Interfaces for Data Visualisation in tableau

[Brian Lewis]

Tableau can work direct;y with Sql data - ie a Sql database connection - or via a “web connector” ie to a REST end point returning tabular data.

Using a REST end point significantly expands the opportunities to provide access to the data in the medium/long term.

[Brian Lewis]

Branch booked against this issue is simply a proof of concept derived from Tableau’s code samples - NOT to be checked in.

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REST authentication is the single biggest issue - can be worked around using CORS. Simplest way is to CORS-enable the whole API. Isolating ASP.NET Identity and warehouse REST api as the ONLY CORS accessible parts seems to be tricky on review of literature.

[Brian Lewis]

Note that the Pacific EMIS front end will deal with the data “JSON Deflated” using our custom logic to reduce the transfer size. Obviously we can’t expect external REST clients to understand this - they need to get a standard JSON object collection.

#586 addresses this - data is only JSON-deflated when a custom header is found on the request. (we pass this custom header by requesting the data with the reflator service, rather than the inbuilt $http service)

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[Brian Lewis]

proof of concept posted to its own branch

[Brian Lewis]

Noting that we now want the warehouse api to be open for anonymous access, the complications with using Tableau largely go away. Tableau does have its fans…. so keeping this branch up-to-date so the code sample and research behind it are preserved.

[Brian Lewis]

@ghachey Last comment: noting your interest in building “fancy infographics” and posters, Tableau could be a viable way to do that?

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