Your file was published, but disconnected.

[JakubFuchs]

Hi,

I've looked up similar issues but no solution seemed to resolve this for me. I will go step by step.

1) I created a report in PowerBI desktop for which I used a so called "Power BI Semantic Model" data source (this option let me to choose datasets provided by my company). At this point, when I published the report to PBI Service everything was fine.

2) I added another data source to this report. I was warned by a pop-up window that "A DirectQuery connection is required" (continuing with "To make changes to your model (like renaming columns and adding data from multiple sources), you'll need to switch to a DirectQuery connection. This requires adding a local model to your file and is a permanent change."). After that I clicked on "Add a local model" in the pop up window. 

3) Now, there were two scenarios:

3a) if the extra data source added was another Power BI Semantic Model, everything was fine.

3b) if the extra data source added was a local file on my disc and I published the report to PBI service afterwards, I was warned that: "Your file was published, but disconnected" (continuing with "Report is not connected to one or more data sources. To connect, go to dataset settings or ask the dataset owner for help.").

4) The dataset owner told me to install an On-premises data gateway (personal mode). I did that and went to the dataset settings where I ticked my personal gateway in gateway connections and mapped the data source in the semantic model to Personal Cloud Connect. After applying this I was told by apop-up window "Something went wrong" (continuing with "Failed to use the selected gateway. Please make sure the gateway is up and running and try again."). Due to my gateway status, the gateway was online...

To be honest, I don't really understand how the gateways work. I tried to watch couple videos on this topic but it didn't help me much to understand. If you know what is behind my problem and also could give me a bit of light on this issue, it would help me a lot. I am getting frustrated with this... Thank you.

[Anonymous · Accepted solution]

Hi @JakubFuchs ,
Based on your description, I looked up documentation on the issue and here is a step-by-step explanation of your problem:
1. When you use Power BI desktop to connect to Power BI sematic model, you are using Live connection mode. When you want to add another data source, the connection mode will be changed to Mixed; however, in Mixed mode, you will only be able to use Import mode and Direct query mode. This is why you are asked to change to Direct query connection mode. When changing the data model from live connection to direct query connection mode, you need to find a local data model to rely on in order to make the change.
DirectQuery for Power BI datasets and Azure Analysis Services (preview) | Microsoft Power BI Blog | ...
Use composite models in Power BI Desktop - Power BI | Microsoft Learn
2. Because your other data source is still in Power BI sematic mode, the role of the gateway is to establish communication between the cloud and the local, however, when all of your data sources are in Power BI sematic mode, they are all located in the cloud, and at this time you publish to the service does not require you to configure any settings. When you receive the warning "Your file has been published but disconnected", you do need to install a gateway to establish local communication with the service, and since the above mentioned file is in Mixed mode, i.e., both Import and Direct query connection modes, the personal gateway is not applicable to Direct query connection mode. query connection mode. You can install a standard gateway which supports Import, Live Connection and Direct Query connection modes, while the personal gateway only supports import mode.
What is an on-premises data gateway? | Microsoft Learn
On-premises data gateway in-depth - Power BI | Microsoft Learn
Use a personal gateway in Power BI - Power BI | Microsoft Learn

Best regards

Albert He

If this post helps, then please consider Accept it as the solution to help the other members find it more quickly

[KGCommunity_8]

Hello @Anonymous ,

I will be testing this out once our IT department approves. However, I was also looking around other solutions on this from other people who raised this issue, do we need to have our accounts (laptop) be an admin for this work or it won't matter? At the moment, I seem to be constantly being signed out from the on-premise gateway and every time I open the program it is asking me to sign back in to my Power BI Pro account. 

Appreciate any thoughts. Thank you!

[JakubFuchs]

Thanks, this helps a lot. Unfortunately there's a bunch of restrictions imposed by IT in our organization so I am not able to install the standard gateway, only the personal one. I could ask the IT department to set up the standard gateway for me but that would definitely take a while so for now, I just uploaded my local files to Sharepoint to which no gateway is needed... Anyway, thank you again!

[wfinn64]

This is what I ended up doing. I deleted all the old "to local" connectors, deleted any page that was using them (probably unnecesary), and connected to my csv files through the web connector to sharepoint. Everything works swimmingly now

[lbendlin]

if the extra data source added was a local file on my disc

Please do not do that.  Nothing good will ever come from it.  Put the file on a sharepoint, OneDrive, or - worst case - on a network share.

Personal Gateways should only ever be used if you really, really, really need to run Python or R scripts.

[JakubFuchs]

Why is that so? Except for the risk of losing my data, what are the other reasons for not using local files? Thanks!

[lbendlin]

It means that the Power BI Service will have access to your local PC. If that's not scaring you then I don't know what is.