Yes, that works Niall, just tested on Server 10.3. You only need the :linktarget=_parent addition to the URL, e.g.

https://tableau-beta.broadinstitute.org/#/views/Book1/Dashboard1?:linktarget=_parent

The reason it works is two-fold:

1. You figured out to use _parent instead of _self
2. Most people incorrectly assume the linktarget option gets added to the URL for the link you want to open, when it fact it must be set ahead of time on the source page to tell it how to open up any subsequent links

Thanks for posting the solution.

Thanks this was helpful, but if the end user is to not see any new windows open, the end user will have to either A) Use a direct link all the time or B) have atleast one window open so the source and target both have parent in their URL. Correct?  Or is there a way to edit the source URL so it contains parent?

Option A will work. I don't think Option B will work. Option C is adding a web frame on the Tableau Dashboard so  URL actions will open in that frame rather than a new window.

Hi Zach Leber ,

is there any way to add this extra component in the default URL (the one after the workbook is initially published)?

Since the dashboards I create aim to be used by a broader user community on Tableau Server, I cannot ask the users to add parameters in the URL. It would be great if I could add it and customize the URL of the first workbook and establish a solution, instead of having to manually edit the URL every time I want to use the workbook.

Any suggestions on this?

Thanks in advance!

Regards,

Nikos

Hi Nikos, I've attached a 10.3 TWBX that might give you some ideas. Sheet 1 is the start page and uses a URL action with a relative path to get to Sheet 2 and add the linktarget parameter. Then when a user clicks on Sheet 2 the new web page opens in the same tab. Try publishing this workbook to your own server. Regards, Zach.

Thank you Zach!

This is actually an excellent idea.

The only limitation I can see is that the workbook link on the server needs to remain the same. If something changes in the workbook link (e.g. change the title), then all the actions will have to be adjusted from the beginning.

Nevertheless, it is an excellent workaround and thank you very much for your reply!

Best regards,

Nikos

Hi Zach,

Thanks for the solution.

If we have just one URL then adding the linktarget parameter works and it jumps to the new tab. However this doesn't seem to work for multiple URLS. For example; If  I add the same parameter to other URLS, the new tab gets refreshed but it doesn't get active or focused.. Do you know any workaround this?

Any help would be appreciated!

Thanks,

AK

Hi AK, I don't understand your question or what you have working already. The intent of setting linktarget is to prevent new tabs from opening up in your browser when you click a link. But you are describing new tabs that you want to switch focus to. Some pictures or an example workbook might help. Regards, Zach

Hi Zack, thanks for the response.

I have three buttons in my dashboard. Each button has URLs to the respective views in the same workbook. Now when I publish my workbook to the server. While clicking on the button for the first time though it takes me to the second tab  (expected behavior), however after the first click when I click on the others buttons the second tab gets refreshed but it doesn't jump to that tab (This is what I want). So basically I want only the second page (don't want separate tabs for all the buttons) to be refreshed and focused every time I click on  a new button.

I am not sure if I did a job at explaining the problem, sorry I can't share my dashboard. Let me try creating a sample workbook for you. Thanks!

Best Regards,

Akanksha

A sample workbook would help. Another option is that if your URLs link to views in the same workbook, you could publish the workbook with tabs instead of relying on your web browser's tabs.  I presume your URL actions are triggered off a dashboard image acting as a button, but you can make dummy views that work as buttons and apply Filter actions instead which will jump to the tab being filtered. Then no need for linktarget. You might not even need dashboard navigation buttons as the Tableau tabs are easy to use. I attached an example. The button view on the dash isn't nice but you can make it nicer.

Thanks niall.ridge

This is an excellent idea

Hi Niall,

Unfortunately, it does not work for me. I have tried it several times and every time it keeps generating a new tab. I am using tableau server 2018.2 version.

Maybe there is a misunderstanding, as I would like the target workbook/dashboard to open in the same TAB- not in the same browser "window"- as the source one.

Do you have any idea if this can be done?

Thank you in advance,

Aris

You need to append :linktarget=_parent to the URL when loading the original dashboard, before the user clicks anything that loads a new view. The only way to ensure that is to have the user use a URL link you send them, not navigate to the dashboard using Tableau Server. You can't build the functionality into the dashboard by itself.

Hi Zach,

Thank you very much for your reply.

BR,

Aris

On Tue, Oct 30, 2018 at 3:44 PM Zach Leber <tableaucommunity@tableau.com>