diff --git a/packages/main/src/DataHubService.ts b/packages/main/src/DataHubService.ts
index 5fb0bec..ffeb6f4 100644
--- a/packages/main/src/DataHubService.ts
+++ b/packages/main/src/DataHubService.ts
@@ -102,7 +102,6 @@ export const DataHubService = {
       p++;
       arcs = arcs.concat(arcs_page);
     }
-    console.log(arcs.length)
     return arcs;
   },
 
diff --git a/packages/main/src/InternetService.ts b/packages/main/src/InternetService.ts
index 9d0bcf6..047a9c9 100644
--- a/packages/main/src/InternetService.ts
+++ b/packages/main/src/InternetService.ts
@@ -16,7 +16,15 @@ const default_header = {
 
 export const InternetService = {
 
-  getWebPageAsJson: (e,options): Promise<any> => {
+  getWebPageAsJson: async (e,options): Promise<any> => {
+    // check if server is available
+    try {
+      await net.resolveHost(options.host);
+    } catch(err) {
+      return new Promise((resolve,reject)=>resolve(null));
+    }
+
+    // get json data
     return new Promise(
       (resolve, reject) => {
         try {
@@ -25,7 +33,7 @@ export const InternetService = {
           for(let h in header)
             request.setHeader(h,header[h]);
 
-          request.on('response', (response) => {
+          request.on('response', response => {
             if(response.statusCode===200){
               let output = '';
               response.on('data', chunk => {
@@ -35,13 +43,11 @@ export const InternetService = {
                 resolve(JSON.parse(output));
               });
             } else {
-              // console.error('response',response);
               resolve(null);
             }
           })
           request.end()
-        } catch(err){
-          console.error('catch',err);
+        }catch(err){
           resolve(null);
         }
       }
diff --git a/packages/main/src/LocalFileSystemService.ts b/packages/main/src/LocalFileSystemService.ts
index f8dcdba..8dfcecc 100644
--- a/packages/main/src/LocalFileSystemService.ts
+++ b/packages/main/src/LocalFileSystemService.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import { BrowserWindow, ipcMain, dialog, shell } from 'electron';
+import { app, BrowserWindow, ipcMain, dialog, shell } from 'electron';
 import PATH from 'path';
 import FS from 'fs';
 import FSE from 'fs-extra'
@@ -100,6 +100,18 @@ export const LocalFileSystemService = {
     }
   },
 
+  readConfig: ()=>{
+    const config = LocalFileSystemService.readFile(null,app.getPath('userData')+'/ARCitect.json');
+    return JSON.parse(config) || {};
+  },
+
+  writeConfig: (e,config)=>{
+    LocalFileSystemService.writeFile(null,[
+      app.getPath('userData')+'/ARCitect.json',
+      config
+    ]);
+  },
+
   readImage: async (e,path)=>{
     try {
       const contents = FS.readFileSync(path_to_system(path));
@@ -220,7 +232,7 @@ export const LocalFileSystemService = {
     } catch {return false;}
   },
 
-  remove: async (e,path)=>{
+  remove: (e,path)=>{
     try {
       FS.rmSync(path_to_system(path), {recursive:true,force:true});
       return true;
@@ -246,6 +258,8 @@ export const LocalFileSystemService = {
     ipcMain.handle('LocalFileSystemService.readDir', LocalFileSystemService.readDir);
     ipcMain.handle('LocalFileSystemService.readFile', LocalFileSystemService.readFile);
     ipcMain.handle('LocalFileSystemService.readImage', LocalFileSystemService.readImage);
+    ipcMain.handle('LocalFileSystemService.readConfig', LocalFileSystemService.readConfig);
+    ipcMain.handle('LocalFileSystemService.writeConfig', LocalFileSystemService.writeConfig);
     ipcMain.handle('LocalFileSystemService.enforcePath', LocalFileSystemService.enforcePath);
     ipcMain.handle('LocalFileSystemService.writeFile', LocalFileSystemService.writeFile);
     ipcMain.handle('LocalFileSystemService.selectDir', LocalFileSystemService.selectDir);
diff --git a/packages/main/src/index.ts b/packages/main/src/index.ts
index 0cb77b1..2069679 100644
--- a/packages/main/src/index.ts
+++ b/packages/main/src/index.ts
@@ -43,6 +43,19 @@ app.on('window-all-closed', () => {
  */
 app.on('activate', restoreOrCreateWindow);
 
