Tableau Input tool error "Specified Table does not exit"

Hello,

Currently I am trying to use the Tableau input tool(Tableau Input Tool | Alteryx Help) to pull data from my company's tableau server. I have been able to enter my credentials and connect to the server, as evidenced by the fact that under "Connected to" it lists the proper Tableau server. Furthermore, I am presented with Data and Select Project options, as well as Select Data Source options.

However, when I go to run the workflow ( which merely consists of the Tableau input tool and a browse tool), I am told that I need to provide a table name. So I do, but then I get the message that "Specified table does not exist:<table name>. Context:0x7bd02a3b

I have googled this to no end and to no avail. Any help would be appreciated

Developer Tools

Error Message

Tableau

Database Connection

Accepted answers

All comments

caltang

Before we go further, may I ask why are you inputting from Tableau? Why not go directly to the source and manipulate the data via Alteryx instead?

If you must go through Tableau, then can you provide some screenshots?

Worse case scenario is to raise a support ticket to Alteryx via Mission Control. The Alteryx Engineer will be better suited to troubleshoot should it be a tool issue rather than a configuration issue.

Fenrick

Hello Caltang,

Thank you for your reply.

The reason I want to use the tableau tools to pull data from Tableau is because of company use cases whereby that approach would be the most efficient. I realize that I could query the database that Tableau is, however, that is not ideal in my situation.

Regarding screen shots I am attaching several, which have been cropped to remove sensitive information

The first error I get is when I try to leave the Anchor#1 table mapping area blank. I am told that a table name must be provided. "Please enter atleast one table"

The second error I get is when I enter the default Anchor Table mapping of table1. then I am told the table can't be loaded

Finally, when I enter the Tableau folder or data field name as the desired Achor table I get the following two errors
"Can't read the file because the table name isn't correct or the file wasn't created with Tableau Output."
"Specified table does not exist: blank "

photos for Alteryx community post.jpg

caltang

I'm reading posts here: https://community.alteryx.com/t5/Community-Gallery/Tableau-Tools/ta-p/877902/page/2

It seems to me that there are people who are complaining on the Tableau Input tool itself giving them problems. One user has the same exact problem as you.

Perhaps you should raise this to Alteryx Support via Mission Control. Kindly provide:

Your Alteryx Version -> Help -> About in your Designer Desktop.
The Logs of your error
The workflow screenshots you gave me here.

They will be better suited to help you I think.

Fenrick

Caltang,

Thank you. This is very helpful information.

I will do as you suggest and raise this issue with Alteryx Support.

Thanks again

Oussaio

Hello,

Has this issue been resolved ? I am experiencing the same problem.

Thanks

Fenrick

Hello Oussaio,

I followed caltang's advice and submitted an Alteryx Support Ticket.

The issue is that the Tableau tools cannot pull in data that was created in tableau. For instance, if tableau queries snowflake, you will not be able to pull that query result data into Alteryx via the tableau input tool. If you try you will get the table does not exist error.

The solution is to query the data from say snowflake directly via the data input tool or In-database tools( I used the data input tool). then use the tableau output tool to push the workflow results to tableau. Now any data that you push to tableau via the tableau output tool will be retrievable via the tableau input tool.

to make this all work you must configure the tableau output tool as follows:
1) first make sure to set up DCM following this guide: How to: Set up DCM for Designer and Server (alteryx.com)
2) then create a connection to your database of choice, by entering and saving your connection credentials.
3) in the tableau output tool on the data tab click on the Select project option you want, then lower down the select data source you want. the first time you do this select "New Data Source". this is where your data will be pushed to
4) in the Options tab Name your data in the Data Source name field, then Select the Output Option as create the first time you publish the data, and change it to Overwrite for updates to that data in Tableau. Make sure to leave Data Source Metainfo blank, and don't select Encrypt at Rest or local path. In table Mapping in the table name for incoming Connection #1 enter "#1:table1". Finally, leave the Spatial tab options all blank.

For the tabluea input tool you must configure it as follows:

1) in the Connect to area select your saved tableau connection
2) in the Data tab Select your Project(Tableau folder), then Select Data Source, that you created and pushed to Tableau with the tableau output tool with the above steps.
In the options tab enter "table1" in the Anchor #1 Table Mapping field.

That's it. Good luck and hope this helps others

Genevieve

Hi,

The default value is table1.

I agree sometimes you need to read the latest data loaded on Tableau. Though I would find it helpful to choose which columns or data to load if not all.

Genevieve

Hi @lee75clark1

I'd suggest a workaround. At the same time as you output to Tableau database, you could output to an Alteryx database and re-use that one as the basis of the records that were uploaded to Tableau.

In our team we have taken the habit of calling those "transit db". They serve as back up.

And if you want to be absolutely sure the file to the Alteryx db is not written before the data were successfully uploaded on Tableau, I'd set the Alteryx db output in a control container which is only activated on the success of the Tableau update.

JORGE4900

To add to what @Genevieve is suggesting about outputting to an Alteryx database at time of publish; this is not a bad idea; I have been doing just that for many months; better yet; I dynamically save a snapshot of the published source with date and time because our Tableau Server does not keep track of data history; it only keeps track of Tableau workbook version history.

Just now I was trying to use the Tableau Input tool, and it is very buggy.

pitmansm

Same error. table1 no joy. what gives? Why not have it pull whatever is in there?

Genevieve

@pitmansm

Maybe the table wasn't named table1 when the Tableau output tool was set up. it might be worth checking the workflow writing the data to tableau and check the output tab. By default it comes with table1, but the workflow creator may have used another name.

Tableau output table1.png

pitmansm

Tried that as well

Using DCM with fully selected Data source. 1.4.0 tool as that is compatible with our server.

Error: Tableau Input (2): Specified table does not exist: #1:table1.
Context: 0x7bd02a3b

Genevieve

There have been a couple new versions since yours. Have a look at the release notes Tableau (alteryx.com).

pitmansm

Ok our sever version is 2023.1.1.361.

I See 1.4.0 is still there for 23.2 and older Server.

Are those Tab py3.8 1.4.1 1.4.2 supposed to be the same and work for our server? Why the name change?

Genevieve

Those numbers indicate a version of Python used in the code.

As to the server I don't know. We only have Alteryx Designer desktop here. You may want to ask your Alteryx supplier if they have a support team.

Drevlin

Has anybody resolved this? Just installed the New Tableau add on. I can get the output to work but the Input keeps giving the no table exists error. The fact that I can select the table in the in the list and that I created the table using the export tool makes this error extremely frustrating. The table is obviously there. Is there some kind of additional data that needs to be added to the table name? Like the Schema?.

JonathanAllenby

Same issue over here. The Tableau Input and Output tools have been such a constant nightmare since their release.

amruta

agree, Select correct 1. Project and 2.Data source on the DATA tab. And then switch to OPTIONS tab and type "table1" that worked for me. Thank you for your input.

kgmeagher

If anyone is now encountering this same issue, we resolved it by installing the latest version of the Tableau Input/Output tools (1.5.2 at this writing). It now allows you to leave the Anchor table blank, and it will default it to "Extract". Either leaving it blank or typing Extract in the anchor table works - we were able to get the data this way. Our use case involved a data set that only had a Tableau connector (not Alteryx), so we had to first get the data set into Tableau, then needed to use Alteryx to manipulate it further.

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