Tableau Workbook Parser (R6) — TwbParser • twbparser

Create a parser for Tableau .twb / .twbx files. On initialization, the parser reads the XML and precomputes relationships, joins, fields, calculated fields, inferred relationships, and datasource details. For .twbx, it also extracts the largest .twb and records a manifest.

Format

An R6 class generator.

Details

Results are read through active-binding properties (no parentheses), e.g. parser$summary, parser$overview, parser$datasources. The get_*() methods return the same data and are useful when you need to pass arguments (e.g. parser$get_sheet_shelves("My Sheet")) or want an explicit call.

Fields

path: Path to the .twb or .twbx file on disk.
xml_doc: Parsed xml2 document of the workbook.
twbx_path: Original .twbx path if the workbook was packaged.
twbx_dir: Directory where the .twbx was extracted.
twbx_manifest: Tibble of .twbx contents from twbx_list().
relations: Tibble of <relation> nodes from extract_relations().
joins: Tibble of join clauses from extract_joins().
relationships: Tibble of modern relationships from extract_relationships().
inferred_relationships: Tibble of inferred relationship pairs by name and role.
datasource_details: List containing data_sources, parameters, and all_sources.
fields: Tibble of raw fields with table information.
calculated_fields: Tibble of calculated fields.
custom_sql: Tibble of custom SQL relations from twb_custom_sql().
initial_sql: Tibble of initial SQL statements from twb_initial_sql().
published_refs: Tibble of published-datasource references from twb_published_refs().
last_validation: Result from validate() as list with ok and issues elements.

Active bindings (read-only properties)

summary: The workbook report (a twbparser_report); accessing it prints the summary. Note: this is a property, not a method — use parser$summary, not parser$summary().
report: Same as summary: the full structured workbook report.
overview: One-row tibble with counts of datasources, parameters, relationships, fields, dashboards, and filters.
pages: Tibble of workbook pages (worksheets, dashboards, stories).
pages_summary: Tibble summarizing page counts by type.
charts: Tibble of chart/mark information per worksheet.
colors: Tibble of color encodings used across worksheets.
dashboards: Tibble of dashboards in the workbook.
dashboard_summary: Tibble summarizing dashboards and their filters.
dashboard_filters: Tibble of dashboard filter configurations.
datasources: Tibble of datasource details (see get_datasources()).
parameters_tbl: Tibble of parameter fields (see get_parameters()).
datasources_all: Tibble of all sources (see get_datasources_all()).
fields_tbl: Tibble of raw fields (see get_fields()).
custom_sql_tbl: Tibble of custom SQL (see get_custom_sql()).
initial_sql_tbl: Tibble of initial SQL (see get_initial_sql()).
published_refs_tbl: Tibble of published references (see get_published_refs()).
twbx_manifest_tbl: Tibble of .twbx contents (see get_twbx_manifest()).
twbx_extracts_tbl: Tibble of .twbx extract entries (see get_twbx_extracts()).
twbx_images_tbl: Tibble of .twbx image entries (see get_twbx_images()).
sheet_shelves: Tibble of shelf placement (see get_sheet_shelves()).
sheet_filters: Tibble of worksheet filters (see get_sheet_filters()).
sheet_axes: Tibble of axis configuration (see get_sheet_axes()).
sheet_sorts: Tibble of sort directives (see get_sheet_sorts()).
sheet_spec: Named list of per-worksheet visualization specs (see get_sheet_spec()).
dashboard_sheets: Tibble of worksheets per dashboard (see get_dashboard_sheets()).
dashboard_layout: Tibble of the zone layout tree (see get_dashboard_layout()).
dashboard_actions: Tibble of dashboard actions (see get_dashboard_actions()).
dashboard_charts: Tibble of charts placed on dashboards (see get_dashboard_charts()).
calc_complexity: Tibble of calculated-field complexity (see get_calc_complexity()).
field_usage: Tibble of field usage across worksheets (see get_field_usage()).
unused_fields: Tibble of defined-but-never-used fields (see get_unused_fields()).
calc_build_order: Tibble of calculated fields in rebuild order (see get_calc_build_order()).
parameter_usage: Tibble of parameter consumption points (see get_parameter_usage()).
lineage: Migration-oriented datasource-to-dashboard lineage (see get_lineage()).
compatibility: Target-tool compatibility matrix (see get_compatibility()).
migration_assessment: Target-specific migration readiness assessment (see get_migration_assessment()).
validation: Last validation result; runs validate() first if it has never been run.

Properties are cached after first access; most return the same tibbles as the corresponding get_*() methods.

