--- name: power-bi-visuals description: > Add, configure, bind data to, and bulk-manage visuals on Power BI PBIR report pages using pbi-cli. Invoke this skill whenever the user mentions "add a chart", "bar chart", "line chart", "card", "KPI", "gauge", "scatter", "table visual", "matrix", "slicer", "combo chart", "bind data", "visual type", "visual layout", "resize visuals", "bulk update visuals", "bulk delete", "visual calculations", or wants to place, move, bind, or remove any visual on a report page. Also invoke when the user asks what visual types are supported or how to connect a visual to their data model. tools: pbi-cli --- # Power BI Visuals Skill Create and manage visuals on PBIR report pages. No Power BI Desktop connection is needed -- these commands operate directly on JSON files. ## Adding Visuals ```bash # Add by alias (pbi-cli resolves to the PBIR type) pbi visual add --page page_abc123 --type bar pbi visual add --page page_abc123 --type card --name "Revenue Card" # Custom position and size (pixels) pbi visual add --page page_abc123 --type scatter \ --x 50 --y 400 --width 600 --height 350 # Named visual for easy reference pbi visual add --page page_abc123 --type combo --name sales_combo ``` Each visual is created as a folder with a `visual.json` file inside the page's `visuals/` directory. The template includes the correct schema URL and queryState roles for the chosen type. ## Binding Data Visuals start empty. Use `visual bind` with `Table[Column]` notation to connect them to your semantic model. The bind options vary by visual type -- see the type table below. ```bash # Bar chart: category axis + value pbi visual bind mybar --page p1 \ --category "Geography[Region]" --value "Sales[Revenue]" # Card: single field pbi visual bind mycard --page p1 --field "Sales[Total Revenue]" # Matrix: rows + values + optional column pbi visual bind mymatrix --page p1 \ --row "Product[Category]" --value "Sales[Amount]" --value "Sales[Quantity]" # Scatter: X, Y, detail, optional size and legend pbi visual bind myscatter --page p1 \ --x "Sales[Quantity]" --y "Sales[Revenue]" --detail "Product[Name]" # Combo chart: category + column series + line series pbi visual bind mycombo --page p1 \ --category "Calendar[Month]" --column "Sales[Revenue]" --line "Sales[Margin]" # KPI: indicator + goal + trend axis pbi visual bind mykpi --page p1 \ --indicator "Sales[Revenue]" --goal "Sales[Target]" --trend "Calendar[Date]" # Gauge: value + max/target pbi visual bind mygauge --page p1 \ --value "Sales[Revenue]" --max "Sales[Target]" ``` Binding uses ROLE_ALIASES to translate friendly names like `--value` into the PBIR role name (e.g. `Y`, `Values`, `Data`). Measure vs Column is inferred from the role: value/indicator/goal/max roles create Measure references, category/row/detail roles create Column references. Override with `--measure` flag if needed. ## Inspecting and Updating ```bash # List all visuals on a page pbi visual list --page page_abc123 # Get full details of one visual pbi visual get visual_def456 --page page_abc123 # Move, resize, or toggle visibility pbi visual update vis1 --page p1 --width 600 --height 400 pbi visual update vis1 --page p1 --x 100 --y 200 pbi visual update vis1 --page p1 --hidden pbi visual update vis1 --page p1 --visible # Delete a visual pbi visual delete visual_def456 --page page_abc123 ``` ## Container Properties Set border, background, or title on the visual container itself: ```bash pbi visual set-container vis1 --page p1 --background "#F0F0F0" pbi visual set-container vis1 --page p1 --border-color "#CCCCCC" --border-width 2 pbi visual set-container vis1 --page p1 --title "Sales by Region" ``` ## Visual Calculations Add DAX calculations that run inside the visual scope: ```bash pbi visual calc-add vis1 --page p1 --role Values \ --name "RunningTotal" --expression "RUNNINGSUM([Revenue])" pbi visual calc-list vis1 --page p1 pbi visual calc-delete vis1 --page p1 --name "RunningTotal" ``` ## Bulk Operations Operate on many visuals at once by filtering with `--type` or `--name-pattern`: ```bash # Find visuals matching criteria pbi visual where --page overview --type barChart pbi visual where --page overview --type kpi --y-min 300 # Bind the same field to ALL bar charts on a page pbi visual bulk-bind --page overview --type barChart \ --category "Date[Month]" --value "Sales[Revenue]" # Resize all KPI cards pbi visual bulk-update --page overview --type kpi --width 250 --height 120 # Hide all visuals matching a pattern pbi visual bulk-update --page overview --name-pattern "Temp_*" --hidden # Delete all placeholders pbi visual bulk-delete --page overview --name-pattern "Placeholder_*" ``` Filter options for `where`, `bulk-bind`, `bulk-update`, `bulk-delete`: - `--type` -- PBIR visual type or alias (e.g. `barChart`, `bar`) - `--name-pattern` -- fnmatch glob on visual name (e.g. `Chart_*`) - `--x-min`, `--x-max`, `--y-min`, `--y-max` -- position bounds (pixels) All bulk commands require at least `--type` or `--name-pattern` to prevent accidental mass operations. ## Supported Visual Types (32) ### Charts | Alias | PBIR