+const initConfig = async ()=>{
+  const userDataPath = app.getPath('userData');
+  if(!fs.existsSync(userDataPath))
+    fs.mkdirSync(userDataPath);
+
+  for(let file of ['ARCitect.json','DataHubs.json']){
+    const sourceFile = 'resources/'+file;
+    const destinationFile = userDataPath+'/'+file;
+    if (!fs.existsSync(destinationFile))
+      fs.copyFileSync(sourceFile, destinationFile);
+  }
+};
+
 const initCore = async () => {
   const PATH = require('path');
   if(process.platform === 'win32'){
@@ -55,17 +68,11 @@ const initCore = async () => {
   }
   ipcMain.handle('CORE.getVersion', ()=>app.getVersion());
   ipcMain.handle('CORE.getTempPath', ()=>app.getPath('temp'));
-
-  const userDataPath = app.getPath('userData');
-  if(!fs.existsSync(userDataPath))
-    fs.mkdirSync(userDataPath);
-
-  for(let file of ['ARCitect.json','DataHubs.json']){
-    const sourceFile = 'resources/'+file;
-    const destinationFile = userDataPath+'/'+file;
-    if (!fs.existsSync(destinationFile))
-      fs.copyFileSync(sourceFile, destinationFile);
-  }
+  ipcMain.handle('CORE.reset', ()=>{
+    LocalFileSystemService.remove( null, app.getPath('userData') );
+    initConfig();
+  });
+  initConfig();
 }
 
 /**
diff --git a/packages/renderer/src/App.vue b/packages/renderer/src/App.vue
index 7ae8b5a..c7977a0 100644
--- a/packages/renderer/src/App.vue
+++ b/packages/renderer/src/App.vue
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ import GitHistoryView from './views/GitHistoryView.vue';
 import SwateView from './views/SwateView.vue';
 import ValidationView from './views/ValidationView.vue';
 import StatusView from './views/StatusView.vue';
+import SettingsView from './views/SettingsView.vue';
 
 import ConfirmationDialog from './dialogs/ConfirmationDialog.vue';
 import GitDialog from './dialogs/GitDialog.vue';
@@ -43,7 +44,6 @@ const $q = useQuasar();
 
 const iProps = reactive({
   showToolbar: true,
-  toolbarMinimized: false,
   splitterModel: 300,
   error: false,
   error_text: '',
@@ -131,7 +131,6 @@ const showHomeView = ()=>{
 };
 
 const messagePrompt = msg => {
-  console.log(msg);
   $q.dialog({
     component: ConfirmationDialog,
     componentProps: {
@@ -184,7 +183,7 @@ const test = async ()=>{
         v-model='iProps.showToolbar'
         show-if-above
 
-        :mini="iProps.toolbarMinimized"
+        :mini="AppProperties.config.toolbarMinimized"
 
         :width="190"
         :breakpoint="500"
@@ -257,13 +256,10 @@ const test = async ()=>{
           <ToolbarButton text='Services' :icon='Object.values(AppProperties.datahub_hosts_msgs).some(x=>x.critical)?"warning":"dns"' @clicked='AppProperties.state=AppProperties.STATES.STATUS;'>
             <a_tooltip>Check on the status of <b>nfdi4plants</b> services</a_tooltip>
           </ToolbarButton>
-          <ToolbarButton text='Toggle Help' icon='help' @clicked='AppProperties.showHelp=!AppProperties.showHelp;'>
-            <a_tooltip>Show or hide the help menu</a_tooltip>
+          <ToolbarButton text='Settings' icon='settings' @clicked='AppProperties.state=AppProperties.STATES.SETTINGS;'>
+            <a_tooltip>Modify ARCitect settings</a_tooltip>
           </ToolbarButton>
-          <ToolbarButton text='Toggle Tooltips' :icon='AppProperties.showTooltips? "sym_r_mark_chat_read":"sym_r_chat_bubble" ' @clicked='AppProperties.showTooltips=!AppProperties.showTooltips;'>
-            <a_tooltip>Show or hide tooltips</a_tooltip>
-          </ToolbarButton>
-          <ToolbarButton :text="iProps.toolbarMinimized ? '' : 'Toggle Sidebar'" :icon="iProps.toolbarMinimized ? 'chevron_right' : 'chevron_left'" @clicked='iProps.toolbarMinimized=!iProps.toolbarMinimized;'></ToolbarButton>
+          <ToolbarButton :text="AppProperties.config.toolbarMinimized ? '' : 'Toggle Sidebar'" :icon="AppProperties.config.toolbarMinimized ? 'chevron_right' : 'chevron_left'" @clicked='AppProperties.config.toolbarMinimized=!AppProperties.config.toolbarMinimized;'></ToolbarButton>
           <q-separator />
 