Methods

new(path): Create a parser from a .twb or .twbx file.
get_twbx_manifest(): Return .twbx manifest tibble.
get_twbx_extracts(): Return .twbx extract entries.
get_twbx_images(): Return .twbx image entries.
extract_twbx_assets(types = NULL, pattern = NULL, files = NULL, exdir = NULL): Extract files from the .twbx archive to disk.
get_relations(): Return relations tibble.
get_joins(): Return joins tibble.
get_relationships(): Return modern relationships tibble.
get_inferred_relationships(): Return inferred relationship pairs.
get_datasources(): Return datasource details tibble.
get_parameters(): Return parameters tibble.
get_datasources_all(): Return all sources tibble.
get_fields(): Return raw fields tibble.
get_calculated_fields(pretty = FALSE, strip_brackets = FALSE, wrap = 100L, include_parameters = FALSE): Return calculated fields tibble. When pretty = TRUE, includes a formula_pretty column with line breaks and indentation.
get_custom_sql(): Return custom SQL tibble.
get_initial_sql(): Return initial SQL tibble.
get_published_refs(): Return published-datasource references tibble.
get_pages(): Return workbook pages tibble.
get_pages_summary(): Return page counts by type.
get_page_composition(name): Return zone/mark composition of one page.
get_charts(): Return chart/mark information per worksheet.
get_colors(): Return color encodings used across worksheets.
get_dashboards(): Return dashboards tibble.
get_dashboard_filters(dashboard = NULL): Return dashboard filter configurations.
get_dashboard_summary(): Return dashboard summary tibble.
get_sheet_shelves(sheet = NULL): Fields placed on visual shelves for one or all worksheets.
get_sheet_filters(sheet = NULL): Detailed filter configuration for one or all worksheets.
get_sheet_axes(sheet = NULL): Axis configuration for one or all worksheets.
get_sheet_sorts(sheet = NULL): Sort directives for one or all worksheets.
get_sheet_spec(sheet = NULL): Full visualization spec for one or all worksheets (mark type, shelves, dimensions/measures, encodings, tooltips, filters, sorts, axes).
get_dashboard_sheets(dashboard = NULL): Worksheets embedded in one or all dashboards.
get_dashboard_layout(dashboard = NULL): Full zone layout with container hierarchy.
get_dashboard_actions(dashboard = NULL): Dashboard and workbook actions.
get_dashboard_charts(dashboard = NULL): One row per worksheet placed on a dashboard: mark type, fields, tooltip summary, and layout position.
get_dashboard_size(dashboard = NULL): Dashboard page size and sizing mode.
get_formatting(scope = NULL): Formatting rules (fonts, colours, number formats, ...); scope is one of "worksheet", "dashboard", or "workbook".
get_tooltips(sheet = NULL): Plain-text worksheet tooltips.
get_calc_complexity(include_parameters = FALSE): Calculated field complexity classifications.
get_field_usage(include_filters = TRUE, include_shelves = TRUE, wide = FALSE): Field usage matrix across worksheets.
get_unused_fields(): Fields defined but never used anywhere in the workbook.
get_calc_build_order(): Calculated fields topologically sorted for rebuilding.
get_parameter_usage(): Where each parameter is consumed (formulas, shelves, filters).
get_lineage(format = c("tables", "igraph", "mermaid"), include_calc_dependencies = TRUE): Return migration-oriented datasource-to-dashboard lineage.
get_migration_assessment(target = c("powerbi", "shiny", "quarto", "looker", "superset")): Return a target-specific migration readiness assessment.
get_compatibility(targets = c("powerbi", "shiny", "quarto", "looker", "superset")): Return a target-tool compatibility matrix.
get_replication_brief(dashboard = NULL, include_sql = TRUE, include_formulas = TRUE, format = c("list", "text")): Full replication brief for the workbook or a single dashboard.
get_workbook_report(): Return the full structured workbook report.
get_overview(): Return the one-row overview tibble.
validate(error = FALSE): Validate relationships. Stops execution if error = TRUE.

Examples

twb <- system.file("extdata", "test_for_wenjie.twb", package = "twbparser")
if (nzchar(twb)) {
  parser <- TwbParser$new(twb)
  parser$overview
  parser$get_calculated_fields()
}
#> TWB loaded: test_for_wenjie.twb
#> TWB parsed and ready
#> # A tibble: 1 × 10
#>   datasource       name  tableau_internal_name datatype role  formula calc_class
#>   <chr>            <chr> <chr>                 <chr>    <chr> <chr>   <chr>     
#> 1 federated.0grga… no d… [Calculation_2139209… string   dime… "if IS… tableau   
#> # ℹ 3 more variables: is_table_calc <lgl>, table <chr>, table_clean <chr>