Custom Shape Maps Unexpected Error

[KHorseman]

I can find lots of threads where people have this problem, but I can't find one with an actual solution. All I see is people insisting that it works, but it definitely does not work.

When I try to load any custom shape map, such as any of these provided by @deldersveld I get an "Unexpected Error" message. The details say "Failed to execute 'btoa'". In other threads some people can load these files and others can't. @deldersveld says it's a "regional issue" but I don't really know what that means, and I haven't seen anyone offer a way to fix this "regional issue." Does that mean that custom maps just don't work for people who live in certain regions? I find that unbelievable. I am using the latest release of Power BI Desktop, and I am in the United States.

I know shape maps are still technically in preview but surely if it works for some people it should work for everyone. Is there seriously no way to fix this? How do I load a custom shape map? Specifically I need a world map of countries.

[deldersveld]

Post your dataset. Any unicode characters?

[KHorseman]

@deldersveld It happens with any data set. It even hapens if I type in a random list of countries through Enter Data. Here:

Country	Amount
Australia	87
Brazil	12
Canada	3574
China	564
France	254
India	235
Italy	5254
Japan	84
Mexico	4347
Russia	89
United States	135

[deldersveld]

Not sure where your issue lies, but I did not run into an issue with my world-countries.json file. Here's a link to the PBIX as well, so check to see if you can open it: https://www.dropbox.com/s/2eii01rb17ixwhy/WorldCountries.pbix?dl=0

[PWRBIQuestion]

I loaded up your 20m US Counties json map into the Power BI drilldown chloropleth map, added the GEOID from the file into my database to correspond with the correct county I wanted, did the same as well for the states, and gave each County/State combination in my access database a unique ID. However, when I try to filter out a specific county in a specific state, the map will populate all of the counties in the US with the same county name even though if is not in the correct state. Do you know a way to only have it display only the county that is in the state that I set a filter for?

[KHorseman]

Yes I can open it with no trouble. I guess I can only see that it works for other people, but I can't make it work for me. Another worthless new feature I can't use in this damned program.

[KHorseman]

I literally just typed in the stuff in my sample above, set the Country column's data category to Country/Region, and tried to load world-countries.json into the map. Here's the error details:

Feedback Type:
Frown (Error)

Timestamp:
2016-10-24T14:19:49.8800528Z

Local Time:
2016-10-24T10:19:49.8800528-04:00

Product Version:
2.39.4526.362 (PBIDesktop) (x64)

Release:
September 2016

IE Version:
11.321.14393.0

OS Version:
Microsoft Windows NT 10.0.14393.0 (x64 en-US)

CLR Version:
4.6.2. or later [Release Number = 394802]

Workbook Package Info:
1* - en-US, fastCombine: Disabled.

Peak Working Set:
386 MB

Private Memory:
260 MB

Peak Virtual Memory:
33.9 GB

JS Error Message:
Failed to execute 'btoa' on 'Window': The string to be encoded contains characters outside of the Latin1 range.

Error Message:
An error occurred while rendering the report.

Stack Trace:
Microsoft.Mashup.Host.Document.JavaScriptException: An error occurred while rendering the report.
Error: Failed to execute 'btoa' on 'Window': The string to be encoded contains characters outside of the Latin1 range.
at Error (native)
at saveSliceToDefinition (ms-pbi://pbi.microsoft.com/minerva/scripts/exploreui.js:9328:77)
at Object.saveChangedSliceToDefinition [as save] (ms-pbi://pbi.microsoft.com/minerva/scripts/exploreui.js:9354:25)
at ms-pbi://pbi.microsoft.com/minerva/scripts/exploreui.js:8590:113
at UndoRedoService.register (ms-pbi://pbi.microsoft.com/minerva/scripts/explore.js:6265:159)
at PropertyPaneController.save (ms-pbi://pbi.microsoft.com/minerva/scripts/exploreui.js:8589:93)
at fn (eval at <anonymous> (ms-pbi://pbi.microsoft.com/minerva/scripts/angular.js:1:0), <anonymous>:4:382)
at PropertyCardController.destination.(anonymous function) [as cardChanged] (ms-pbi://pbi.microsoft.com/minerva/scripts/angular.js:9739:22)
at PropertyCardController.sliceChanged (ms-pbi://pbi.microsoft.com/minerva/scripts/exploreui.js:8515:127)
at fn (eval at <anonymous> (ms-pbi://pbi.microsoft.com/minerva/scripts/angular.js:1:0), <anonymous>:4:323)

