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I have been able to create tables that conform to the CartoDB style by the following method:

  1. Create empty table [table name], no columns via SQL API

  2. SELECT CDB_Cartodbyfy([table name]) via SQL API

  3. Insert [table name] and current time into CDB_TableMetadata

  4. Add user columns and data via SQL API

I can even get the table to show up on the CartoDB tables dashboard, by creating an empty table and then renaming it to [table name]. However, what I really want is a way to make my programmatically-created tables appear on the dashboard without having to manually interact with the CartoDB web app.

I suspect I could make this happen by posting to the Imports API with table_name=[new table name]&table_copy=[table name]. However, using the table_copy parameter is forbidden, and I do not wish to violate that.

So, my question is this: Is there a way to accomplish what I want (programmatic registration of existing tables) without violating the rules of CartoDB's APIs?

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    Not easily but we are working on it: github.com/CartoDB/cartodb/issues/909 Oct 31, 2014 at 10:01
  • Hi Jake, as Javi Santana mentioned above, the fix is already deployed. If you are interested in betatesting this, we could activate it for your account. Just let us know!
    – iriberri
    Nov 6, 2014 at 14:07
  • @iriberri I would love to beta test it! My account is 'safedev' Nov 7, 2014 at 1:49
  • It's already activated @JakeMolnar :-)
    – iriberri
    Nov 28, 2014 at 10:49
  • @iriberri Awesome! :) Dec 1, 2014 at 18:27

1 Answer 1

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basically this is the guide: https://github.com/CartoDB/cartodb/wiki/creating-tables-though-the-SQL-API

the important information:

lets create a table using SQL API:

create table test (whatever int);

at this point you will not able to see table test in the editor

select cdb_cartodbfytable('test');

Now if you go to your dashboard should appear (it takes some seconds to be available, so refresh after a bit if it's not there)

For people using multiuser account you need to include your username in cdb_cartodbfytable call:

select cdb_cartodbfytable('myuser', 'test');
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    Phew, I thought I was going crazy, cdb_cartodbfytable is very useful. Mar 22, 2015 at 10:37

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