hyper extract file is being used by Tableau workbooks.

[khap]

Hi,

I am running into an issue in which a hyper extract file is being used by a Tableau workbook connection. I am trying to run an Alteryx workflow to overwrite the hyper extract file, but the workflow fails since the hyper file is being used by a Tableau workbook user, unless the user closes the workbook.

Do we have any tools in Alteryx to prevent this issue?

Thanks for your support.

[BenMoss]

I guess the user has the file open with Tableau desktop on the same machine.

Unfortunately it's an impossible error to avoid (unless you have a mac and are running parallels). 

Tableau locks the hyper file when it's in use so it cannot be opened and amended during the process. 

One option would be to use a .csv which Tableau doesn't seem to lock. So dev using a .csv file and then when you go to production flick out for a .hyper file.

This really isn't an Alteryx issue, more with Tableau but it makes complete sense. 

Ben

[BenMoss · Accepted solution]

Oh, one further alternative would be to write the file to Tableau Server instead of local (using the publish to tableau server tool). 

The user then has there workbook connected to the server datasource instead rather than the local. Everything will run fine then.

Ben

[khap]

Thanks Ben. You are right. I did test with csv, and Tableau does not lock csv file. I hit F5 in Tableau workbook to refresh data. Users want to see real time data, and I don’t have Tableau server or Alteryx server.

I have to figure out alternative ways for users to see the most updated data in Tableau workbooks.