Invocation Stack Trace:
at Microsoft.Mashup.Host.Document.ExceptionExtensions.GetCurrentInvocationStackTrace()
at Microsoft.Mashup.Client.ClientShared.StackTraceInfo..ctor(String exceptionStackTrace, String invocationStackTrace)
at Microsoft.Mashup.Client.ClientShared.FeedbackErrorInfo..ctor(String message, Nullable`1 errorCode, String requestId, Exception exception)
at Microsoft.Mashup.Client.ClientShared.UnexpectedExceptionHandler.<>c__DisplayClass1.<HandleException>b__0()
at Microsoft.Mashup.Host.Document.SynchronizationContextExtensions.<>c__DisplayClass3.<SendAndMarshalExceptions>b__0(Object null)
at System.RuntimeMethodHandle.InvokeMethod(Object target, Object[] arguments, Signature sig, Boolean constructor)
at System.Reflection.RuntimeMethodInfo.UnsafeInvokeInternal(Object obj, Object[] parameters, Object[] arguments)
at System.Delegate.DynamicInvokeImpl(Object[] args)
at System.Windows.Forms.Control.InvokeMarshaledCallbackDo(ThreadMethodEntry tme)
at System.Windows.Forms.Control.InvokeMarshaledCallbackHelper(Object obj)
at System.Threading.ExecutionContext.RunInternal(ExecutionContext executionContext, ContextCallback callback, Object state, Boolean preserveSyncCtx)
at System.Threading.ExecutionContext.Run(ExecutionContext executionContext, ContextCallback callback, Object state, Boolean preserveSyncCtx)
at System.Threading.ExecutionContext.Run(ExecutionContext executionContext, ContextCallback callback, Object state)
at System.Windows.Forms.Control.InvokeMarshaledCallback(ThreadMethodEntry tme)
at System.Windows.Forms.Control.InvokeMarshaledCallbacks()
at System.Windows.Forms.Control.WndProc(Message& m)
at System.Windows.Forms.NativeWindow.Callback(IntPtr hWnd, Int32 msg, IntPtr wparam, IntPtr lparam)
at System.Windows.Forms.UnsafeNativeMethods.DispatchMessageW(MSG& msg)
at System.Windows.Forms.UnsafeNativeMethods.DispatchMessageW(MSG& msg)
at System.Windows.Forms.Application.ComponentManager.System.Windows.Forms.UnsafeNativeMethods.IMsoComponentManager.FPushMessageLoop(IntPtr dwComponentID, Int32 reason, Int32 pvLoopData)
at System.Windows.Forms.Application.ThreadContext.RunMessageLoopInner(Int32 reason, ApplicationContext context)
at System.Windows.Forms.Application.ThreadContext.RunMessageLoop(Int32 reason, ApplicationContext context)
at System.Windows.Forms.Form.ShowDialog(IWin32Window owner)
at Microsoft.Mashup.Client.ClientShared.WindowManager.ShowDialog[T](T form, IWin32Window owner)
at Microsoft.PowerBI.Client.Program.<>c__DisplayClassb.<Main>b__0()
at Microsoft.Mashup.Host.Document.ExceptionHandlerExtensions.HandleExceptions(IExceptionHandler exceptionHandler, Action action)
at Microsoft.PowerBI.Client.Program.Main(String[] args)

User ID:
73a57705-1f23-4e51-9f3a-7208da732c7f

Session ID:
b9b3d5f6-84b2-47d9-b322-55db2026d8e6

Telemetry Enabled:
True

Model Default Mode:
Import

Snapshot Trace Logs:
C:\Users\khorseman\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Power BI Desktop\FrownSnapShot2069757971.zip

Performance Trace Logs:
C:\Users\khorseman\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Power BI Desktop\PerformanceTraces.zip

Enabled Preview Features:
PBI_shapeMapVisualEnabled
PBI_forecastEnabled

Disabled Preview Features:
PBI_RedShift
PBI_Impala
PBI_Snowflake
PBI_allowBiDiCrossFilterInDirectQuery
PBI_esriEnabled
PBI_mobileReportAuthoringEnabled

Disabled DirectQuery Options:
DirectQuery_Unrestricted

Recent Actions:
AddEmptyVisualContainer, AddFieldInRole, VisualContainerPersistProperties, AddFieldInRole, AddVisualContainer, AddFieldToVisual, VisualConversion

