Add Workbook Item Description

[allturnip]

Summary

Provide a setter for the workbook item Description Field

Request Type

Support a REST API

The API: PUT /api/api-version/sites/site-id/workbooks/workbook-id supports a description field.
the Schema definition for WorkbookType contains an element xs:attribute name="description" type="xs:string"

The Python API currently does not support this element.
It could be added by modifying:

1. tableauserverclient/models/workbook_item.py -- adding a setter for description
2. tableauserverclient/server/request_factory.py:
   update class WorkbookRequest : _generate_xml : in the same method as other elements, add a description :
   if workbook_item.description:
   workbook_element.attrib['description'] = workbook_item.description

add same code to procedure update_req.

This change allows a workbook description to be added at time of upload, preventing manual intervention after report promotions, migrations, or other automated processes.

[nosnilmot]

The current REST API Workbooks Methods documentation does not include a description field in any publish or update methods, only in responses

[jacalata]

That's correct: the description field is not settable through the API currently. I don't think there's a real reason for that, so I'll prod the team that owns that area.

[geerties99]

Has the setter for description been added already?
Could need it for a current project.

[AverageJoeGuy-tech]

Has the status of this changed? The REST API currently allows workbook description to be set/changed in PUT.

[github-actions]

This issue has been automatically marked as stale because it has not had recent activity. It will be closed in 14 days if no further activity occurs. If this is still relevant, please comment to keep it open.

[jacalata]

Closing — this was implemented across a few PRs:

• PR Adds description as a read-only attribute of WorkbookItem #533 added description as a read-only attribute on WorkbookItem
• Later commit 0ddae7c (feat: add description support on wb publish) added support for setting the description on publish
• PR docs: workbook docstrings #1488 added the docstring for the attribute

Set it on the WorkbookItem before publish or before calling update.