Visualize Live xBase Data in Tableau

Tableau is a visual analytics platform transforming the way businesses use data to solve problems. When paired with the CData Tableau Connector for xBase, you can easily get access to live xBase data within Tableau. This article shows how to connect to xBase in Tableau and build a simple chart.

The CData Tableau Connectors enable high-speed access to live xBase data in Tableau. Once you install the connector, you simply authenticate with xBase and you can immediately start building responsive, dynamic visualizations and dashboards. By surfacing xBase data using native Tableau data types and handling complex filters, aggregations, & other operations automatically, CData Tableau Connectors grant seamless access to xBase data.

NOTE: The CData Tableau Connectors require Tableau 2020.3 or higher. If you are using an older version of Tableau, you will need to use the CData JDBC Driver.

Connect to xBase in Tableau

Open Tableau and click More under Connect -> To a Server. Select "xBase by CData," then configure the connection and click "Sign In."

The DataSource property must be set to the name of the folder that contains the .dbf files. Specify the IncludeFiles property to work with xBase table files having extensions that differ from .dbf. Specify multiple extensions in a comma-separated list.

Discover Schemas and Query Data

1. Select CData from the Database pull-down menu.
2. Select xBase from the Schema pull-down menu.
3. Drag the tables and views you wish to visualize onto the join area. You can include multiple tables. 👁 Selecting table(s)
   
4. Select Update Now or Automatically Update. Update Now lets you preview the first 10,000 rows of the data source (or enter the number of rows you want to see in the Rows text box). Automatically Update automatically reflects the changes in the preview area.
5. Click the tab for your worksheet. Columns are listed as Dimensions and Measures, depending on the data type. The CData Tableau Connector discovers data types automatically, allowing you to leverage the powerful data processing and visualization features of Tableau.
6. Drag a field from the Dimensions or Measures area to Rows or Columns. Tableau creates column or row headers.
7. Select one of the chart types from the Show Me tab. Tableau displays the chart type that you selected.
👁 Visualizing live xBase data

Using the CData Tableau Connector for xBase with Tableau, you can easily create robust visualizations and reports on xBase data. Download a free, 30-day trial and get started today.