Type | Bind Options | |--------------------|------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------| | bar | barChart | --category, --value, --legend | | line | lineChart | --category, --value, --legend | | column | columnChart | --category, --value, --legend | | area | areaChart | --category, --value, --legend | | ribbon | ribbonChart | --category, --value, --legend | | waterfall | waterfallChart | --category, --value, --breakdown | | stacked_bar | stackedBarChart | --category, --value, --legend | | clustered_bar | clusteredBarChart | --category, --value, --legend | | clustered_column | clusteredColumnChart | --category, --value, --legend | | scatter | scatterChart | --x, --y, --detail, --size, --legend | | funnel | funnelChart | --category, --value | | combo | lineStackedColumnComboChart | --category, --column, --line, --legend | | donut / pie | donutChart | --category, --value, --legend | | treemap | treemap | --category, --value | ### Cards and KPIs | Alias | PBIR Type | Bind Options | |--------------------|------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------| | card | card | --field | | card_visual | cardVisual | --field (modern card) | | card_new | cardNew | --field | | multi_row_card | multiRowCard | --field | | kpi | kpi | --indicator, --goal, --trend | | gauge | gauge | --value, --max / --target | ### Tables | Alias | PBIR Type | Bind Options | |--------------------|------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------| | table | tableEx | --value | | matrix | pivotTable | --row, --value, --column | ### Slicers | Alias | PBIR Type | Bind Options | |--------------------|------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------| | slicer | slicer | --field | | text_slicer | textSlicer | --field | | list_slicer | listSlicer | --field | | advanced_slicer | advancedSlicerVisual | --field (tile/image slicer) | ### Maps | Alias | PBIR Type | Bind Options | |--------------------|------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------| | azure_map / map | azureMap | --category, --size | ### Decorative and Navigation | Alias | PBIR Type | Bind Options | |--------------------|------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------| | action_button | actionButton | (no data binding) | | image | image | (no data binding) | | shape | shape | (no data binding) | | textbox | textbox | (no data binding) | | page_navigator | pageNavigator | (no data binding) | ## Suppressing Auto-Sync (--no-sync) By default, every write command automatically syncs Power BI Desktop. When adding or binding many visuals in sequence, Desktop reloads after each one. Use `--no-sync` on the `visual` command group to batch all changes, then call `pbi report reload` once at the end: ```bash # Suppress sync while building visuals pbi visual --no-sync add --page overview --type card --name rev_card pbi visual --no-sync bind rev_card --page overview --field "Sales[Total Revenue]" pbi visual --no-sync add --page overview --type bar --name sales_bar pbi visual --no-sync bind sales_bar --page overview --category "Product[Category]" --value "Sales[Revenue]" # Single reload when all visuals are done pbi report reload ``` ## JSON Output All commands support `--json` for agent consumption: ```bash pbi --json visual list --page overview pbi --json visual get vis1 --page overview pbi --json visual where --page overview --type barChart ``` --- ## Gotchas - **`visual bind` infers Measure vs Column from the role, not the underlying TMDL object:** A role like `--value` always creates a Measure reference. If `Sales[Revenue]` is actually a column (not a measure), the visual renders BLANK with no error. Use `--measure` or rename to a real measure. - **`bulk-bind` without `--type` or `--name-pattern` is blocked, but with a too-loose pattern it can rebind unrelated visuals:** `--name-pattern "Chart_*"` matches `Chart_Revenue`, `Chart_Margin`, AND `Chart_Drillthrough_Hidden`. Always preview with `pbi visual where` first. - **Visual position `--x`/`--y` is in report-design pixels, not screen pixels:** A `--x 1280` on a 1280-wide canvas places the visual at the right edge regardless of viewer screen size. Visuals positioned past canvas bounds render off-screen with no warning. - **Visual calculations via `calc-add` run AFTER measures in the visual scope:** Referencing a measure inside a visual calculation captures the post-filter value. Iterating over the calc as if it were a measure (e.g. inside `SUMX`) produces unexpected results because the calc only exists within the visual's query scope. - **PBIR visual `name` is the folder slug — renaming requires file system move, not a CLI flag:** The `--name` flag only applies at creation. Subsequent `visual update` does not rename. To rename, delete + re-add (losing the visual ID) or edit the file system directly. - **`bulk-delete --name-pattern "Placeholder_*"` is irreversible and skips no confirmation:** Each delete is a folder removal; combined with `--no-sync` you can wipe dozens of visuals before noticing. Always run `pbi visual where` with the same pattern first.