JDBC-ODBC Bridge Connector for Power BI In this article you will learn how to integrate JDBC-ODBC Bridge data in Power BI without coding in just a few clicks (live / bi-directional connection to JDBC-ODBC Bridge). JDBC-ODBC Bridge driver can be used to consume data from any JDBC Driver in non JAVA apps (i.e. Excel, Power BI, C#). Many apps written in C++ or .net (e.g. Excel, Power BI, Informatica) which don’t have direct support for using JAVA based JDBC driver technology.. Using JDBC-ODBC Bridge Connector you will be able to connect, read, and write data from within Power BI. Follow the steps below to see how we would accomplish that. Download Documentation The driver mentioned above is part of ODBC PowerPack which is a collection of high-performance Drivers for various API data source (i.e. REST API, JSON, XML, CSV, Amazon S3 and many more). Using familiar SQL query language you can make live connections and read/write data from API sources or JSON / XML / CSV Files inside SQL Server (T-SQL) or your favorite Reporting (i.e. Power BI, Tableau, Qlik, SSRS, MicroStrategy, Excel, MS Access), ETL Tools (i.e. Informatica, Talend, Pentaho, SSIS). You can also call our drivers from programming languages such as JAVA, C#, Python, PowerShell etc. If you are new to ODBC and ZappySys ODBC PowerPack then check the following links to get started. ODBC PowerPack - System Requirements and Installation Getting Started - Using ODBC PowerPack ODBC API Driver Help File

Connect to JDBC-ODBC Bridge in other apps Connect to JDBC-ODBC Bridge in SSIS Connect to JDBC-ODBC Bridge in SQL Server Connect to JDBC-ODBC Bridge in SSRS Connect to JDBC-ODBC Bridge in Informatica Connect to JDBC-ODBC Bridge in MS Access Connect to JDBC-ODBC Bridge in MS Excel Connect to JDBC-ODBC Bridge in SSAS Connect to JDBC-ODBC Bridge in C# Connect to JDBC-ODBC Bridge in Python Connect to JDBC-ODBC Bridge in JAVA Connect to JDBC-ODBC Bridge in Tableau Connect to JDBC-ODBC Bridge in SAP Crystal Reports Connect to JDBC-ODBC Bridge in Azure Data Factory (Pipeline) Connect to JDBC-ODBC Bridge in Azure Data Factory (SSIS) Connect to JDBC-ODBC Bridge in Talend Studio Connect to JDBC-ODBC Bridge in UiPath Connect to JDBC-ODBC Bridge in PowerShell Connect to JDBC-ODBC Bridge in ODBC

Video Tutorial - Integrate JDBC-ODBC Bridge data in Power BI

This video covers following and more so watch carefully. After watching this video follow the steps described in this article.

• How to download / install required driver for JDBC-ODBC Bridge integration in Power BI
• How to configure connection for JDBC-ODBC Bridge
• Features about JDBC Driver (Authentication / Query Language / Examples / Driver UI)
• Using JDBC-ODBC Bridge Connection in Power BI

Create ODBC Data Source (DSN) based on ZappySys JDBC Driver

Step-by-step instructions

To get data from JDBC-ODBC Bridge using Power BI we first need to create a DSN (Data Source) which will access data from JDBC-ODBC Bridge. We will later be able to read data using Power BI. Perform these steps:

1. Install ZappySys ODBC PowerPack.

2. Open ODBC Data Sources (x64):
   

3. Create a User Data Source (User DSN) based on ZappySys JDBC Bridge Driver

   ZappySys JDBC Bridge Driver

   
   You should create a System DSN (instead of a User DSN) if the client application is launched under a Windows System Account, e.g. as a Windows Service. If the client application is 32-bit (x86) running with a System DSN, use ODBC Data Sources (32-bit) instead of the 64-bit version.

4. Now, we need JDBC Bridge Connection. Lets create it. When you see DSN Config Editor with zappysys logo first thing you need to do is change default DSN Name at the top and Configure JDBC Bridge Driver. Enter Credentials (In this Example We have used PostgreSQL Credentials) and then Click on Test Connection to verify your credentials.

   Note: Enter suitable JDBC Driver Credentials, You can read data from any JDBC Driver
   

5. This example shows how to write simple SOQL query (JDBC Bridge Object Query Language). It uses WHERE clause. For more SOQL Queries click here.
   SOQL is similar to database SQL query language but much simpler and many features you use in database query may not be supported in SOQL (Such as JOIN clause not supported). But you can use following Queries for Insert, Update, Delete and Upsert(Update or Insert record if not found).

