Tableau Input tool error "Specified Table does not exit"

[Fenrick]

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

[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 "

[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

[lee75clark1]

Hi All

Has anybody managed to get this to work? 

I am still getting the error message "Error: Tableau Input (1): Specified table does not exist: 1. Context: 0x7bd02a3b" from the anchor. It does not seem to matter whether We input a table name or not in the anchor.

*I have tried both with and without DCM credentials.

*We are on Alteryx Server

*We are on Tableau Online. 

Lee

[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.

[lee75clark1]

Hi Fenrick

Do you or anybody else have any tips at all, we are trying to read tableau Hyper files that have been written by the Tableau output tool using the Tableau Input tool, some extracts appear to be readable and some do not. The ones that dont give us the Error: Tableau Input (6): Specified table does not exist: table1.
Context: 0x7bd02a3b. 

We are trying to read the files so we can only append new records to the Tableau file. 
. 

Lee