Getting Started with the CData Power BI Connector for CSV

This guide explains everything you need to get started with the CData Power BI Connector for CSV. You'll learn how to install and license the connector, configure your first connection, and explore next steps for working with CSV data in your applications.

Installation & Licensing

The CData Power BI Connector for CSV enables Power BI Desktop and the Power BI On-premises Data Gateway to connect directly to live CSV data. This section details installation prerequisites, platform support, connector deployment, and licensing requirements.

System Requirements

The connector is supported in environments where Microsoft Power BI Desktop and Power BI Gateway are available. Because these components are Windows-only, the Power BI Connector is supported exclusively on Windows platforms.

Operating System Support

• Windows 10 (64-bit)
• Windows 11 (64-bit)
• Windows Server 2016, 2019, or 2022 (recommended for Power BI Gateway deployments)

Power BI Components

• Power BI Desktop (latest version recommended): Used for report design, data modeling, and connector configuration.
• Power BI On-premises Data Gateway: Required for scheduled refresh or cloud-published datasets.

Software Dependencies

Microsoft Visual C++ 2015-2022 Redistributable (installed automatically if not already present).

Installing the Power BI Connector

Windows

1. Download the CData Power BI Connector for CSV.
2. Run the installer and follow the installation wizard.
3. The installer will guide you through the setup process and deploy the connector to the default installation directory.
4. During installation, you may be prompted to enter your license key.
   • You should have received your license key via email from the CData Orders Team.
   • The license key looks like this: XXXX-XXXX-XXXX-XXXX-XXXX.

     Note: If you are running a trial, select the Trial Key option.

5. After installation, locate the connector file in the given location: C:\Program Files\CData\CData Power BI Connector for CSV\CData.CSV.pqx
6. Copy the .pqx file into the Power BI Desktop Custom Connectors folder (one-time process): Documents\Power BI Desktop\Custom Connectors
7. Restart Power BI Desktop. If prompted to enable custom extensions:
   • Go to File -> Options and Settings -> Options
   • Select Security
   • Under Data Extensions, choose "Allow any extension to load without validation"
   • Restart Power BI Desktop
8. For Power BI Gateway deployments, copy the same .pqx file to the gateway's custom connectors directory and restart the gateway service to load it.

Activating Your License

You should have received your license key via email from the CData Orders Team. The license key looks like this: XXXX-XXXX-XXXX-XXXX-XXXX

Windows License Activation

Your license will typically be activated during installation. However, there are cases where you may need to activate it manually. The steps below walk you through manual activation for the Power BI Connector:

• Open the ODBC driver application (DSN) from the Start menu.
• Select User DSN or System DSN, and open CData PBI CSV Source/Sys.
• Navigate to the About tab.
• Enter the license key in the Activation field under the License Information section, and click Activate!.
• Once activation succeeds, the connector will display a "Licensed" status. Click OK.

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Common Licensing Questions

Can I use my license on multiple machines?

Yes, depending on your subscription tier. Check your order confirmation or contact your account representative for details. If you are unsure of who your account representative is, contact [email protected].

I lost my license key. How do I retrieve it?

Email [email protected] with your order number, and we'll resend your license key.

Can I transfer my license to a different machine?

Yes. When transferring the license to a different machine, you will need to submit a License Transfer Request on our site linked below:

https://www.cdata.com/lic/transfer/

After the License Transfer Request is submitted and successfully processed, an activation will be added to your Product Key, and you will be able to activate the full license on the other machine. Once this process is finished, the license on the previous machine will be invalid.

For additional licensing questions, contact [email protected]. Viewing and upgrading your license can now be done through our self-service portal at portal.cdata.com.

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Connection Configuration

Once your driver is installed and licensed, you're ready to configure a connection to CSV. The CData Power BI Connector for CSV is built on top of an ODBC driver, so it uses a DSN (Data Source Name) to store connection properties.

Creating a DSN

Windows: Using ODBC Data Source Administrator

1. Open the ODBC Data Source Administrator (64-bit)

   Note: CData Power BI connectors use the 64-bit version.

   • Search for "ODBC" in the Windows Start menu
   • Or navigate to: Control Panel -> Administrative Tools -> ODBC Data Sources
2. Click the System DSN or User DSN tab
   • System DSN: Available to all users on the machine (recommended for services)
   • User DSN: Available only to the current user
3. Select CData PBI CSV Source or Sys from the list (depending on User DSN or System DSN) or click Add to create a new data source.
4. Click Finish to open the connection configuration dialog.

Configuring Connection Properties

Connecting to Local or Cloud-Stored (Box, Google Drive, Amazon S3, SharePoint) CSV Files

CData Drivers let you work with CSV files stored locally and stored in cloud storage services like Box, Amazon S3, Google Drive, or SharePoint, right where they are.

Setting connection properties for local files

Set the URI property to local folder path.

Setting connection properties for files stored in Amazon S3

To connect to CSV file(s) within Amazon S3, set the URI property to the URI of the Bucket and Folder where the intended CSV files exist. In addition, at least set these properties:

• AWSAccessKey: AWS Access Key (username)
• AWSSecretKey: AWS Secret Key

Setting connection properties for files stored in Box

To connect to CSV file(s) within Box, set the URI property to the URI of the folder that includes the intended CSV file(s). Use the OAuth authentication method to connect to Box.

Dropbox

To connect to CSV file(s) within Dropbox, set the URI proprerty to the URI of the folder that includes the intended CSV file(s). Use the OAuth authentication method to connect to Dropbox. Either User Account or Service Account can be used to authenticate.

SharePoint Online (SOAP)

To connect to CSV file(s) within SharePoint with SOAP Schema, set the URI proprerty to the URI of the document library that includes the intended CSV file. Set User, Password, and StorageBaseURL.