   SELECT orderid, customerid, orderdate, orderamount FROM "public"."zappysys"
   

6. Click OK to finish creating the data source

Video instructions

Read JDBC-ODBC Bridge data in Power BI using ODBC

Importing JDBC-ODBC Bridge data into Power BI from table or view

1. Once you open Power BI Desktop click Get Data to get data from ODBC:
   

2. A window opens, and then search for "odbc" to get data from ODBC data source:
   

3. Another window opens and asks to select a Data Source we already created. Choose JdbcOdbcBridgeDSN and continue:

   JdbcOdbcBridgeDSN

   

4. Most likely, you will be asked to authenticate to a newly created DSN. Just select Windows authentication option together with Use my current credentials option:

   JdbcOdbcBridgeDSN

   

5. Finally, you will be asked to select a table or view to get data from. Select one and load the data!
   

6. Finally, finally, use extracted data from JDBC-ODBC Bridge in a Power BI report:
   

Importing JDBC-ODBC Bridge data into Power BI using SQL query

If you wish to import JDBC-ODBC Bridge data from SQL query rather than a table then you can use advanced options during import steps (as below). After selecting DSN you can click on advanced options to see SQL Query editor.

JdbcOdbcBridgeDSN

                SELECT
                    ProductID,
                    ProductName,
                    SupplierID,
                    CategoryID,
                    QuantityPerUnit,
                    UnitPrice
                FROM Products
                WHERE UnitPrice > 20
            

Using a full ODBC connection string

In the previous steps we used a very short format of ODBC connection string - a DSN. Yet sometimes you don't want a dependency on an ODBC data source (and an extra step). In those times, you can define a full connection string and skip creating an ODBC data source entirely. Let's see below how to accomplish that in the below steps:

1. Open ODBC data source configuration and click Copy settings:
   

   ZappySys JDBC Bridge Driver - JDBC-ODBC Bridge

   JDBC-ODBC Bridge driver can be used to consume data from any JDBC Driver in non JAVA apps (i.e. Excel, Power BI, C#). Many apps written in C++ or .net (e.g. Excel, Power BI, Informatica) which don’t have direct support for using JAVA based JDBC driver technology.

   JdbcOdbcBridgeDSN

   
2. The window opens, telling us the connection string was successfully copied to the clipboard:
3. Then just paste the connection string into your script:
   JdbcOdbcBridgeDSN

   DRIVER={ZappySys JDBC Bridge Driver};JdbcConnectionString='jdbc:sqlserver://yourserver.database.windows.net:1433';ClassName='com.microsoft.sqlserver.jdbc.SQLServerDriver';DriverPath='C:\sqljdbc_11.2\enu\mssql-jdbc-11.2.0.jre18.jar';UserName='my-username';UserPassword='my-password'

   
4. You are good to go! The script will execute the same way as using a DSN.

Editing query for table in Power BI

There will be a time you need to change the initial query after importing data into Power BI. Don't worry, just right-click on your table and click Edit query menu item:

Using parameters in Power BI (dynamic query)

In the real world, many values of your REST / SOAP API call may be coming from parameters. If that's the case for you can try to edit script manually as below. In below example its calling SQL Query with POST method and passing some parameters. Notice below where paraAPIKey is Power BI Parameter (string type). You can use parameters anywhere in your script just like the normal variable.

To use a parameter in Power BI report, follow these simple steps:

1. Firstly, you need to Edit query of your table (see previous section)

2. Then just create a new parameter by clicking Manage Parameters dropdown, click New Parameter option, and use it in the query:

   						
                               = Odbc.Query("dsn=JdbcOdbcBridgeDSN",
                                            "SELECT ProductID, ProductName, UnitPrice, UnitsInStock
                                             FROM Products
                                             WHERE UnitPrice > " & Text.From(MyParameter) & "
                                             ORDER BY UnitPrice")
                           
                   

   
   Refer to Power Query M reference for more information on how to use its advanced features in your queries.

Using DirectQuery Option rather than Import

So far we have seen how to Import JDBC-ODBC Bridge data into Power BI but what if you have too much data and you dont want to import but link it. Power BI Offers very useful feature for this scenario. Its called DirectQuery Option. In this section we will explore how to use DirectQuery along with ZappySys Drivers.

Out of the box ZappySys Drivers wont work in ODBC Connection Mode so you have to use SQL Server Connection rather than ODBC if you wish to use Live data using DirectQuery option. See below step by step instructions to enable DirectQuery mode in Power BI for JDBC-ODBC Bridge data.

Basically we will use ZappySys Data Gateway its part of ODBC PowerPack. We will then use Linked Server in SQL Server to Link API Service and then we will issue OPENROWSET queries from Power BI to SQL Server and it will then call JDBC-ODBC Bridge via ZappySys Data Gateway.

1. First read this article carefully, How to query JDBC-ODBC Bridge API in SQL Server.
2. Once linked server is configured we are ready to issue API query in Power BI.
3. Click Get Data in Power BI, select SQL Server Database
4. Enter your server name and any database name
5. Select Mode as DirectQuery
6. Click on Advanced and enter query like below (we are assuming you have created JDBC-ODBC Bridge Data Source in Data Gateway and defined linked server (Change name below).

