Tableau Connector for eBay

Build 25.0.9434

Configuring a Connection

After Installing the Connector you can connect and create a Data Source for data in eBay.

Setting Up a Data Source

Complete the following steps to connect to the data:

  1. Under Connect | To a Server, click More....
  2. Select the data source called eBay by CData.
  3. Enter the information required for the connection.
  4. Click Sign In.
  5. If necessary, select a Database and Schema to discover what tables and views are available.

Using the Connection Builder

The connector makes the most common connection properties available directly in Tableau. However, it can be difficult to use if you need to use more advanced settings or need to troubleshoot connection issues. The connector includes a separate connection builder that allows you to create and test connections outside of Tableau.

There are two ways to access the connection builder:

  • On Windows, use a shortcut called Connection Builder in the Start menu, under the CData Tableau Connector for eBay folder.
  • You can also start the connection builder by going to the driver install directory and running the .jar file in the lib directory.

In the connection builder, you can set values for connection properties and click Test Connection to validate that they work. You can also use the Copy to Clipboard button to save the connection string. This connection string can be given to the Connection String option included in the connector connection window in Tableau.

Connecting to eBay APIs

Set the following to connect to eBay:

  • SiteID: Set this to the eBay site ID. By default this is "0" (the U.S. site).
  • UseSandbox: Set this to True to use a eBay sandbox account. By default, the connector connects to production environments.
  • RuName: Set this to the RuName (eBay Redirect URL name) that you will use to sign-in. Find this in your eBay Sign-in Settings.

Authenticating to eBay

The connector can authenticate to eBay using either the OAuth 2.0 authentication standard or Auth'n'Auth, the traditional authentication used by the eBay APIs.

User Accounts (OAuth)

Set AuthScheme to OAuth.

Desktop Applications

You need to create a custom OAuth application. See Creating a Custom OAuth App for information about creating custom applications.

Get and Refresh the OAuth Access Token

After setting the following, you are ready to connect:

  • InitiateOAuth: Set this to GETANDREFRESH. You can use InitiateOAuth to avoid repeating the OAuth exchange and manually setting the OAuthAccessToken.
  • OAuthClientId: Set this to the App ID (Client ID) in your keyset.
  • OAuthClientSecret: Set this to the Cert ID (Client Secret) in your keyset.
  • CallbackURL: Set to a URL containing the server name and port of the device running the connector. Any localhost address is usable. The default callback URL is: http://localhost:33333.
When you connect, the connector opens eBay's OAuth endpoint in your default browser. Log in and grant permissions to the application. The connector then completes the OAuth process:
  1. The connector obtains an access token from eBay and uses it to request data.
  2. The OAuth values are saved in the location specified in OAuthSettingsLocation, to be persisted across connections.
The connector refreshes the access token automatically when it expires.

Headless Machines

To configure the driver, use OAuth with a user account on a headless machine. You need to authenticate on another device that has an internet browser.

  1. Choose one of two options:
    • Option 1: Obtain the OAuthVerifier value as described in "Obtain and Exchange a Verifier Code" below.
    • Option 2: Install the connector on a machine with an internet browser and transfer the OAuth authentication values after you authenticate through the usual browser-based flow.
  2. Then configure the connector to automatically refresh the access token on the headless machine.

Option 1: Obtain and Exchange a Verifier Code

To obtain a verifier code, you must authenticate at the OAuth authorization URL.

Follow the steps below to authenticate from the machine with an internet browser and obtain the OAuthVerifier connection property.

  1. Choose one of these options:
    • Set the following properties: Then call the GetOAuthAuthorizationURL stored procedure with the appropriate CallbackURL and RuName. Open the URL returned by the stored procedure in a browser.
  2. Log in and grant permissions to the connector. You are then redirected to the redirect URI. There will be a parameter called code appended to the redirect URI. Note the value of this parameter. If you're using the recommended value https://oauth.cdata.com/oauth/ as your "auth accepted URL", this value will be BASE64 encoded. You will need to decode this value before proceeding. Later you will set this in the OAuthVerifier connection property.
Next, you need to exchange the OAuth verifier code for OAuth refresh and access tokens.