SharePoint Online REST

To connect to CSV file(s) within SharePoint with REST Schema, set the URI proprerty to the URI of the document library that includes the intended CSV file. StorageBaseURL is optional. If not set, the driver will use the root drive. OAuth is used to authenticate.

Google Drive

To connect to CSV file(s) within Google Drive, set the URI property to the URI of the folder that includes the intended CSV file(s). Use the OAuth authentication method to connect and set InitiateOAuth to GETANDREFRESH.

👁 Configure the CSV DSN.

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Testing Your Connection

1. After entering your connection properties, click Test Connection.
2. A successful test confirms:
   • Authentication credentials are correct.
   • Network connectivity is established.
   • Required permissions are in place.
3. If the test fails, the error message will indicate what needs to be corrected.
4. Click OK to save your DSN.

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Creating a Connection in Power BI Desktop

1. Open Power BI Desktop.
2. Select Get Data -> More.
3. In the search box, type CData CSV.
4. Select the CData CSV connector and click Connect. 👁 Select CData CSV.
   
5. Enter the Data Source Name, in this case CData PBI CSV Sys.
6. Select Import if you want to import a copy of the data into your project. You can refresh this data on demand. Or select DirectQuery if you want to work with the remote data. 👁 Enter the DSN configured earlier and select a desired Data Connectivity mode.
   
7. Select the required tables in the Navigator dialog. Click Load to see the CSV data in Power BI. 👁 Load the CSV data.
   

Common Connection Issues

Authentication Failed

Solution: Verify your credentials are current. For OAuth applications, you may need to authorize CData in your application's security settings. Contact [email protected] for authorization assistance.

Cannot Reach Server

Solution: Check firewall & proxy settings. Contact [email protected] for specific port requirements.

Table Not Found

Solution: Verify database and schema names. Use the Data Model tab in the DSN configuration to browse available tables.

For additional connection troubleshooting, contact [email protected] with your specific error message.

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What's Next

Now that you have installed, licensed, and configured the driver, here are some scenarios you can use to explore our Power BI Connectors:

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Installation & Licensing

Do I need administrator rights to install the connector?

Yes. Administrator rights are required to install the CData Power BI Connector because the installer writes to system directories and registers required components.

Is the connector available in 32-bit and 64-bit versions?

No. Power BI Desktop is 64-bit only, and all CData Power BI Connectors are distributed as 64-bit only MSI installers.

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Get Support

If you need assistance at any point:

• Technical Support: [email protected]
• Community Forum: CData Community Site
• Help Documentation: Installed locally and available online

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Connecting

What's the difference between System DSN and User DSN?

System DSNs are available to all users on a machine and are required when using the Power BI On-premises Data Gateway. User DSNs are only available to the Windows user who created them and are suitable for local Power BI Desktop use.

Can I use a DSN-less connection string instead of creating a DSN?

Yes. The underlying ODBC driver supports DSN-less connection strings, and Power BI can use DSN-less configuration when connecting through the ODBC connector.

Example:

Driver={CData Power BI Connector for CSV};User=Value1;Password=Value2;SecurityToken=Value3;

(Exact properties depend on your CSV authentication method.)

How do I connect to multiple CSV accounts?

Create separate DSNs, one for each CSV account, or create separate connection entries inside Power BI using different authentication credentials. Each DSN or connection stores its own settings.

Can I connect through a proxy server?

Yes. Proxy settings can be configured in the connection properties of your DSN or through the connector's Advanced Settings in Power BI.

Refer to the Firewall & Proxy section of the documentation for required properties and supported proxy scenarios.

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Performance & Troubleshooting

Why are my queries slow?

Check the following:

• Use Import mode if you are working with large datasets or performing heavy transformations. Import mode caches data locally and reduces the number of live API calls.
• Use DirectQuery only when required, as it sends every query to CSV in real time.
• Apply filters in Power Query to reduce the size of the dataset before loading.
• Avoid selecting all columns if only a subset is needed.
• Monitor CSV API limits, which can throttle performance.
• Contact [email protected] for help with query optimization and best practices.

How do I enable logging for troubleshooting?

Logging can be enabled through the connector's advanced connection properties in Power BI Desktop.

In the connection dialog:

• Expand Advanced Options
• Set:
  • Logfile = path to a writable log file
  • Verbosity = 3 (or higher for detailed logs)

Be prepared to upload the log file when contacting [email protected] for analysis securely.

What ports does the connector need access to?

Most CSV connections require outbound HTTPS (port 443) access. Ensure your firewall allows outbound secure traffic to CSV endpoints.

For environments using proxies or additional security layers, consult the Firewall & Proxy section of the connector documentation.

Can I use the connector in a Linux container or Docker?

No. The CData Power BI Connector cannot be used in Linux containers because:

• Power BI Desktop runs only on Windows
• Power BI Gateway runs only on Windows
• Custom connector .pqx files are supported only on Windows

The Power BI Connector is a Windows-only component.

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General

Where can I find the complete list of supported SQL operations?

Refer to the SQL Compliance section of the CSV connector documentation. Note that available SQL features may differ between Import and DirectQuery mode due to Power BI engine limitations.

How often is the connector updated?

CData releases major updates to the Power BI Connector annually, with periodic maintenance updates as needed.

Check your CData Account Portal or contact [email protected] for the latest version.

Where can I find examples of using the connector?

Refer to the Power BI Getting Started and Examples sections in the help documentation.

(Note: Power BI connectors do not use programming-language code samples like ODBC or JDBC drivers.)

For questions not covered in this FAQ, contact [email protected].