   SELECT * FROM OPENQUERY([JDBC-ODBC_BRIDGE_LINKED_SERVER], 'SELECT * FROM Customers')

   SELECT * FROM OPENQUERY([JDBC-ODBC_BRIDGE_LINKED_SERVER], 'SELECT * FROM Customers')

   

   
   DirectQuery option for Power BI (Read JDBC-ODBC Bridge Data Example using SQL Server Linked Server and ZappySys Data Gateway)

7. Click OK and Load data ... That's it. Now your JDBC-ODBC Bridge API data is linked rather than imported.

Publishing Power BI report to Power BI service

Here are the instructions on how to publish a Power BI report to Power BI service from Power BI Desktop application:

1. First of all, go to Power BI Desktop, open a Power BI report, and click Publish button:

   

2. Then select the Workspace you want to publish report to and hit Select button:

   

3. Finally, if everything went right, you will see a window indicating success:

   

   If you need to periodically refresh Power BI semantic model (dataset) to ensure data accuracy and up-to-dateness, you can accomplish that by using Microsoft On-premises data gateway. Proceed to the next section - Refreshing Power BI semantic model (dataset) using On-premises data gateway - and learn how to do that.

Refreshing Power BI semantic model (dataset) using On-premises data gateway

Power BI allows to refresh semantic models which are based on data sources that reside on-premises. This can be achieved using Microsoft On-premises data gateway. There are two types of On-premises gateways:

• Standard Mode
• Personal Mode

Standard Mode supports Power BI and other Microsoft Data Fabric services. It fits perfectly for Enterprise solutions as it installs as a Windows Service and also supports Direct Query feature.

Personal Mode, on the other hand, can be configured faster, but is designed more for home users (you cannot install it as a Windows Service and it does not support DirectQuery). You will find a detailed comparison in the link above.

We recommend to go with Personal Mode for a quick POC solution, but use Standard Mode in production environment.

Below you will find instructions on how to refresh semantic model using both types of gateways.

Refresh using On-premises data gateway (standard mode)

Here are the instructions on how to refresh a Power BI semantic model using On-premises data gateway (standard mode):

1. Go to Power BI My workspace, hover your mouse cursor on your semantic model and click Settings:

   

2. If you see this view, it means you have to install On-premises data gateway (standard mode):

   

3. Install On-premises data gateway (standard mode) and sign-in:

   
   Use the same email address you use when logging in into Power BI account.

4. Register a new gateway (or migrate an existing one):

   

5. If you are creating a new gateway, name your gateway, enter a Recovery key, and click Configure button:

   

6. Now, let's get back to your semantic model settings in Power BI portal. Refresh the page and you should see your newly created gateway. Click arrow icon and then click on Add to gateway link:

   ODBC{"connectionstring":"dsn=JdbcOdbcBridgeDSN"}

   

7. Once you do that, you will create a new gateway connection. Give it a name, set Authentication method, Privacy level, and click Create button:

   dsn=JdbcOdbcBridgeDSN

   
   In this example, we used the least restrictive Privacy level.

   If your connection uses a full connection string you may hit a length limitation when entering it into the field. To create the connection, you will need to shorten it manually. Check the section about the limitation of a full connection string on how to accomplish it.

   On-premises data gateway (personal mode) does not have this limitation.

8. Proceed by choosing the newly created connection:

   ODBC{"connectionstring":"dsn=JdbcOdbcBridgeDSN"}

   

9. Finally, you are at the final step where you can refresh the semantic model:

   

Refresh using On-premises data gateway (personal mode)

Here are the instructions on how to refresh a Power BI semantic model using On-premises data gateway (personal mode):

1. Go to Power BI My workspace, hover your mouse cursor on your semantic model and click Settings:

   

2. If you see this view, it means you have to install On-premises data gateway (personal mode):

   

3. Install On-premises data gateway (personal mode) and sign-in:

   
   Use the same email address you use when logging in into Power BI account.

4. Again, go to your semantic model Settings, expand Data source credentials, click Edit credentials, select Authentication method together with Privacy level, and then click Sign in button:

   dsn=JdbcOdbcBridgeDSN

   

5. Finally, you are ready to refresh your semantic model:

   

Conclusion

In this article we discussed how to connect to JDBC-ODBC Bridge in Power BI and integrate data without any coding. Click here to Download JDBC-ODBC Bridge Connector for Power BI and try yourself see how easy it is. If you still have any question(s) then ask here or simply click on live chat icon below and ask our expert (see bottom-right corner of this page).

Download JDBC-ODBC Bridge Connector for Power BI Documentation 

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Download JDBC-ODBC Bridge Connector for Power BI Documentation

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