           <q-item v-ripple clickable dense @click='downloadArcitect'>
@@ -280,14 +276,14 @@ const test = async ()=>{
       </q-drawer>
 
       <q-drawer
-        v-model="AppProperties.showHelp"
+        v-model="AppProperties.config.showHelp"
         side="right"
         bordered
         :breakpoint='0'
         class="bg-grey-3"
         :width="400"
       >
-        <q-btn style="position:absolute;right:0em; top:0.6em; z-index:9999" icon="chevron_right" flat round @click='AppProperties.showHelp=false' />
+        <q-btn style="position:absolute;right:0em; top:0.6em; z-index:9999" icon="chevron_right" flat round @click='AppProperties.config.showHelp=false' />
         <q-scroll-area class='fit' style="height: 100%;width:100%;">
           <HelpView></HelpView>
         </q-scroll-area>
@@ -307,6 +303,7 @@ const test = async ()=>{
                 </q-scroll-area>
             </template>
 
+
             <template v-slot:after>
               <q-dialog v-model="iProps.error">
                 <q-card>
@@ -339,6 +336,7 @@ const test = async ()=>{
               <SwateView v-else-if='AppProperties.state===AppProperties.STATES.EDIT_SWATE'></SwateView>
               <ValidationView v-else-if='AppProperties.state===AppProperties.STATES.VALIDATION'></ValidationView>
               <StatusView v-else-if='AppProperties.state===AppProperties.STATES.STATUS'></StatusView>
+              <SettingsView v-else-if='AppProperties.state===AppProperties.STATES.SETTINGS'></SettingsView>
               <HomeView v-else></HomeView>
             </template>
           </q-splitter>
diff --git a/packages/renderer/src/AppProperties.ts b/packages/renderer/src/AppProperties.ts
index e68fd74..ae0f1a1 100644
--- a/packages/renderer/src/AppProperties.ts
+++ b/packages/renderer/src/AppProperties.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import { reactive } from 'vue'
+import { reactive, watch } from 'vue'
 
 const AppProperties: {
   STATES: any,
@@ -19,20 +19,33 @@ const AppProperties: {
 
     VALIDATION: 700,
     STATUS: 800,
+    SETTINGS: 900,
   },
   STATES_I: {},
   state: 0,
 
   user: null,
 
+
   datahub_hosts : [],
   datahub_hosts_msgs: {},
 
   force_commit_update: 0,
   force_lfs_update: 0,
 
-  showHelp: false,
-  showTooltips: false
+  config: {
+    toolbarMinimized: false,
+    showHelp: false,
+    showTooltips: false,
+    swate_url: ''
+  },
+
+  read_config: async ()=>{
+    const config = await window.ipc.invoke('LocalFileSystemService.readConfig');
+    for(let key of Object.keys(config)){
+      AppProperties.config[key] = config[key];
+    }
+  }
 });
 
 for(let k in AppProperties.STATES){
@@ -48,16 +61,39 @@ const get_datahubs = async ()=>{
       path: '/api/v4/broadcast_messages',
       method: 'GET'
     });
-    let contains_critical = false;
-    for(let msg of AppProperties.datahub_hosts_msgs[host]){
-      const t = msg.message.toLowerCase();
-      msg.critical = t.includes('maintenance') || t.includes('downtime');
-      contains_critical = contains_critical || (msg.critical && msg.active);
+
+    // if server is not reachable
+    if(AppProperties.datahub_hosts_msgs[host]===null){
+      const temp = [];
+      temp.critical = true;
+      temp.push({
+        message: 'Server Not Reachable',
+        critical: true,
+        active: true,
+        starts_at: new Date().toISOString()
+      })
+      console.log(new Date().toISOString())
+      AppProperties.datahub_hosts_msgs[host] = temp;
+    } else {
+      let contains_critical = false;
+      for(let msg of AppProperties.datahub_hosts_msgs[host]){
+        const t = msg.message.toLowerCase();
+        msg.critical = t.includes('maintenance') || t.includes('downtime');
+        contains_critical = contains_critical || (msg.critical && msg.active);
+      }
+      AppProperties.datahub_hosts_msgs[host].critical = contains_critical;
     }
-    AppProperties.datahub_hosts_msgs[host].critical = contains_critical;
   }
 };
 