Formulas:

section Section1;

shared Table1 = let
Source = Table.FromRows(Json.Document(Binary.Decompress(Binary.FromText("NY3LCsIwFER/Re66G/NodakFoUI3iquQxaUJGAi3kqSgfr154PKcYWaUgge5ZM3unjDZCB3sQXcKpoT+k0kyKaq4BKTFZvMXpy2mgN5hdoehqtsWY+Nj5fHpqKDsW+WKL6QSNzwH/DpfLlnl2b7dsmYWXLTBEQlNWeByaJ2JTH1gXILWPw==", BinaryEncoding.Base64), Compression.Deflate)), let _t = ((type text) meta [Serialized.Text = true]) in type table [Country = _t, Amount = _t]),
#"Changed Type" = Table.TransformColumnTypes(Source,{{"Country", type text}, {"Amount", Int64.Type}})
in
#"Changed Type";

Active Section Contract:
{"id":0,"name":"ReportSection","displayName":"Page 1","ordinal":0,"visualContainers":[{"x":10,"y":20,"z":1,"width":280,"height":280,"config":"{\"layouts\":[{\"id\":0,\"position\":{\"x\":10,\"y\":20,\"width\":280,\"height\":280,\"z\":1}}],\"singleVisual\":{\"visualType\":\"shapeMap\",\"projections\":{\"Category\":[{\"queryRef\":\"Table1.Country\"}],\"Value\":[{\"queryRef\":\"Sum(Table1.Amount)\"}]},\"prototypeQuery\":{\"Version\":2,\"From\":[{\"Name\":\"t\",\"Entity\":\"Table1\"}],\"Select\":[{\"Column\":{\"Expression\":{\"SourceRef\":{\"Source\":\"t\"}},\"Property\":\"Country\"},\"Name\":\"Table1.Country\"},{\"Aggregation\":{\"Expression\":{\"Column\":{\"Expression\":{\"SourceRef\":{\"Source\":\"t\"}},\"Property\":\"Amount\"}},\"Function\":0},\"Name\":\"Sum(Table1.Amount)\"}]},\"objects\":{\"shape\":[{\"properties\":{\"map\":{\"geoJson\":{\"type\":{\"expr\":{\"Literal\":{\"Value\":\"'shared'\"}}},\"name\":{\"expr\":{\"Literal\":{\"Value\":\"'usa.states.topo'\"}}},\"content\":{\"expr\":{\"ResourcePackageItem\":{\"PackageName\":\"ShapeMap\",\"PackageType\":2,\"ItemName\":\"usa.states.topo\"}}}}},\"projectionEnum\":{\"expr\":{\"Literal\":{\"Value\":\"'albersUsa'\"}}}}}],\"dataPoint\":[{\"properties\":{\"fillRule\":{\"linearGradient2\":{\"max\":{\"color\":{\"expr\":{\"Literal\":{\"Value\":\"'#01B8AA'\"}}}},\"min\":{\"color\":{\"expr\":{\"Literal\":{\"Value\":\"'#ccf1ee'\"}}}}}}}}]}},\"name\":\"VisualContainer\"}"},{"x":441.875759416768,"y":107.2053462940462,"z":2,"width":300,"height":300,"config":"{\"layouts\":[{\"id\":0,\"position\":{\"x\":441.875759416768,\"y\":107.2053462940462,\"width\":300,\"height\":300,\"z\":2}}],\"singleVisual\":{\"visualType\":\"table\",\"projections\":{\"Values\":[{\"queryRef\":\"Table1.Country\"},{\"queryRef\":\"Sum(Table1.Amount)\"}]},\"prototypeQuery\":{\"Version\":2,\"From\":[{\"Name\":\"t\",\"Entity\":\"Table1\"}],\"Select\":[{\"Column\":{\"Expression\":{\"SourceRef\":{\"Source\":\"t\"}},\"Property\":\"Country\"},\"Name\":\"Table1.Country\"},{\"Aggregation\":{\"Expression\":{\"Column\":{\"Expression\":{\"SourceRef\":{\"Source\":\"t\"}},\"Property\":\"Amount\"}},\"Function\":0},\"Name\":\"Sum(Table1.Amount)\"}]}},\"name\":\"VisualContainer1\"}"}],"displayOption":1,"width":1280,"height":720,"config":"{}"}

[Sean]

@deldersveld I'm encountering the same issue as @KHorseman (btw I can also open your pbix file and it works fine)

However when I try to use any of your TopoJSON files I get that Error => Here's what I'm doing...

[KHorseman]

Yep, @Sean could just as well have been taking screenshots off my computer. Identical to what I'm doing.

[deldersveld · Accepted solution]

Ok, I think I might know the potential cause of your issue. When you pulled the file off of GitHub, my guess is that you did not save the actual json file. Instead, you probably right-clicked in the ReadMe and did a Save As on the link to the blob. Is that correct?

GitHub shows a preview of TopoJson, GeoJson, etc. blobs on their own page. Unless you download the entire repo, you need to click through the link and save the Raw json instead of the blob preview.

