Error opening model in PBI desktop (directlake-on-onelake-plus-import)

[dbeavon3]

I'm trying to evaluate the "directlake on onelake" with "plus import" tables.

We can find this approach here:

https://www.sqlbi.com/blog/marco/2025/05/13/direct-lake-vs-import-vs-direct-lakeimport-fabric-semant...

After incorporating the "plus import" tables, the "PBI desktop" tool will no longer open the model.  There is some sort of validation failure:

InnerException0.Stack Trace Message:
Live editing is only available for models using Direct Lake.

InnerException0.Stack Trace:
at Microsoft.PowerBI.Client.Windows.AnalysisServices.PbiServiceTomServer.ValidateCanHostData(IEnumerable`1 partitions)
at Microsoft.PowerBI.Client.Windows.AnalysisServices.AnalysisServicesDatabaseEditable.RunModelSchemaValidation(ITelemetryService telemetryService, Boolean blockOnInvalidNames)
at Microsoft.PowerBI.Client.Windows.Services.BiRemoteArtifactOperationHandler.<LoadFromRemote>d__27.MoveNext()
--- End of stack trace from previous location where exception was thrown ---
at System.Runtime.ExceptionServices.ExceptionDispatchInfo.Throw()
at System.Runtime.CompilerServices.TaskAwaiter.HandleNonSuccessAndDebuggerNotification(Task task)
at Microsoft.PowerBI.Client.Windows.Services.BiRemoteArtifactOperationHandler.<LoadArtifact>d__24.MoveNext()
--- End of stack trace from previous location where exception was thrown ---
at System.Runtime.ExceptionServices.ExceptionDispatchInfo.Throw()
at System.Runtime.CompilerServices.TaskAwaiter.HandleNonSuccessAndDebuggerNotification(Task task)
at Microsoft.PowerBI.Client.Windows.Services.CurrentArtifactManager.<ExecuteAndHandleFileOpenErrors>d__56.MoveNext()

See that it is trying to validate the compatibility of the model to interact with "PbiServiceTomServer" (PbiServiceTomServer.ValidateCanHostData).

In my attempt, I tried opening the model by starting in the PBI workspace.  Is there a different approach to initiate the opening of the model from the PBI desktop?  Is that likely to be more successful?

Any tips would be appreciated.  I'm having some luck opening with tabular editor 2, and SSMS.  But would appreciate some sort of limited support in PBI desktop as well.  Is there a different version of the desktop that I should try?  I'm using Version: 2.144.878.0 64-bit (June 2025)

[GilbertQ]

Hi @dbeavon3 

Can you confirm that you have got the preview feature enabled?

[dbeavon3]

Yes, it is enabled.  I can do normal directlake development, but once I introduce "import" tables as well, then the model becomes corrupted and the PBI desktop is no longer willing to open it.

I think this is currently expected behavior.  The model can still be managed via TOM and XMLA endpoints, so I've been told to use tabular editor and SSMS.  

Seems a bit unfriendly at the moment.   But the mix of import and directlake-on-onelake is pretty compelling and should save a ton of CU's.  (for extremely large tables that would otherwise need to refresh via "import")

[GilbertQ]

Yeah it seems to be that way for editing.

I would recommend changing it to use TMDL for easier editing.

With regards to the CUs I am not 100% sure having an import mode would save a lot of CUs because you will still have to run the refresh to load the data into the semantic model which will consume CUs. My best advice is to test to see which one actually uses less CUs