Thanks Jeff,

No, frustratingly selecting OK did not give me the option of saving to a new location. There were no further prompts. 

So I used Edit Data Source to save the .tde in use (to the same location). Tableau then said it could not find the Extract so I located that for it. However, I still could not save the workbook (same error).

What I did to resolve the problem was to repeat the above procedure for every one of the connected data sources (not just the data source in use). Some of the data sources had a red apostrophe next to them. I was aware of this but as they were not in use this had not stopped me working in the workbook. But apparently the red apostrophe will (sometimes but not always) stop me saving the file.

The red apostrophes occur all the time. I should stress that the .tde files and extract.hyper files have not been moved or changed in order to cause this.

It's frustrating but at least working with a .twb file, I can find the .tde files and extract.hyper files. Working with a .twbx files they are saved in places that neither Tableau nor I can find.

So I don't know if this is a bug or a weakness but it's very frustrating. Particularly as I'm now following what was explained to me as being best practice.

Regards,

Helen

Jeff,

Picking up on your other point, I also should have said that the extract was not in use:

- on another workbook in Tableau desktop on my machine

- nor is it on a network/share

- nor is it used by anyone else on any other machine

So I conclude that it is indicating an error but giving an incorrect explanation of what the error is.

Anyway thanks very much for reading and trying to help.

Regards,

Helen

Hi Jeff,

Yes, I got rid of the red apostrophes - I just need to remind Tableau where to find the .tde and the extract.hyper. It’s tedious to do again and again but I think I’ve learnt that leaving the red apostrophes will sometimes (not always) prevent me from saving the workbook.

I produce the .tde in Alteryx. When I connect Tableau to the .tde, I choose Extract (not Live) and get a .hyper. So then I’ve got an extract of an extract. Seems a bit daft to me but there it is

Helen

Hi,

When I use .twbx then Tableau stores the extracts in a temporary folder with a very deep path that I have difficulty finding.

Now I’m using .twb it’s better (I have control over their location) but not perfect (Tableau ‘forgets’).

I have a file structure like this:

A Template WIP folder

This holds the .twbx worksheets in development (101, 102, 201 etc). I will merge them into one workbook when I’m confident I’ve got each one as consistent as efficient as I can. I’m using Interworks Power Tools and also have a support session booked in a few weeks time.

Then I have a folder for each client

Client 1

Alteryx

Tableau

Client 2

Alteryx

Tableau

Client 3

Alteryx

Tableau

etc

In each client Tableau folder there is:

- the .tde produced by Alteryx

- the extract.hyper file

- there will also be the ‘final' .twbx file. When I’m happy with the template .twbx, I’ll save a version of it here. At this point it will have just one data source (so I can safely share with the client via Tableau Online). So at this stage my problem may go away.

At the moment, the .twbx workbooks in development connect to a .tde for each client. I switch between them using Data replace to test.

When Tableau “forgets” where to find the .tde file say, for Client 1, it’s looking in the folder Client 2 / Tableau or Client 3 / Tableau etc. I can’t see a pattern to it - e.g. it’s not because I’ve just been working with another client.

I used to have an "Alteryx repository" folder and a "Tableau repository” folder. This was a simple approach. Each folder had a lot of files.

I’ve changed to using a folder per client with an Alteryx and Tableau sub-folder because a colleague now needs access to the Tableau workbooks for a few (his) clients.

If you can make any sense of that you are a patient man!

Regards,

Helen

Thanks Jeff,

Sorry I still don’t see why it has a problem. To me, the files are in the same location each time.

I’m working away…

Only one of the .tde files is in use in the worksheets in the workbook e.g. Client 1.tde.

Tableau knows where to find Client 2.tde, Client 3.tde, Client 4.tde (or the extract.hyper files) whilst I’m working. I can do a Data replace OK.

Then I close the workbook.

I open it again and sometimes (but not always) some (but not all) of the data sources have a red apostrophe.

The .tde files and still in the same place. They haven’t moved or changed. 

So you might just have to admit defeat in making me understand

However, thanks very much for giving it such careful thought and coming up with a solution.

Regards,

Helen

Thanks. It’s interesting that two of us have experienced the problem with 2018.3. I definitely didn’t have another workbook open using the same extract.

Regards,

Helen

I’ve been working with another template workbook tonight. It also has multiple data sources connected but just one in use.

The workbook opened with quite a few of the data sources showing a red apostrophe. I didn’t fix them. I worked OK and saved the workbook without a problem. So the red apostrophes may or may not have something to do with the “locked extract” error message.

Regards,

Helen

So it’s