How to set up CourseLens

CourseLens needs two things from you: a Canvas API token, so it can read your assessments, and optionally an iCal link from your timetable. Setup takes about five minutes.

1. Create an account

Sign up with your email, a username and a password of 8 or more characters. Already have one? Sign in.

2. Get your Canvas API token

1. Open Canvas in your browser and sign in.
2. Click Account in the left menu, then Settings.
3. Scroll to Approved integrations and click + New access token.
4. Type a purpose such as "CourseLens". Leave the expiry blank, or pick a date if you want it to stop working later.
5. Click Generate token and copy the long code it shows. Canvas shows it only once.

Your Canvas site:

• RMIT University: rmit.instructure.com
• Swinburne University: swinburne.instructure.com

3. Save the token in CourseLens

When you first open the dashboard, a popup asks for your university and token. Paste the token and click Save. You can also do this later in Settings, under Canvas. The token is encrypted before it is stored.

4. Add your timetable (optional)

1. Open your university timetable site and sign in.
2. Look for an option called Subscribe, Export or iCal.
3. Copy the link. It usually starts with https:// and often ends in .ics.
4. Paste it into the setup popup, or into Settings → Timetable feed, and save.

• RMIT University: timetable site
• Swinburne University: timetable site

Something not working?

• Assessments don't load: the token may have expired or been deleted. Make a new one in Canvas and save it again.
• Wrong university: change it in Settings and save a new token with it. The old token is removed when the Canvas site changes.
• Timetable is empty: check the link opens a file in your browser. Links copied from the address bar usually don't work.
• One course is missing: CourseLens shows a banner naming it. Click Retry, or check you can open the course in Canvas.