Run Tabcmd from Batch file and PowerShell Script

The same procedure written as DOS Batch (.bat) file and as a PowerShell script (.ps1).

Batch File (.bat) Version

Runs the Tableau commands via the Tabcmd utility to extract a Tableau sheet to a .csv file.

CODE

set csvfile=C:\DataSelf\Tableau_Extract\Replenish.csv
set tabcmd=C:\Tabcmd\2020.2\extras\Command_Line_Utility\tabcmd.exe

%tabcmd% login -s https://dataselfbi.com/#/site/<site-name>  -u "user-name" --password "password"
%tabcmd% export "ReplenishItems/Sheet1" --csv -f "%csvfile%"
%tabcmd% logout

PowerShell (.ps1) Version

Runs exactly the same Tabcmd commands as the batch/.bat file version above.

POWERSHELL

#-- File to receive the .csv output
$csvfile = "C:\DataSelf\Tableau_Extract\Replenish.csv"
$tabcmd = "C:\Tabcmd\2020.2\extras\Command_Line_Utility\tabcmd.exe"

Write-Host "** Login to Tableau Web Server"
& "$tabcmd" login -s https://dataselfbi.com/#/site/<sitename>  -u "user-name" --password "password"
& "$tabcmd" export "ReplenishItems/Sheet1" --csv -f "$csvfile"
& "$tabcmd" logout

Save PowerShell files with the .ps1 extension.
To edit, find the script file in File Explorer, right-click and click Edit.
This usually will open the PowerShell editor PowerShell ISE.
- The file can also be edited with Notepad.
To run this script, find the file in File Explorer, right-click and click Run with Powershell.
To run from a scheduler (Windows Task Scheduler or SQL Server Agent): Running PowerShell Script from Scheduler
Tableau's tabcmd.exe documentation page

PowerShell (.ps1) Version with Logging

This version creates a complete log file that saves all messages, errors or warnings from Windows and Tableau. This log file can be very helpful when diagnosing problems with processes scheduled to run

Uses Powershell’s Start-Transcript command to capture every command, response and error message in a log file. A date & time stamp gives each log file a unique name. After running the tabcmd commands and saving the log file, the script finishes by deleting prior log files more than 90 days old.

POWERSHELL

# Setup for Logging / Start-Transcript
$LogsPath = "$PSScriptRoot\Extract_Logs" 
if (-not (Test-Path -LiteralPath $LogsPath))  {
    write-host "Folder doesn't exist.  Create New Folder: $LogsPath"
    New-Item -Path $LogsPath  -ItemType directory
}  
$DateTimeStr = Get-Date -UFormat   %Y-%m-%d@%H-%M 
$Transcript_FileRef = "$LogsPath\Log_$DateTimeStr.txt"
Write-Host "Write Log entries to $Transcript_FileRef"
Start-Transcript -Path $Transcript_FileRef -Append     # Start logging
#======================================================================

#-- File to receive the .csv output
$csvfile = "C:\DataSelf\Tableau_Extract\Replenish.csv"

$tabcmd = "C:\Tabcmd\2020.2\extras\Command_Line_Utility\tabcmd.exe"

Write-Host "** Login to Tableau Web Server"
& "$tabcmd" login -s https://dataselfbi.com/#/site/<sitename>  -u "user-name" --password "password"
Write-Host ""
Write-Host "** Extract to $csvfile"

& "$tabcmd" export "ReplenishItems/Sheet1" --csv -f "$csvfile"
& "$tabcmd" logout
#===============================================================
Stop-Transcript

#---  Delete old log files after number of days set in the next line
$KeepDays = 90   # <=== OK to change / number of days to keep old Log files 
$limit = (Get-Date).AddDays(-$KeepDays)
Write-Host " Delete files than $($limit)) in $LogsPath"
Get-ChildItem $LogsPath | Where-Object { $_.LastWriteTime -lt $limit } | Remove-Item -Force

Lines 2 - 6. Makes sure that the path to the folder that saves the log file exists. The file name for the log file includes a date and time stamp.

Line 2. $PSScriptRoot in line 2 is a predefined variable that returns the folder path to the current script.
Lines 3 - 6. Creates the log file folder path if it does not exist.
Line 7. Formats the date & time stamp string used in the log file name.
Line 8. Combines $LogsPath and the $DateTimeStr variables into the final file path and file name and saves the whole name in the $Transcript_FileRef variable.

Line 10. Starts the logging. All output from this point will be written to file named in the $Transcript_FileRef variable.
Logging will stop when either the script ends or the Stop-Transcript command is encountered.

Lines 13 - 24. The lines between the Start-Transcript and the Stop-Transcript commands are the main body and purpose of the script. In this example it’s the same tabcmd.exe commands first shown above.

Lines 28 - 32. Optional. These lines will delete old log files that are older than $KeepDays days old.

Microsoft Recommendations PowerShell over Batch files

Windows has two command shells: The Command shell [batch/.bat files] and PowerShell.

For the most robust, up-to-date Windows automation, we recommend using PowerShell instead of Windows Commands … for Windows automation.
-- https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-server/administration/windows-commands/windows-commands

Related Pages:

Tabcmd.exe is a stand-alone application that works with Tableau Web Server.

https://www.dataself.com/docs/DataSelf_WebServer/PublishingDataSources/Tabcmdbatchfile.html Using the refreshextacts option. Installing Tabcmd.exe.
- https://www.dataself.com/docs/DataSelf_WebServer/PublishingDataSources/Permissions.html