[KHorseman]

@deldersveld yep that was it. Thanks. I assumed that a URL that ended in a file name with a file extension was a link to the actual file with that name and extension. Silly me. Apparently github is different from the entire rest of the internet.

[Sean]

@deldersveld Thanks!

As @KHorseman said it really looks like you are saving the right file.

Next I'll have to give QGIS a try because I'm having to luck with mapshaper converting other GeoJSON files into usable in PBI TopoJSON files. Thanks!

[Sean]

@deldersveld I have a question about your us-albers.counties.json file?

I can't figure out how to plot the correct county in the correct state?

Here is some sample data

These are the 3 most popular county names

(btw these are not all their occurences - I kind of narrowed them down to just the SE/4 of the country)

County Column	Full State Name	Population	County Name	County, State	County Word
Jefferson County	Alabama	659,479	Jefferson	Jefferson County, Alabama	County
Washington County	Alabama	16,877	Washington	Washington County, Alabama	County
Jefferson County	Arkansas	73,191	Jefferson	Jefferson County, Arkansas	County
Lincoln County	Arkansas	14,031	Lincoln	Lincoln County, Arkansas	County
Washington County	Arkansas	216,410	Washington	Washington County, Arkansas	County
Jefferson County	Florida	14,194	Jefferson	Jefferson County, Florida	County
Washington County	Florida	24,624	Washington	Washington County, Florida	County
Jefferson County	Georgia	16,320	Jefferson	Jefferson County, Georgia	County
Lincoln County	Georgia	7,751	Lincoln	Lincoln County, Georgia	County
Washington County	Georgia	20,676	Washington	Washington County, Georgia	County
Jefferson County	Indiana	32,458	Jefferson	Jefferson County, Indiana	County
Washington County	Indiana	27,780	Washington	Washington County, Indiana	County
Jefferson County	Kansas	18,813	Jefferson	Jefferson County, Kansas	County
Lincoln County	Kansas	3,147	Lincoln	Lincoln County, Kansas	County
Washington County	Kansas	5,629	Washington	Washington County, Kansas	County
Jefferson County	Kentucky	756,832	Jefferson	Jefferson County, Kentucky	County
Lincoln County	Kentucky	24,370	Lincoln	Lincoln County, Kentucky	County
Washington County	Kentucky	11,875	Washington	Washington County, Kentucky	County
Jefferson County	Mississippi	7,629	Jefferson	Jefferson County, Mississippi	County
Lincoln County	Mississippi	34,810	Lincoln	Lincoln County, Mississippi	County
Washington County	Mississippi	49,688	Washington	Washington County, Mississippi	County
Jefferson County	Missouri	221,396	Jefferson	Jefferson County, Missouri	County
Lincoln County	Missouri	53,860	Lincoln	Lincoln County, Missouri	County
Washington County	Missouri	25,172	Washington	Washington County, Missouri	County
Lincoln County	North Carolina	79,740	Lincoln	Lincoln County, North Carolina	County
Washington County	North Carolina	12,722	Washington	Washington County, North Carolina	County
Jefferson County	Oklahoma	6,432	Jefferson	Jefferson County, Oklahoma	County
Lincoln County	Oklahoma	34,351	Lincoln	Lincoln County, Oklahoma	County
Washington County	Oklahoma	51,577	Washington	Washington County, Oklahoma	County
Jefferson County	Tennessee	52,123	Jefferson	Jefferson County, Tennessee	County
Lincoln County	Tennessee	33,633	Lincoln	Lincoln County, Tennessee	County
Washington County	Tennessee	125,546	Washington	Washington County, Tennessee	County
Jefferson County	Texas	252,358	Jefferson	Jefferson County, Texas	County
Washington County	Texas	34,147	Washington	Washington County, Texas	County
Washington County	Virginia	54,907	Washington	Washington County, Virginia	County
Jefferson County	West Virginia	55,073	Jefferson	Jefferson County, West Virginia	County
Lincoln County	West Virginia	21,559	Lincoln	Lincoln County, West Virginia	County

In both PBI's regular and filled maps and in the ArcGIS visual you basically use the County, State field and you get this result...

(Note that if you don't use this field you'll get incorrect results!)

Now when we go to the topojson file - it would not plot anything using the County, State field

If i use only the County it plot like this - it plots Counties with the same name but in states which are not even included

Any advice will be much appreciated!

Thanks in advance!

[dMac314]

@Sean Did you ever find a solution to this? I am having the same issue. 

[KHorseman]

I would try using a column that concatenates the county and state, e.g. "Hamilton County, OH" rather than the raw county name.