From the course: Tableau and R for Analytics Projects
What you should know
From the course: Tableau and R for Analytics Projects
What you should know
- [Instructor] Thanks again for your interest in this course. Before I get started with the main material, I'd like to give you an overview of some things you should know that will help you out. The first is that I do assume you have good familiarity with Tableau. If you know enough to ask the question of how you can integrate R with Tableau, then I assume you're pretty good with the program. I'll cover a few things, but I'll assume that you know how to do the basics. On the other hand, I assume that you have little or not knowledge of R. It's likely if you're a data analyst that you know R very well, and perhaps a little bit less of Tableau, but I assume no knowledge, and I explain things in as much detail as I'm able. Next, be aware that there are subtle differences between R in the console and in Tableau. Some of these differences are easy to explain and others you will have to discover on a case by case basis. I've encountered many of these differences in preparing this course, so I've noted them where possible. If you're working with data in Excel or other programs, I advise against using the UTF-8 CSV, or common separated value, file format. It can add characters to the start of your file, indicating that it's a UTF file, and it affects some R scripts, but not others. So, in general, I just say avoid it and use plain CSV. And finally, beware, beware, beware of text copied from a word processor. Microsoft Word and other programs will change straight quotes to so-called smart quotes, which are different characters which R does not like, and will cause errors. So if worst comes to worst, copy text into Notepad. If possible, type the text into a Tableau calculator field yourself, so you know that everything is exactly as it should be.
Practice while you learn with exercise files
Download the files the instructor uses to teach the course. Follow along and learn by watching, listening and practicing.