On the headless machine, set the following connection properties to obtain the OAuth authentication values:

  • InitiateOAuth: Set this to REFRESH.
  • OAuthVerifier: Set this to the noted verifier code (the value of the code parameter in the redirect URI).
  • OAuthClientId: Set this to the App ID (Client ID) in your keyset.
  • OAuthClientSecret: Set this to the Cert ID (Client Secret) in your keyset.
  • OAuthSettingsLocation: Set this to persist the encrypted OAuth authentication values to the specified location.

Test the connection to generate the OAuth settings file, then re-set the following properties to connect:

  • InitiateOAuth: Set this to REFRESH.
  • OAuthClientId: Set this to the App ID (Client ID) in your keyset.
  • OAuthClientSecret: Set this to the Cert ID (Client Secret) in your keyset.
  • OAuthSettingsLocation: Set this to the location containing the encrypted OAuth authentication values. Make sure this location gives read and write permissions to the connector to enable the automatic refreshing of the access token.

Option 2: Transfer OAuth Settings

Prior to connecting on a headless machine, you need to install and create a connection with the driver on a device that supports an internet browser. Set the connection properties as described in "Desktop Applications" above.

After completing the instructions in "Desktop Applications", the resulting authentication values are encrypted and written to the location specified by OAuthSettingsLocation. The default filename is OAuthSettings.txt.

Test the connection to generate the OAuth settings file, then copy the OAuth settings file to your headless machine.

On the headless machine, set the following connection properties to connect to data:

  • InitiateOAuth: Set this to REFRESH.
  • OAuthClientId: Set this to the App ID (Client ID) in your keyset.
  • OAuthClientSecret: Set this to the Cert ID (Client Secret) in your keyset.
  • OAuthSettingsLocation: Set this to the location of the OAuth settings file you copied from the machine with the browser. Make sure this location gives read and write permissions to the connector to enable the automatic refreshing of the access token.

User Accounts with Legacy Apps (Auth'n'Auth)

The connector can authenticate using eBay's legacy Auth'n'Auth protocol. Select this authentication scheme if you're using an older application that was built to use Auth'n'Auth.

Set AuthScheme to AuthNAuth.

You need to create a custom OAuth application. See Creating a Custom OAuth App for more information.

Access Token

An OAuthAccessToken is required when authenticating via Auth'n'Auth. Set the following connection properties to obtain the OAuthAccessToken:

  • OAuthClientId: Set this to the App ID (Client ID) in your keyset.
  • OAuthClientSecret: Set this to the Cert ID (Client Secret) in your keyset.
  • DevID: Set this to the Developer ID from your keyset.

Then call stored procedures to complete the token exchange:

  1. Call the GetOAuthAuthorizationURL stored procedure. Set the RuName input to the eBay Redirect URL you specified in your app settings. The stored procedure returns the URL to the OAuth endpoint.

  2. Navigate to the URL that the stored procedure returned in Step 1. Log in, and authorize the web application. After authenticating, the browser redirects you to the redirect URI. There will be a parameter called sessionid appended to the redirect URI. Note the value of this parameter. If you are using the recommeded https://oauth.cdata.com/oauth/ as your "auth accepted URL", the value will be BASE64 encoded and will need to be decoded before proceeding.
  3. Call the GetOAuthAccessToken stored procedure. Set the AuthMode input to WEB. Set the SessionId input parameter to either the value of the 'sessionid' in the query string of the authorization URL or the BASE64 decoded session ID from the callback URL.

Set the following connection properties to connect to data:

  • OAuthClientId: Set this to the App ID (Client ID) in your keyset.
  • OAuthClientSecret: Set this to the Cert ID (Client Secret) in your keyset.
  • OAuthAccessToken: Set this to the Auth'n'Auth token returned by GetOAuthAccessToken.

    Note: Auth'n'Auth tokens expire after 18 months. You will need to generate a new token after the token expires.

  • DevID: Set this to the Developer ID from your keyset.

Next Step

See Using the Connector to create data visualizations.

Copyright (c) 2025 CData Software, Inc. - All rights reserved.
Build 25.0.9434