Connections

A connection is an authorized and validated connection to an external data source, with standard functions (selection, filtering, etc.) with which data is imported from the source to the platform and exported to the source. When building up dataflows, relevant connections must be created in advance in order to be able to use or select them.

Connected Apps

Connected Apps lets end-users link accounts (such as a Microsoft account) to their Any2Info account. This can be used within Datahub to execute dataflows as a certain user, using the set token or credentials.

Setup

The setup of Connected Apps starts in the Reporting Studio, in the Connections section of Data Studio. Admin users can create connections there: the options range from collection-wide, to user-specific, to Authorization Structure-specific.

When the + icon is clicked, a new set of inputs is shown. Name and Level are the same for all types; sub-options may become available depending on the type chosen.

There are 3 levels that can be chosen:

Level	Description
Collection	The connection is valid for all users within the collection.
Personal	The connection is valid only for the user that has entered their credentials or linked their account.
Authorization Structure	The connection is valid for all users within the Authorization Structure.

There are 3 types that can be chosen:

Type	Description
OAuth2	External validation of the user’s account, like Microsoft, Apple or Google.
API Headers	A list of headers (or query parameters) with a set name.
Credentials	A simple combination of username and password.

Usage

Filling a connection: a connection is not worth anything if it is not filled in.

• If the level is set to Collection, the admin user can immediately fill in the connection data: hover over the connection, click the 3 vertical dots, and choose Set Values from the context menu. This opens a dialog depending on the type chosen; for OAuth2 types, it instead redirects to the authorization URL that was set when creating the connection.
• If the level is set to Authorization Structure, it’s filled in via the Authorization Structure menu under Management: when a structure is selected, a tab opens on the right of the screen if connections exist.
• Connections of level Personal show up for viewers (both the web-based viewer and the mobile viewer) under Settings → Connections, where viewer users can fill in or authenticate their connection.

Using a connection: a connection can be used in dataflows as a connection for certain nodes, for example the REST node. A connection is selected through the dropdown; if set, its details are used in the execution of the node. This means nodes can be executed as the logged-in user, the Authorization Structure, or on collection level, allowing for far greater customizability within dataflows: for example, a REST API call combined with a Personal connection can produce different output for each user.

Deleting or unsetting a connection: a set connection can be unset easily. For an OAuth2 connection, simply click the Sign Out button. For API Headers and Credentials, empty the inputs and save the empty values. For Authorization Structure and Collection connections, the connection can be deleted or unset in the Reporting Studio, at the same place where it is set.

Tips

• If your use case depends on users having linked an external account, make sure to alert those users to fill in their connections.
• Test a connection yourself first by setting the level to Collection and filling in the values, or by connecting through OAuth2.

Troubleshooting

Error	Meaning	Solution
One or more required parameters aren’t given	An input marked as “Required” was not filled in.	Fill in all the required inputs.
Connection reset failed	The request to reset an OAuth2 connection has failed.	Try resetting the connection again; if that does not work, restart the DataService.
Could not start OAuth authorization	The request to initiate an OAuth2 connection has failed.	Try setting the connection again; if that does not work, restart the AppsService.
The system could not load the connection properties	The request to retrieve the related connection type properties has failed.	Try setting the connection again; if that does not work, restart the AppsService.