I am trying to automatically update a .txt file-based data source in Tableau Desktop but can't find how to do it. What I want is to see a "live" chart on a worksheet not having to push F5 every time. Is there a way to do this?
No there's not.
Tableau Desktop is the editor you can use to create visualizations and it's not build to shove "live" data even though you can refresh data via F5.
You can achieve something like you want, publishing your dashboard to a Tableau Server/Online and then using some tricks.
Please check this related S.O. post:
Auto refresh Tableau online dashboard using "Auto refresh" Chrome extension
Given that Tableau apparently refuses to allow proper editing of the Data Source I have resorted to creating a new one from scratch.
The screenshot shows the situation: the old Data Source "NY FIPS 5" is still being attached to the Worksheet.
The intention is to use the new DataSource usCountyCrimeSummary : however it is unclear ( to me at least) how to disconnect the old Data Source from the existing sheet and then attach the new DataSource to that sheet.
The big surprise was when clicking on Edit Connection it did not allow selecting a different Data Source : instead it went into the properties of the existing Data Source. So then how to switch the Data Source?
One thing to note is that switching data sources will change for all sheets connected to that data source. If you only need to change the data source for one sheet out of many, copy that sheet to a new workbook, change it there, then copy it back.
Perhaps your broken data connection needs to be fixed first, but to change a data source go Data > Replace Data Source
I'm new to Crystal Reports/Crystal Server. Hope someone can enlighten me.
In SSRS, there's a thing called Shared Data Source wherein you can configure a data source like the server and database settings. This data source can then be used by multiple reports. This is very convenient especially if you would change the server name (ex: Production to UAT server) after some later time because you need to change it only on one place without modifying all the reports.
In Crystal Server, is there any equivalent? If not, what are the alternatives?
BTW, I'm using SAP Crystal Server 2013 and Crystal Reports 11.
Thanks in advance.
Edit: Saw this under Database > Set Datasource Location...
Can I save Datasource in Crystal and point all my reports thru this?
You can change data source by using Database-Set Datasource location from menu bar. From there it is pretty simple to change a reports datasource as long as you are changing to a database with same structure. If tables or fields don't exist you will receive an error. If field types used in the report do not match new data structure a mapping menu will appear.
So for example... I have several ODBC data sources which point to same server but different directories. Each directory has identical database structure but for different departments so all different data. I have setup each to be a favorite connection in database manager. I click database from menu bar, select Set Datasource. Select the current datasource. Select the new datasource and click update!
Very straight forward except for the items I mentioned in first paragraph.
I am new to using tableau server. I wanted to know if it was possible to download a tableau workbook (which is linked to a live SQL DB) with the data from the tableau server? Basically I would want to have a downloaded packaged tableau file which I can pass around for demos, without having to connect to the database every time.
You can do this programmatically in python simply.
TSC(Tableau Server Client) is the python library for tableau server.
You can publish, update, delete and download workbooks freely using TSC
Please visit https://github.com/tableau/server-client-python/blob/master/docs/docs/api-ref.md
On this page, just search by "workbooks.download", then you will get the instructions how to download a workbook with data extraction.
In essence, no. Since the workbook is using a live connection, the data is still on the SQL database and not on Tableau Server.
If you want to be able to create a packaged workbook for demo use, then you'll have to create an extract of the data that can be saved with the workbook.
There is another approach to this problem. Now that the viz is using the tableau online extract.
1.Download the workbook from the server.
2.Once done, open the dashboard in tableau desktop. You will see a data extract with a check mark on it.
3.Right click on the data extract and click on create a local copy.
4.This will extract all the data so far and stores it locally.
5.Next step is to replace the datasource from the Online extract to the local copy you have created. 6.Save the workbook as .twbx.
You are done. Hope this will work for you..
I believe what you are trying to do can be accomplished using a tableau extract. This will create a package of the sql db you want on the tableau server. the user could then make a packaged workbook or make a local copy of the extract.
http://kb.tableau.com/articles/knowledgebase/working-with-tableau-data-extracts
Yes, you can from the top tight hand corner of the view depending on your user permission levels.
When you connect tableau server data source click on extract then publish your workbook to server. when any one click on download the extracted data will also download along with worksheet
you must have the permission to download.at least Interactor
click "download", then save the workbook as "twbx" file to include data in the package file.
if your permission is "viewer", you cannot download tableau reports.
one more thing you could do is.
open workbook on server>>>>click download>>>>>select data>>>>go to full data>>> select show all column>>> download all row as text file
now download the workbook create a new data source with a text file you just downloaded. select create an extract
after completion, select replace data source
and it's done.
Unfortunately you cannot unless you have the credentials for the live db connection, if you do you can download the workbook and create a local copy of the data source by entering the credentials and then extract the data which will store the data locally. This will improve the performance as well as then you will be using Tableau extract which is optimized for reporting
With a live connection you will not be able to download the data with a Tableau workbook.
For this you can follow this pocedure :
Create an extract connection in your workbook and publish it in the server with an refresh schedule to it (As per you Data updates).
Now whenever you download the workbook it will come with the last refreshed data with it.
Hope it helps :)
make the data connection as extract, then it will copy with data copy in dashboard.
Download your workbook.
Edit your data Sources
Right-click Data Source and select "Create Local Copy"
Select the original data source .. right click it and replace it with the local copy
Lastly, right-click the original data source and close it.
There you have your workbook with a local extract(tde)
You can refresh this local extract anytime you want by refreshing the data source.
You can do so by using tableau extract file(.twbx)
But if the workbook has large data and can't create extract locally, then we can use something called empty extract.
Here's how
https://www.tableau.com/about/blog/2013/9/easy-empty-local-extracts-25152
Make an empty extract using above method and load it on server.
Let server build the full extract and then download it.
You are good to go with that workbook.
Since the workbook is using a live connection, the data is still on the SQL database and not on Tableau Server.
If you want to be able to create a packaged workbook for demo use, then you'll have to create an extract of the data that can be saved with the workbook.
Create an extract connection in your workbook and publish it in the server with an refresh schedule to it (As per you Data updates). Now whenever you download the workbook it will come with the last refreshed data with it.
You can save it as a .twbx or download from the published version
What's the best way to setup SSRS reports to run against a test database? We need to run them from the Report Server (e.g. from a browser) against a test database. I tried creating a linked report but I don't see a way to associate a different data connection with the linked report.
Thanks.
I usually create a second copy of reports in a Test folder on the SSRS server. This lets consumers test report changes before they affect production.
But if you really want one version of the report to point at both production and test you can get clever with data sources. Here's a blog entry discussing dynamically changing your datasource based on a parameter.
http://skamie.wordpress.com/2010/12/17/ssrs-changing-data-source-dynamically/
Then you'll need to either expose the parameter or call the report in some way where you can set the hidden parameter.
Create a new folder in the Report Manager and upload the exact same report to that new folder.
If needed, you can also hide this folder so only testing people can access the URL directly.
Create a new data source that points to your test database and change the data source of the new report to use the test data source.
That way you can leave your production report intact.
Go to Properties > Data Sources and point the datasource to your test database