1 Reply Latest reply on Oct 4, 2016 7:06 AM by Glen Robinson

    Datasource Extract - Appending data from files with different names

    nicky.crooks
    nicky.crooks Sep 29, 2016 3:32 AM

      Hi,

      Does anyone know the answer to this?  I have a datasource setup as an extract to run daily.  The input is an excel file that is stored in a folder on the server.  Each day a new excel file will be generated and added to the folder.  I want the extract to use the last file added to the folder, which will have a different name as well.  I have set this up before, but the files for the extract have always had the same name.  So for my new scenario for example:

       

      c:\folder path\extract file 2016029.xls - this is the file on day 1

      c:\folder path\extract file 20160930.xls - this is the file on day 2

       

      So each day the source file for extract has a name change as it is generated with the current days date so the extract needs to look for the most recent file.

       

      Am happy to do this at command line level and scheduling a script if required.

       

      Any ideas?

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        • 1. Re: Datasource Extract - Appending data from files with different names
          Glen Robinson
          Glen Robinson Oct 4, 2016 7:06 AM (in response to nicky.crooks)

          Hi Nicky

          I dont think that this can be done in current versions of Tableau, but there will be the option of wilcard unioning available from Tableau 10.1

          I have just tested this using CSV files on Desktop 10.1 and when I add additional files to a folder, and refresh the extract, the new data is added.

          I'm not sure how much this will help you, as all the files will need to remain in the folder so that all the data is re-added when the extract refresh is run, as opposed to appending new data (from the new file) to the existing extract...

          Screen Shot 2016-10-04 at 14.57.58.png

          Hope this helps

           

          Glen

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