Tableau Server’s TABADMIN Can’t Spell

Tableau, Tableau Server /

Ever made the type of mistake where if your joints were flexible enough…you’d kick yourself…LOL? If so, we’re probably related somehow.

While executing a routine I’ve successfully done a number of times in this exact environment, I learned something about the Tableau Server TABADMIN command line tool. IT CAN’T SPELL.

Take a look at lines 67 and 68 (sorry for the small image). They’re ALMOST the same; well sort of….er.

The subtle difference in these two lines kept me up all night. Why? because I’m a good IT community member, I run big jobs during off-peak hours and it took 2 hours for this job to fail each time. AAARRRRRGGG!!!

I digress, back too my discovery. After a little digging I found the TABADMIN configuration I needed to address the query limit timeout error (backgrounder.querylimit). An error that created a mild interruption of the GS/TO game. The second two hour window passes and BANG; error again. At this point I’m thinking, those darn DBAs, why won’t they let my query run…LOL. It’s a really good thing no one was available to field my tech support complaint (almost kick yourself).

So this morning I connect with the DBAs, explain my dilemma, and they respond by saying, well, on our side your query ran successfully three times last night. What?

So I do what any rational admin does, I open a ticket with Tableau. While waiting for support to call me, the light came on. Something’s wrong with the configuration property I set. The portion to the left of the period is missing theer.

Moral of this story? Tableau Server admin/architect, check your spelling because TABADMIN won’t correct your spelling and also won’t warn you about a bogus configuration setting. As good admins, we must avoid kicking ourselves at all costs!

Have fun out there!