We will begin our discussion of Tableau Server by considering the various Tableau file types. This may seem a surprising place to begin, but as you read you will discover that a clear understanding of file types provides the Tableau Desktop author with foundational knowledge for efficiently and effectively interacting with Tableau Server.
The file types discussed in the following section that are relevant for understanding how to interact with Tableau Server are considered in some depth. The file types that are not relevant for understanding Tableau Server are considered only briefly. Some file types (for example, those associated with license activation) are not considered.
File format type: XML.
What it contains: Metadata.
Why it is useful: The
.tds
file is important because it allows the Tableau author to define default formatting and aggregation, calculated fields, data types, field types, and more. Furthermore, the.tds
file can be published...