Tableau Connector for eBay Analytics

Build 25.0.9434

Configuring a Connection

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

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 Analytics 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 Analytics 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 Analytics

You can establish a connection and authenticate to the eBay Analytics only via the OAuth 2 authentication method. The eBay Analytics API requires an access token created with the authorization code grant flow to authorize the requests.

Authenticating to eBay Analytics

eBay Analytics supports OAuth authentication only. AuthScheme must be set to OAuth in all OAuth flows.

Desktop Applications

You must create a custom OAuth application to authenticate via a desktop application. See Creating a Custom OAuth App for more information.

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) assigned when you registered your application.
  • OAuthClientSecret: Set this to the Cert Id (client secret) assigned when you registered your application.
  • RuName: Set this to the Redirect URL name of the OAuth application in the 'Application access' section.
  • CallbackURL (Optional): Set this to a local Redirect URL (ex. http://localhost:33333) in case your OAuth application's auth accepted URL is set to https://oauth.cdata.com/oauth/ or to the actual one in case you are using another redirect URL.
  • (Optional) UseSandbox: Set this to True if you are connecting to the Sandbox environment
When you connect, the connector opens eBay Analytics's OAuth endpoint in your default browser. Log in and grant permissions to the application. The connector then completes the OAuth process:

  1. Extracts the access token from the callback URL and authenticates requests.
  2. Obtains a new access token when the old one expires.
  3. Saves OAuth values in OAuthSettingsLocation. These values persist across connections.

Headless Machines

To configure the driver to 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, as described in "Transfer OAuth Settings" below.
  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. Set the following properties:
    • InitiateOAuth: Set to OFF.
    • OAuthClientId: Set to the client Id assigned when you registered your application.
    • OAuthClientSecret: Set to the client secret assigned when you registered your application.
    • RuName: Set this to the Redirect URL name of the OAuth application in the 'Application access' section.
    Then call the GetOAuthAuthorizationURL stored procedure with the appropriate CallbackURL. 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. 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 to REFRESH.
  • OAuthClientId: Set this to the App ID (Client ID) from your key set.
  • OAuthClientSecret: Set this to the Cert ID (Client Secret) from your key set.
  • RuName: Set this to the Redirect URL name of the OAuth application in the 'Application access' section.
  • OAuthVerifier: Set to the verifier code.
  • OAuthSettingsLocation: Set 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 client Id assigned when you registered your application.
  • OAuthClientSecret: Set this to the client secret assigned when you registered your application.
  • 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.

  1. On a machine with an internet browser, install the connector and connect after setting the following properties:
    • OAuthSettingsLocation: Set to a writable location.
    • InitiateOAuth: Set to GETANDREFRESH.
    • OAuthClientId: Set this to the App ID (Client ID) from your key set.
    • OAuthClientSecret: Set this to the Cert ID (Client Secret) from your key set.
    • RuName: Set this to the Redirect URL name of the OAuth application in the 'Application access' section.
    • (Optional) CallbackURL: Set this to a local Redirect URL (for example, http://localhost:33333) in case your OAuth application's "auth accepted URL" is set to https://oauth.cdata.com/oauth/ or to the actual one in case you are using another redirect URL.
  2. Test the connection to authenticate. The resulting authentication values are written, encrypted, to the location specified by OAuthSettingsLocation. After you have successfully tested the connection, copy the OAuth settings file to your headless machine. On the headless machine, set the following connection properties to connect to data:
    • InitiateOAuth: Set to REFRESH.
    • OAuthSettingsLocation: Set to the location of your OAuth settings file. Make sure this location gives read and write permissions to the connector to enable the automatic refreshing of the access token.

Next Step

See Using the Connector to create data visualizations.

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