How to Create Tableau Desktop Debug Logs

Step 1: Create Clean Logs

1. Close all Tableau Desktop and Tableau Bridge instances on the computer. Note: If the Bridge is in Service mode, please change the Bridge to Application mode before exiting to ensure all Bridge processes are stopped.
2. Navigate to the My Tableau Repository folder. The default location is /Users/<username>/Documents/My Tableau Repository.
   Note: If you’re not sure where your repository is located, open Tableau Desktop and select File > Repository Location.
3. In the My Tableau Repository folder, rename the current Logs folder to Logs_Backup. This effectively archives the outdated logs and will force Tableau Desktop to create a new and clean Logs folder when the issue is reproduced.

Step 2: Reproduce the Issue in Debug Mode

WINDOWS:

To create logs in debug mode, perform the following which opens Tableau Desktop in debug mode for ONLY this session:

1. Navigate to the bin folder with something similar to the following:

cd C:\Program Files\Tableau\Tableau {version}\bin

tableau.exe -DLogLevel=debug

        3. Reproduce the issue to be investigated.
        4. Take any screenshots of error messages and attach to the support case along with a note indicating the date and time.
        5. Close Tableau Desktop.

MAC:

To create logs in debug mode, perform the following which opens Tableau Desktop in debug mode for ONLY this session:     
        1.   Open the Terminal app.

        2.   Navigate to the Applications folder:
              cd /Applications

        3.   Run Tableau in debug mode and select the correct version: 
              open -n  "./Tableau Desktop 2022.4.app" --args -DLogLevel=Debug

if running Tableau Desktop Apple Silicon, use   

open -n ./Tableau\ Desktop\ \(Apple\ silicon\)\ 2024.3.app --args -DLogLevel=debug

              
        Notes:
         * The command "DLogLevel" is case sensitive.  The flag, "dloglevel", will not produce the correct output.
         * The "-n" flag forces Mac to open a new instance of Tableau with this logging level.
         * If the above "open" command returns, "does not exist", check that the correct version has been selected by performing the following:
           a) Type "ls" to list all applications with the Applications directory and find the Tableau Desktop version.
           b) Edit the "open" command to specify the correct version of Tableau Desktop with double quotes such as:
               open -n ".Tableau Desktop 2023.1.app" --args -DLogLevel=Debug

Step 3: Packaging and Sending Logs

1. Close all Tableau Desktop sessions that are open on your computer. This step ensures that all errors are recorded in the log file. 
2. Navigate to the My Tableau Repository folder. 
   Mac: Ctrl-click the Logs folder, and select Compress “Logs”.
   Windows: Right-click the Logs folder, and select Send to > Compressed (zipped) folder.
3. Send the resulting .zip archive to Tableau Technical Support. 
   If the file is larger than 5MB, see Sending Large Files.