Import Data from IBM Connection Docs Excel URL in Tableau - tableau-api

My company recently transitioned to IBM Connections and has closed down a few features like Box.com.
IBM Connections can also store files, but when uploading them, I cannot connect Tableau to them directly as the file path is a URL and Tableau cannot get files from URLs.
I've tried to load it in Power Query and then load it in Tableau but then I need to find a way to refresh the file while the original Excel file gets edited.
Any suggestions how can I get a live connection from IBM Connections Docs > Tableau Server?

I don't believe a live connection is possible. However, it looks like IBM provides a robust api. Depending on your requirements, you could script something that writes out a json file. Then use tableau to refresh the json as an extract on a schedule. Another possibility is the Web Data Connector.

Related

What's the proper file format for local data to implement a sync feature with a SQL database server?

This question might be quite dumb, but I couldn't find anything related.
Let's say a user can create and modify a shopping list in an application, that data would be synchronized to the SQL server whenever network is available and vice-versa.
What file format should the local data stored in? Using a local SQL database server won't make much sense for a mobile platform.
Should I store everything into a JSON file locally, or there is a better approach?

Connecting a PLM Tool to Tableau using REST API

I am trying to connect data from a PLM tool to Tableau using the REST API. I am not super familiar with the REST API, so I am unsure how to connect it to Tableau Desktop. Is it even possible to connect a REST API to Tableau Desktop? Do I need additional tools to build the connection between the API and Tableau? Thanks in advance!
Yes, it is possible to connect REST API to Tableau Desktop. And yes, you'll need additional tools to build the connection.
Steps:
Set up an ODBC connection. Visit this website for this step -> https://kb.blackbaud.com/knowledgebase/articles/Article/41081
Open Tableau Desktop and under connect to a server, select "Other Databases (ODBC)".
Connect and in the "String Extras" box, put in your SDSN, HST, and PRT information.
Choose the database that the RESP API is connected to. You can see how to do that in the REST API documentation of the site you're using.
Filter the data you want to see in Tableau and you should have your data there.
There are so many ways to make this connection and this is one of them.
Thanks!
Actually, Tableau doesn't support REST API as a data source directly. You have to use indirect ways to connect to REST API.
One way is to use Web Data Connector, BUT you have to build a web page for each REST API and paste the web page link in Web Data Connector. (I did this before and it's pretty crazy...)
Another way is to use an ETL tool that supports extracting data from API and loading it to Tableau. This way saves you lots of time although you need to pay for additional costs. (I personally recommend Acho. Its API connector is very powerful and easy-to-use)

Tableau - Auto Archiving Historic Data

I have a live data source connected to Tableau Desktop. This source overwrites as it is updated. Is there a way to automatically save off monthly data from Tableau? Preferably, save the charts I have built.
There are a few options to consider if you are using Tableau Server:
REST API Export View: If you don't need interactivity, then you can automate exporting the image using the REST API. This is analogous to using the Worksheet -> Export -> Image feature in the front-end. There are other export options such as PDF and CSV. I would recommend using the Python client library over the raw REST API, but both are valid methods to export content.
If you need interactivity, then you will need to use an extract instead of a live data source. With this, you can automate exporting the workbook using the REST API. If you want a live query for normal use, then you can duplicate the workbook, covert the data source to extract, schedule the extract refresh, and download the workbook.
Scheduled Subscription: If you don't want to code, then you can schedule emailing an image of the view and manually save the images as needed. You could setup a dedicated shared resource mailbox and subscribe a user, typically a service account, to the schedule. This would allow you to consolidate all the subscriptions to a dedicated mailbox for future use.
TabCmd: If you are comfortable with tabcmd, you can automate exporting to CSV, Image, and PDF.
If you are only using Tableau Desktop, then the best option may be to convert the data source to an extract, automate refreshing the extract locally with tabcmd, and save a copy of the workbook to a folder while renaming the file to include a YYYY_MM_DD in the name. This will give you a fully functional copy of the workbook.

Tableau read and update data source ( From Web data connector) automatically

I am installed and added data source (web data connector) inside tableau
Web data connector URL : http://localhost/datasouceexample/example.html
we data connector holds some data.
import data from web data connector and created graphs using the data's from the web data connector URL .Generated graph and saved in "tableau public" option.
Embed the code inside my web application . Graphs shows perfectly.
My question is about the automatic data updation .
1 ) I want to update graph automatically based on the value from web data connector URL
2 ) If any new updations are inside input datas (new inputs) , automatically sync with tableau and update the graph,so no changes in the embed code and graph updated automatically
Any settings available inside tableau for do this section? if it is possible ? Thanks
Only dashboards with a google sheets datasource can be automatically updated on Tableau Public. Maybe you could redesign your web service to write to a google sheets doc. If so, you could republish your dashboard to sync with that doc.
The scenario you are describing is not possible using Tableau Public (the free version of Tableau software) and the web data connector. Tableau Public does not support updating web data connector data once published on Public, you would need to refresh the data from your desktop application and republish.
The closest supported path to your use case would be, as Kara_F mentioned in the comments, to use Tableau Server. With that product, you can create web data connector datasources and publish them to your Server. You can then schedule a refresh job which will update your data at a certain interval. More info for keeping WDC data up to date can be found here: http://onlinehelp.tableau.com/v0.0/server/en-us/datasource_wdc.htm.

How edit the content of a data extract in Tableau?

I'm creating an extract from a table hosted on MS SQL Server in Tableau.
After I create the data extract, is there any way I can enable the end users to edit the data extract content? Something like an interface?
Thanks in advance
The Tableau Data Extract API (and publicly released products) do not allow you to modify the contents of an extract.
You can append new data rows to an extract, or refresh (i.e. regenerate) an extract.
Think of extracts like datamarts -- read-only snapshots of a portion of some other data store, designed to allow efficient analysis and reporting. They aren't intended to replace databases.
If you want users to make live updates, consider using a database and some sort of tech stack to allow form based updates.
This is called web-authoring in Tableau.
you can publish the extract to server and allow the users to connect to this data source for creating their own reports
using the server version of Tableau this can also be referred as Adhoc Reporting
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