Install PostgreSQL drivers for Tableau Server Linux (Ubuntu)
Follow this step-by-step guide for correctly installing PostgreSQL drivers for Tableau Server. This is critical if you have a live connection to PostgreSQL.
Tableau Error: Unable to connect to the data source
After a fresh Tableau Server install, if you haven't installed PostgreSQL database drivers, you will run into this error when trying to view a Tableau Dashboard that has a live connection to PostgreSQL.
![Error: Unable to connect to the data source.](https://www.zuar.com/blog/content/images/2020/06/image-14.png)
Download the PostgreSQL Database Drivers From Tableau
This post assumes you have Tableau Server installed on a Ubuntu operating system.
Find the latest PostgreSQL database drivers on Tableau's Driver Download page.
![Tableau Driver Download page, PostgreSQL Linux 64-bit](https://www.zuar.com/blog/content/images/2020/06/image-13.png)
Data Source | PostgreSQL |
Operating System | Linux |
Bit Version | 64-bit |
Copy the URL of the Download button.
![Tableau Driver Download page, Debian .deb file, command, Ubuntu](https://www.zuar.com/blog/content/images/2020/06/image-15.png)
On the Tableau Server's command line, download the file with wget
and paste the copied URL.
For example:
cd ~
wget https://downloads.tableau.com/drivers/linux/deb/tableau-driver/tableau-postgresql-odbc_09.06.0501_amd64.deb
Results:
ubuntu@tableau-server:~$ wget https://downloads.tableau.com/drivers/linux/deb/tableau-driver/tableau-postgresql-odbc_09.06.0501_amd64.deb
--2020-06-28 21:52:11-- https://downloads.tableau.com/drivers/linux/deb/tableau-driver/tableau-postgresql-odbc_09.06.0501_amd64.deb
Resolving downloads.tableau.com (downloads.tableau.com)... 23.192.28.189
Connecting to downloads.tableau.com (downloads.tableau.com)|23.192.28.189|:443... connected.
HTTP request sent, awaiting response... 200 OK
Length: 613620 (599K) [text/plain]
Saving to: ‘tableau-postgresql-odbc_09.06.0501_amd64.deb’
tableau-postgresql-od 100%[========================>] 599.24K --.-KB/s in 0.004s
2020-06-28 21:52:11 (133 MB/s) - ‘tableau-postgresql-odbc_09.06.0501_amd64.deb’ saved [613620/613620]
Install the PostgreSQL database drivers
On the Tableau Server's command line, install the Tableau PostgreSQL ODBC driver with gdebi
:
For example:
sudo gdebi tableau-postgresql-odbc_09.06.0501_amd64.deb
Results:
ubuntu@tableau-server:~$ sudo gdebi tableau-postgresql-odbc_09.06.0501_amd64.deb
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree
Reading state information... Done
Reading state information... Done
PostgreSQL ODBC Driver\nThis package includes the driver needed for applications to access a PostgreSQL system via ODBC (Open Database Connectivity).
Do you want to install the software package? [y/N]:y
Selecting previously unselected package tableau-postgresql-odbc.
(Reading database ... 144767 files and directories currently installed.)
Preparing to unpack tableau-postgresql-odbc_09.06.0501_amd64.deb ...
Unpacking tableau-postgresql-odbc (09.06.0501) ...
Setting up tableau-postgresql-odbc (09.06.0501) ...
Test connectivity on Tableau Server
Navigate back to your dashboard on Tableau Server and make sure the it renders properly without error.
![Tableau Server data visualization example](https://www.zuar.com/blog/content/images/2020/06/image-16.png)
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