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How to use Shape field to display lines in ArcGIS for PowerBI

JeanYao

I have business data together with shape field from SQL database. How can I use the Shape field to display lines or points in ArcGIS for PowerBI? I have tested dragging the shape field to location but didn't show anything. I can use lon and lat to display data in ArcGIS for PowerBI, but can't use shape field to replace.

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RodPBI

I do not believe the ArcGIS visual supports either shape files (.SHP) or shapes from a SQL database as you intend. If you want lines then the only option I'm aware of is to connect to an ArcGIS feature class in AGOL or Enterprise. Points are the easiest and don't require AGOL or Enterprise - all you need is the lat and long and the visual will plot them accordingly and allow interaction with other Power BI visuals. You will find some options for formatting the points in the ArcGIS menus. Best advice is to read the documentation at Get started with ArcGIS for Power BI—ArcGIS for Microsoft 365 | Documentation.

NaZhang_Esri

Hi @JeanYao,

Thanks for your question! And thanks @RodPBI for the reply.

I'm not quite sure what data is in your Shape field. To display Line data in ArcGIS for Power BI, EsriJSON format is required. That way, you could directly drag the geometry data to Location field well and map the the Line data. To extend @RodPBI's point, ArcGIS for Power BI doesn't support for Shape file. You could try to share the Line data to ArcGIS Online and add as a reference layer in ArcGIS for Power BI.

Please let me know if you have any questions. Thanks!

RodPBI

Thank you @NaZhang_Esri , I didn't realize that line data can be displayed in ArcGIS for Power BI if formatted as EsriJSON. I'll need to try that out!

Jean_Yao

Hi @NaZhang , thanks for providing your advice. I have a shape field in the table together with some other business fields exported from SQL server. The type of shape field is geometry and the content in the shape field is like "0xEC0C0000010C000000202D81624100000000330F5141" , is that OK to use in ArcGIS for PowerBI.

Jean_Yao

Thank you for your reply and the reference link, it is sad not to have a simple way to plot lines or shapes in ArcGIS for PowerBI.

NaZhang_Esri

Hi @JeanYao, no problem at all! That won't be mapped. Please see an example here

Thank you!

Jean_Yao

Hi @NaZhang , thanks for the example. Now from my case, I have a point to test x=9692968, y=4438296 "wkid"=3308 I referred to the document to compose the EsriJSON like below, but still failed to plot on map. I have selected the location type as "points", locations are in "One country" and "Australia" on map. Can you give me further help? Much appreciated. This is the document that I referred to https://developers.arcgis.com/documentation/common-data-types/geometry-objects.htm

{
"x": 9692968,
"y": 4438296,
"spatialReference": {
"wkid":3308
}
}

Jean_Yao

The problem is resolved, and the format is correct as in the last message.

petermcnally1

Did this work for you? I am stuck. PBI recognizes the 'paths' column as a List and wants to expand it. Obviously, I don't want that to happen since it is a path I want all the points in the same field. If I do not expand it, it just stays as the '[List]' in the table.

@NaZhang_Esri do you have any thoughts on this?

Thank you

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