideas/idea/?ideaid=5a31afd5-2fde-ed11-9139-281878e6855d - https://ideas.fabric.microsoft.com/ideas/idea/?ideaid=5cff6c7b-4749-ec11-a3ee-281878bd6ffd - https://ideas.fabric.microsoft.com/ideas/idea/?ideaid=5d7750ca-02ec-4ecc-80c9-c9002bd99483 - https://ideas.fabric.microsoft.com/ideas/idea/?ideaid=71b6a580-6a4a-4ae0-b30c-055382be84f1 - https://ideas.fabric.microsoft.com/ideas/idea/?ideaid=7dd9e8f0-836a-4e1f-90ab-a45e9f789d35 - https://ideas.fabric.microsoft.com/ideas/idea/?ideaid=826baedb-37b1-4213-be9f-2119e127c347 - https://ideas.fabric.microsoft.com/ideas/idea/?ideaid=a172bf22-6dca-4fa8-9ff1-e63bdace8f2e - https://ideas.fabric.microsoft.com/ideas/idea/?ideaid=a210eee1-6f5d-ec11-a3ef-281878bd2252 - https://ideas.fabric.microsoft.com/ideas/idea/?ideaid=bbbf8b73-072a-ef11-8ee8-000d3a0dfcaf - https://ideas.fabric.microsoft.com/ideas/idea/?ideaid=d4743ce5-2ffa-4645-909e-e57ecbaa3c7f - https://ideas.fabric.microsoft.com/ideas/idea/?ideaid=f57712dc-948d-4645-b5b3-4595ad6d2bff