--- title: "User Menu v3.2.1.2" canonical: "https://servicedesk.maxgeo.com/space/DS/2185166978/User%20Menu%20v3.2.1.2" format: markdown --- Just below the DataShed logo (or your company logo) is the **User Menu**. The User Menu allows the user to change their default settings, change their password, or log off, among other things. The User Menu is labelled ‘**Hello **’, where ‘username’ is the DataShed username of the currently logged-in user. Clicking the User Menu item will display the user menu options. Clicking one of those options will activate the requested function. ![Accessing User Profile Options And Documentation In Maxgeo - Step 2 (1).jpeg](media://9a65b11b-58cf-4462-833f-2543f7a72b38) ## External Connections To support expanding API integrations and improve user autonomy, a new **External Connections**”feature has been introduced under the **Hello User** menu in DataShed. ![Accessing User Profile Options And Documentation In Maxgeo - Step 2 (2).jpeg](media://e03dcbed-bae2-4466-81f2-05570356defd) ### **mxAPI Key** > ⚠️ A valid mxAPI License is required for these features to be enabled. A dedicated **External Connections** option is now available from the Hello User menu for managing linked services and API credentials. If the user account has been assigned a **mxAPI license** in **DataShed Admin**, the **mxAPI Key** field will be visible. If not, the field will remain hidden. When visible, the textbox will display the mxAPI Key linked to the user account. > ℹ️ Tip! To assign mxAPI licenses, please refer to the DataShed Administration Guide. ![Hello User - External Connections - Step 2.png](media://fd9accca-05d9-4803-88b8-0624b3c8da1c) #### **Rotate the mxAPI Key** - To rotate the key, click the green **Rotate** button. - A confirmation prompt will appear, as rotating the key will invalidate the previous one. - After confirmation, a message will be displayed: *"API Key successfully rotated. Please copy this key now. This is the only time it will be displayed and cannot be retrieved later."* - Click the **Copy mxAPI Key** button to copy the new key to your clipboard. - Paste the key into a secure text file for future reference. It contains both the user account and the associated database connection. > ⚠️ **Important:** Keep this key safe and do not share it with other users. ![Hello User - External Connections - Step 5.webp](media://799dbb13-eca7-4e21-915e-a529a993381e) ### **Partner Connection Details** > ℹ️ ALS Integration Requirements: > ℹ️ > ℹ️ - All Clients > ℹ️ - ALS account with API access - Contact the ALS client service department via email and request access. > ℹ️ - On-premise Clients > ℹ️ - Static Public IP - ALS whitelists the IP to allow access to the API. A Static IP is recommended > ℹ️ - Internet access on Server where DataShed is installed > ℹ️ - API URL whitelisted in Firewall if required > ℹ️ > ℹ️ The API URL is provide by ALS The Partner Connection Details allows users to connect DataShed directly to partner portals, such as ALS Webtrieve. - Click the **Partner Connection** icon. - Enter the **Username**. - Enter the **Password**. - Click **Save**. - If the details are correct, a message will appear: *"ALS details have been saved successfully."* A green tick icon (:check_mark:) will confirm a successful connection. - If a yellow warning icon (⚠️) appears, the connection failed due to incorrect details. - Re-enter the correct **Username** and **Password**. - Click **Save** again. - Upon success, you will see the confirmation message and the green tick icon. ![Hello User - External Connections - Step 10.webp](media://b3eb87d5-1af6-4261-b8b4-bbf997ed6468) ### **QGIS Plugin** The **DataShed QGIS plugin** integrates directly with QGIS, allowing users to connect to DataShed without the need to manually export or download data. With this plugin, users can access and import the most up-to-date data from DataShed straight into their QGIS projects, streamlining workflows and improving data accuracy. - Click the **QGIS Plugin** icon. - The plugin `.zip` file will be downloaded to your **Downloads** folder. - Copy the downloaded file to a secure location, as it will be needed when installing the plugin in **QGIS**. - Click **Close** to exit the window. ![Hello User - External Connections - Step 23.webp](media://1294d3fb-beef-448b-9b48-12b38fd18274) ## User Settings The **User Settings** option will show the settings for the current user, including the Default View, Display Last viewed Table, Email Active, and the Browser Language. Of these options, only the Default View and the Display Last Viewed Table can be directly changed by the user in this window. Additionally, you can choose to ‘**Always Use Job Service For Import**’ or allow DataShed to automatically select the best method based on record count. The ‘**Email Active**’ option can be changed by a DataShed administrator, contact your administrator if you need this option changed. The Browser Language is set in the browser settings, not in the DataShed user settings. ![Hello Menu - User Settings - Step 2 (1).png](media://22c083f2-81ca-44f3-be2b-a96b1a180653) The Default View is the view with which the user is presented after they log in to DataShed (or click the logo at the top of the menu). The available options are ‘Dashboard’, ‘Data View’, ‘Assay Manager’ and ‘Map’. When ‘Dashboard’ or ‘Map’ are selected, the user is presented with a list of dashboards or maps that are available to the current user, and the user may choose which one will be presented to them when they log in to DataShed. If any changes are made to the default view selection, click ‘**Save**’ to save the changes and close the window. On saving User Settings, the confirmation message updated to “User settings saved successfully.” Click ‘**Close**’ to close the window without saving the update. Pressing the ‘**Escape**’ key or clicking the ‘**X**’ in the top-right corner will also close the window without saving. ![image](media://87c52f4e-a5c0-439e-b7e7-15e5c4b26562) ## User Guide The **User Guide** option opens a pop-up window displaying the DataShed User Guide, accessed directly from the maxgeo Knowledge Base. The **burger menu** in the top-right corner of the blue header bar also provides links to additional resources available in the maxgeo Knowledge Base. ![image-20250630-060259.png](media://1ac6fbf3-3b8f-420e-bea4-6337461a57d7) ## Disable All Filters DataShed allows users to create filters, based on a combination of simple or complex criteria, spatial point selection, and DataSet selection. When viewing data directly, users can filter the data further with ad-hoc filtering within the data view. The Disable All Filters will turn off all filtering criteria (except the DataSet selection) and make all data visible in the data view. ## Change Password The Change Password option allows the user to modify their DataShed password. The user must correctly enter their current password, then a new password and confirm the new password. Click **Save** to save the password changes and close the Change Password window or click **Close** (or press the Escape key) to close the window without updating the password. ![image](media://726b532a-3cf5-42a3-8504-357fb243651c) User passwords must contain at least one upper case letter, one lower case letter, and one numeric digit. When you click **Save**, DataShed will show an error message if the current password is incorrect, if the updated password does not meet the password requirements, or if the new password and the confirmation do not match. ## About The About option shows a window with version and licensing information about the installation of DataShed. You may be asked for some of this information if you need to contact maxgeo to request support for DataShed. Details of any planned outages scheduled is also displayed. No changes can be made within this window. Press the escape key, or click the ‘X’ at the top-right, to close the window. ## Log Off This option will log out the current user from DataShed. The browser session will no longer be able to access any DataShed data until the user logs in again.