How to read Power BI data in ODBC application?

In this section we will learn how to configure and use Power BI Connector in the API Driver to extract data from the Power BI.

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

Step-by-step instructions

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

Install ZappySys ODBC PowerPack.
Open ODBC Data Sources (x64):
Create a User Data Source (User DSN) based on ZappySys API Driver

ZappySys API 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.
When the Configuration window appears give your data source a name if you haven't done that already, then select "Power BI" from the list of Popular Connectors. If "Power BI" is not present in the list, then click "Search Online" and download it. Then set the path to the location where you downloaded it. Finally, click Continue >> to proceed with configuring the DSN:

PowerBiDSN

Power BI

Now it's time to configure the Connection Manager. Select Authentication Type, e.g. Token Authentication. Then select API Base URL (in most cases, the default one is the right one). More info is available in the Authentication section.

User Credentials [OAuth]

OAuth App must be created in Microsoft Azure AD. These settings typically found here https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/graph/auth-register-app-v2. [API Help..]

Steps to get Power BI Credentials : User Credentials [OAuth]

Firstly, login into Azure Portal and there create an OAuth application:

Go to Azure Portal and login there.
Then go to Azure Active Directory.
On the left side click menu item App registrations
Then proceed with clicking New registration.
Enter a name for your application.
Select the account types to support with the Supported account types option.
In Redirect URI, select Web.
In the textbox enter https://zappysys.com/oauth as the Redirect URI or another valid redirect URL.
Use this same Redirect URI in the Redirect URI (must match App Redirect URL) grid row.
Copy Client ID and paste it into the API Connection Manager configuration grid in the Client ID row.
Click on the Endpoints link and copy the OAuth 2.0 authorization endpoint (v2) URL to the Authorization URL grid row. Usually it looks similar to this:
- https://login.microsoftonline.com/daed1250-xxxx-xxxx-xxxx-ef0a982d3d1e/oauth2/v2.0/authorize
Copy the OAuth 2.0 token endpoint (v2) URL to the Token URL grid row. Usually it looks similar to this:
- https://login.microsoftonline.com/daed1250-xxxx-xxxx-xxxx-ef0a982d3d1e/oauth2/v2.0/token
Close "Endpoints" popup and create a Client Secret in the Certificates & secrets tab.
Proceed by clicking New client secret and setting expiration period. Copy the client secret and paste it into configuration grid in Client Secret row.
Now lets setup permissions for the app. Click on API Permissions and on the page click Plus Sign Add Permission
Click on Microsoft Graph API and then choose Delegated Permissions
on Permission list page search or choose permissions as needed. We need to enable following Permissions from 2 Sections: Microsoft Graph API and Power BI Service.
Make sure you have checked below permissions (If you do not need Write feature then you can skip Write scopes)
```
offline_access
Dataset.ReadWrite.All
```
Click Generate Token to generate tokens.
That's it!

Fill in all required parameters and set optional parameters if needed:

PowerBiDSN

Power BI

User Credentials [OAuth]

https://api.powerbi.com/v1.0/myorg

Required Parameters
Authorization URL	Fill in the parameter...
Token URL	Fill in the parameter...
Client ID	Fill in the parameter...
Scope	Fill in the parameter...
Default Dataset (select after generating tokens)	Fill in the parameter...
Optional Parameters
Client Secret	Fill in the parameter...
Redirect URI (must match App Redirect URI)	Fill in the parameter...
Default Workspace (Keep Empty for My Workspace - select after generating tokens)	Fill in the parameter...
RetryMode	Fill in the parameter...
RetryStatusCodeList	Fill in the parameter...
RetryCountMax	Fill in the parameter...
RetryWaitTimeMs	Fill in the parameter...
RetryMultiplyWaitTime	Fill in the parameter...
Login options	Fill in the parameter...

Once the data source has been configured, you can preview data. Select the Preview tab and use settings similar to the following to preview data:
Click OK to finish creating the data source.

Video instructions

Watch this video on YouTube

Reading data from client application

Firstly, to get data from ODBC data source based on ZappySys ODBC driver, in your client application, you would need to connect to ODBC source and then from the list select the data source.
Finally, to read the data just read tables/views in your app or enter a SQL statement to extract data, e.g.:
SELECT * FROM Datasets

Power BI Connector Examples

The ZappySys API Driver is a user-friendly interface designed to facilitate the seamless integration of various applications with the Power BI API. With its intuitive design and robust functionality, the ZappySys API Driver simplifies the process of configuring specific API endpoints to efficiently read or write data from Power BI.

Click here to find more Power BI Connector examples designed for seamless integration with the ZappySys API ODBC Driver under ODBC Data Source (36/64) or ZappySys Data Gateway, enhancing your ability to connect and interact with Prebuilt Connectors effectively.

Consume Data inside your App / Programming Language

Once you know how to load data from Power BI Connector, you can click on one of the below links to learn the steps how to consume data inside your App / Programming Language from Power BI Connector.

ODBC inside ETL / Reporting / BI Tools

ODBC inside Programming Languages

Key features of the ZappySys API Driver include:

The API ODBC driver facilitates the reading and writing of data from numerous popular online services (refer to the complete list here) using familiar SQL language without learning complexity of REST API calls. The driver allows querying nested structure and output as a flat table. You can also create your own ODBC / Data Gateway API connector file and use it with this driver.

Intuitive Configuration: The interface is designed to be user-friendly, enabling users to easily set up the specific API endpoints within Power BI without requiring extensive technical expertise or programming knowledge.
Customizable Endpoint Setup: Users can conveniently configure the API endpoint settings, including the HTTP request method, endpoint URL, and any necessary parameters, to precisely target the desired data within Power BI.
Data Manipulation Capabilities: The ZappySys API Driver allows for seamless data retrieval and writing, enabling users to fetch data from Power BI and perform various data manipulation operations as needed, all through an intuitive and straightforward interface.
Secure Authentication Integration: The driver provides secure authentication integration, allowing users to securely connect to the Power BI API by inputting the necessary authentication credentials, such as API tokens or other authentication keys.
Error Handling Support: The interface is equipped with comprehensive error handling support, ensuring that any errors or exceptions encountered during the data retrieval or writing process are efficiently managed and appropriately communicated to users for prompt resolution.
Data Visualization and Reporting: The ZappySys API Driver facilitates the seamless processing and presentation of the retrieved data from Power BI, enabling users to generate comprehensive reports and visualizations for further analysis and decision-making purposes.

Overall, the ZappySys API Driver serves as a powerful tool for streamlining the integration of applications with Power BI, providing users with a convenient and efficient way to access and manage data, all through a user-friendly and intuitive interface.