So, was that extract refreshed or not?

The need: have a Tableau Server-published data extract refreshed

Here's what the Tableau Server documentation says about using tabcmd for the job:

---

refreshextracts workbook-name or datasource-name

Performs a full or incremental refresh of extracts belonging to the specified workbook or data source. This command takes the name of the workbook or data source as it appears on the server, not the file name when it was published.

Examples

tabcmd refreshextracts --datasource sales_ds

tabcmd refreshextracts --workbook "My Workbook"

tabcmd refreshextracts --url SalesAnalysis

Option (short)	Option (long)	Argument	Description
	--incremental		Runs the incremental refresh operation.
	--synchronous		Runs the full refresh operation immediately in the foreground.
	--workbook	Name of a workbook	The name of the workbook containing extracts to refresh. If the workbook has spaces in its name, enclose it in quotes.
	--datasource	Name of a data source	The name of the data source containing extracts to refresh.
	--project	Name of a project	Use with --workbook or --datasource to identify a workbook or data source in a project other than Default. If not specified, the Default project is assumed.
	--url	URL name of a workbook	The name of the workbook as it appears in the URL. A workbook published as “Sales Analysis” has a URL name of “SalesAnalysis”.

---

The documentation seems to say that executing tabcmd with the proper options will cause the extract to be refreshed.

So I gave it a go, and here's the result:

C:\Program Files (x86)\Tableau\Tableau Server\7.0\bin>tabcmd refreshextracts --url "DashboardWithTDE"
===== Continuing previous session
=====     Server:   http://[TableauServer]/
=====     Username: adminName
===== Scheduling extracts for workbook 'DashboardWithTDE' to be refreshed now...
===== Succeeded
===== Workbook DashboardWithTDE' scheduled to have its extracts refreshed.

As it turns out, there was no visible evidence that the extract did get refreshed, including checking Tableau Server's maintenance section and looking at the published Dashboard.

So I had to download the Workbook, manually refresh the extract, and then republish the Workbook in order to make sure the published Dashboard contained up to date information. Which is what I was hoping to avoid doing all along.