Check current environment: "desktop" or "service"

[pavel_severov]

Hello! Is there way to check current environment in Power Query?
I.e. - is it running on "desktop" or "service"?

The reason I'm asking - I want my report to automatically use different data sources, depending: is it working on my PC? or on the server?.

[GD_Oz · Accepted solution]

I've written a function that returns TRUE if Power BI Desktop is in use or FALSE if Power BI Service is used. It works very reliably for me, and I use it to select appropriate Parameters.
------------

// 250426 isDesktop Function
// This function returns True if the current environment is PBI Desktop, or False if it's running in Power BI Service
let
Source = () =>
let
// Get IP info from ipinfo.io
GetIPInfo = try Json.Document(Web.Contents("https://ipinfo.io/json")) otherwise null,
Org = if GetIPInfo <> null then Record.FieldOrDefault(GetIPInfo, "org", null) else null,

// It's Desktop if org is not Microsoft-hosted
isDesktop = Org <> null and not Text.Contains(Org, "Microsoft Corporation")
in
isDesktop
in
Source

[pavel_severov]

Brilliant, thank you!

[GD_Oz]

My pleasure 🙂

[aalev]

hello pavel_severov, I have the same need, did you sort it out ?

I tried with parameters, but it's not satisfying:

- My M code uses env paramter to select right sources (if env = ...)

- My pbix has env = A

- I publish the pbix, it overwrites the PBI service parameter & triggers a refresh

- As soon as the refresh is finished, I can modify the PBI service parameter to env = B

I'm looking for a way without having to update PBI service parameter each time I publish.

Any idea ?

Alban

[pavel_severov]

Hi aalev,

Unfortunately there is no way to get any environment data from Power BI scripts.
At least I don't know anything about it. I would be happy to be wrong.

[aalev]

Ok, thanks @pavel_severov , I submited a feature request here: 

Power query environment variable to distinguish Power BI Desktop from Power BI Service

Please support with your votes  !

Alban

[v-juanli-msft]

ok

Best Regards

Maggie

[Greg_Deckler]

I am not aware of a way to do that. I suppose you could set a query parameter just before you publish it?