Power BI Project Formatter

This application is an automated tool to convert Microsoft Power BI PBIX files into PBIP project files. PBIP (Power BI Project) format stores reports and semantic models as human-readable files suitable for version control.

Prerequisites

Power BI Desktop

Power BI Desktop must be installed on your system. Download from: https://powerbi.microsoft.com/desktop/

Enable PBIP Preview Feature

The PBIP save option is a preview feature that must be enabled:

1. Open Power BI Desktop
2. Go to File > Options and settings > Options
3. Select Preview features
4. Check Power BI Project (.pbip) save option
5. Restart Power BI Desktop

Python Dependencies

Install the required Python packages:

pip install -r requirements.txt

Usage

Basic Usage

Navigate to a directory containing PBIX files and run:

python pbix_converter.py

Specify Directory

You can also specify a directory path:

python pbix_converter.py "C:\Path\To\PBIX\Files"

Interactive Mode

The tool will:

1. Scan for PBIX files in the directory
2. Display found files with sizes
3. Prompt you to select which files to convert
4. Create a pbip_output/ subfolder with converted projects

Example Session

==================================================
  Power BI PBIX to PBIP Converter
==================================================

Working directory: C:\Reports

Found 3 PBIX file(s):

  1. SalesReport.pbix (15.2 MB)
  2. InventoryDashboard.pbix (8.7 MB)
  3. FinanceMetrics.pbix (22.1 MB)

Options:
  [A] Convert all files
  [S] Select specific files (enter numbers separated by commas)
  [Q] Quit

Your choice: A

Output Structure

For each PBIX file, the converter creates a project folder:

pbip_output/
├── SalesReport/
│   ├── SalesReport.pbip
│   ├── SalesReport.Report/
│   │   ├── definition.pbir
│   │   ├── report.json
│   │   └── ...
│   └── SalesReport.SemanticModel/
│       ├── definition.pbism
│       ├── definition/
│       │   └── (TMDL files)
│       └── ...
└── ...

Important Notes

• Do not use mouse/keyboard during conversion - the tool automates Power BI Desktop's UI
• Only one PBIX file is converted at a time
• Close Power BI Desktop before starting
• Conversion time depends on file size and complexity

Troubleshooting

Power BI Desktop not found

Ensure Power BI Desktop is installed in a standard location or add it to your PATH.

PBIP option not available

Enable the preview feature as described in Prerequisites.

Conversion fails

• Ensure no other Power BI files are open
• Check that the PBIX file is not corrupted
• Verify sufficient disk space for output