-get_datahubs();
+const init = async ()=>{
+  await AppProperties.read_config();
+  watch(AppProperties.config, ()=>{
+    console.log('xxx')
+    window.ipc.invoke('LocalFileSystemService.writeConfig', JSON.stringify(AppProperties.config));
+  });
+  await get_datahubs();
+}
+init();
 
 export default AppProperties;
diff --git a/packages/renderer/src/components/ViewItem.vue b/packages/renderer/src/components/ViewItem.vue
index d150844..eea5759 100644
--- a/packages/renderer/src/components/ViewItem.vue
+++ b/packages/renderer/src/components/ViewItem.vue
@@ -3,8 +3,7 @@
 export interface Props {
   label: String,
   caption: String,
-  icon: String,
-  fullWidth?: Boolean,
+  icon: String
 };
 const props = defineProps<Props>();
 
@@ -27,10 +26,7 @@ const props = defineProps<Props>();
       </q-item-section>
     </template>
 
-    <div v-if='props.fullWidth' style="display:block;margin:0 auto;border-top:1px solid #ccc;">
-      <slot></slot>
-    </div>
-    <div v-else style="display:block;margin:0 auto;max-width:700px;border-top:1px solid #ccc;">
+    <div style="display:block;margin:0 auto;border-top:1px solid #ccc;">
       <slot></slot>
     </div>
   </q-expansion-item>
diff --git a/packages/renderer/src/components/a_tooltip.vue b/packages/renderer/src/components/a_tooltip.vue
index 414bbf9..a11d95c 100644
--- a/packages/renderer/src/components/a_tooltip.vue
+++ b/packages/renderer/src/components/a_tooltip.vue
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ import AppProperties from '../AppProperties.ts';
 </script>
 
