Import twb as xml file

Question

Hello,

To build an app, I am currently trying to import a Tableau Workbook (.twb) as an xml file to have Alteryx find and replace some lines of code. Then I would like it to save it again as the Workbook that it was.

If I open the file manually in Notepad, I can do this - however I can't find a way to get Alteryx to do it. With the "import" tool, it tells me it can't find any file in the specified format.

Any ideas?

Thank you! 🙂

demand_james · Accepted Answer

HI

If you want to expand and interrogate the xml you can do:

Select your file type as xml and point it to your twb.  This will import the xml.   (check the boxes to return outer xml)

Then you can explore the trees using an xml parse.

My guess from what you are saying with replacing code is that you want to do something different.    In this case you can import it as a csv.   Use a delimiter of \0.   This will bring in the lines of code then you can put a record id on and filter lines and replace or do whatever - then order it back by record id and write it back out as a csv (with an xml extension)

Here I've replaced the datasource (a common use case) and written it back to an xml that tableau can still open.