Accessing Data from SFTP or API with Spotfire

[Andrew McGowan]

Is there a way to access data directly from an SFTP or from a REST API in Spotfire? 

[Tejas Devadkar]

Hi Andrew,

 

Connecting directly to a REST / SOAP API or loading JSON data into an analysis file is not a feature available in Spotfire as of now. There are already a few enhancement requests submitted for that feature to be added, see the Spotfire Ideas Portal and vote for it.

Support JSON data
https://ideas.spotfire.com/ideas/TS-I-5837

Add "HTTP request" as a source for data tables 
https://ideas.spotfire.com/ideas/TS-I-5838

Better support of web services
https://ideas.spotfire.com/ideas/SPF-I-5061


However, there are some workarounds:
1. Use Data Virtualization (DV), 
2. ADS - Spotfire Advanced Data Services (which is basically DV, for Spotfire use ONLY) for a relatively low cost which will unlock access to virtually any data source.

DV is definitely the most secure and scalable option. These are a separate products/services. ADS, (DV) has support for consuming data through REST in a best-supported way.  You may get in touch with the Spotfire Account Manager for further information on this if this can solve your use case.

You may also raise a Support ticket with DV for more information on this.


Although you may try to make use of Spotfire Data Functions (Python/TERR) as a workaround to bring in data from a Web Service/ REST API's / JSON/XML files but that will require some sort of development efforts.
https://docs.tibco.com/pub/sfire-analyst/latest/doc/html/en-US/TIB_sfire-analyst_UsersGuide/index.htm#t=df%2Fdf_what_are_data_functions.htm&rhsearch=Data%20Function&rhsyns=%20


Some Additional ways,

You may also develop your own custom extension (custom data source) that suits your needs. For this, you may need to involve your C# developers or  you may contact your Spotfire Account Manager / Account Executive to discuss ways to involve professional assistance, partners or you may contact your Sales representative. 

Some other ways that I can think of are using 3rd party data pipelines. There are some other data pipelines as well, SO ideally you can import data from JSON ->> Data Pipelines -->> any Database (e.g SQL Server, oracle, etc) -->> Spotfire.  You can then connect to that end database from Spotfire and access your JSON data.

I could find some information on the Internet.  
https://pipes.datavirtuality.com/connectors/visualize/flat-file-xml-csv-json-etc/tibco-spotfire/
https://panoply.io/integrations/json/tibco-spotfire/

Thanks.

 

Edited September 13 by Tejas Devadkar