 <template>
-  <q-tooltip v-if='AppProperties.showTooltips' style="font-size:1.1em">
+  <q-tooltip v-if='AppProperties.config.showTooltips' style="font-size:1.1em">
     <slot></slot>
   </q-tooltip>
 </template>
diff --git a/packages/renderer/src/views/DataHubView.vue b/packages/renderer/src/views/DataHubView.vue
index 69ae9aa..f7a2621 100644
--- a/packages/renderer/src/views/DataHubView.vue
+++ b/packages/renderer/src/views/DataHubView.vue
@@ -135,7 +135,6 @@ const host_manually_set = ()=>{
       icon="cloud_download"
       label="Download ARC"
       caption="Download ARCs from the nfdi4plants DataHUB"
-      :fullWidth="false"
     >
       <br>
       <div class="q-gutter-md row q-px-md">
diff --git a/packages/renderer/src/views/SettingsView.vue b/packages/renderer/src/views/SettingsView.vue
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..8b161a4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/renderer/src/views/SettingsView.vue
@@ -0,0 +1,88 @@
+<script lang="ts" setup>
+
+import ViewItem from '../components/ViewItem.vue';
+import a_input from '../components/a_input.vue';
+import AppProperties from '../AppProperties.ts';
+
+import {reactive} from 'vue';
+
+const iProps = reactive({
+});
+
+const resetARCitect = async ()=>{
+  await window.ipc.invoke('CORE.reset');
+  AppProperties.read_config();
+};
+
+</script>
+
+<template>
+  <q-list>
+    <ViewItem
+      icon="settings"
+      label="Settings"
+      caption="General and Advanced ARCitect Settings"
+    >
+      <q-list dense>
+        <q-expansion-item
+          dense
+          label="General"
+          default-opened
+        >
+          <q-list dense>
+            <q-item tag="label" v-ripple="{color:'grey'}">
+              <q-item-section avatar>
+                <q-checkbox v-model="AppProperties.config.showTooltips" color='secondary'/>
+              </q-item-section>
+              <q-item-section>
+                <q-item-label>Tooltips</q-item-label>
+                <q-item-label caption>Show tooltips while hovering over UI elements</q-item-label>
+              </q-item-section>
+            </q-item>
+
+            <q-item tag="label" v-ripple="{color:'grey'}">
+              <q-item-section avatar>
+                <q-checkbox v-model="AppProperties.config.showHelp" color='secondary'/>
+              </q-item-section>
+              <q-item-section>
+                <q-item-label>Help Menu</q-item-label>
+                <q-item-label caption>Display the help menu on the right side of the ARCitect window</q-item-label>
+              </q-item-section>
+            </q-item>
+          </q-list>
+        </q-expansion-item>
+
+        <q-expansion-item
+          dense
+          label="Advanced"
+        >
+          <q-list dense>
+
+            <q-item tag="label" v-ripple="{color:'grey'}">
+              <q-item-section avatar>
+                <q-icon name='dns' color='secondary' style="margin:0 auto"/>
+              </q-item-section>
+              <q-item-section>
+                <q-item-label><a_input label='SWATE URL' v-model='AppProperties.config.swate_url'/></q-item-label>
+              </q-item-section>
+            </q-item>
+
+
+            <q-item tag="label" v-ripple="{color:'grey'}"
+              @click='resetARCitect'
+            >
+              <q-item-section avatar>
+                <q-icon name='warning' color='red-9' style="margin:0 auto"/>
+              </q-item-section>
+              <q-item-section>
+                <q-item-label>Reset ARCitect</q-item-label>
+                <q-item-label caption>Delete all local ARCitect config files</q-item-label>
+              </q-item-section>
+            </q-item>
+          </q-list>
+        </q-expansion-item>
+      </q-list>
+    </ViewItem>
+  </q-list>
+
+</template>
diff --git a/packages/renderer/src/views/StatusView.vue b/packages/renderer/src/views/StatusView.vue
index 30186db..47ff1fa 100644
--- a/packages/renderer/src/views/StatusView.vue
+++ b/packages/renderer/src/views/StatusView.vue
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ const iProps = reactive({
 const format_date = utc => {
   const format = x => ('00' + x).slice(-2);
   const d = new Date(Date.parse(utc));
-  return `${format(d.getDate())}.${format(d.getMonth()+1)}.${d.getFullYear()} ${format(d.getHours())}:${format(d.getMinutes())}`;
+  return `${format(d.getDate())}.${format(d.getMonth()+1)}.${d.getFullYear()} - ${format(d.getHours())}:${format(d.getMinutes())}`;
 };
 
 </script>
@@ -23,7 +23,6 @@ const format_date = utc => {
       icon="dns"
       label="Services"
       caption="Status of nfdi4plants Services"
-      :fullWidth="true"
     >
       <q-banner>
         <q-toggle
@@ -52,8 +51,7 @@ const format_date = utc => {
               <q-card-section>
                 <q-list dense bordered class="rounded-borders bg-grey-2">
                   <q-item
-                    v-if='iProps.show_old_msgs || AppProperties.datahub_hosts_msgs[host].active'
-                    v-for='msg of AppProperties.datahub_hosts_msgs[host]' style="border-bottom:1px solid #ccc"
+                    v-for='msg of AppProperties.datahub_hosts_msgs[host].filter(x=>iProps.show_old_msgs || x.active)' style="border-bottom:1px solid #ccc"
                   >
                     <q-item-section avatar>
                       <q-icon :color="msg.critical?'red-9' : 'grey-5'" name="warning" />
@@ -66,7 +64,7 @@ const format_date = utc => {
                     </q-item-section>
                   </q-item>
                   <q-item
-                    v-if='AppProperties.datahub_hosts_msgs[host].filter(x=>iProps.show_old_msgs || AppProperties.datahub_hosts_msgs[host].active).length<1'
+                    v-if='AppProperties.datahub_hosts_msgs[host].filter(x=>iProps.show_old_msgs || x.active).length<1'
                   >
                     <q-item-section>
                       <q-item-label>No Messages</q-item-label>
diff --git a/packages/renderer/src/views/SwateView.vue b/packages/renderer/src/views/SwateView.vue
index 323aab5..f8c1b01 100644
--- a/packages/renderer/src/views/SwateView.vue
+++ b/packages/renderer/src/views/SwateView.vue
@@ -125,8 +125,7 @@ const init = async ()=>{
   iProps.loading = true;
   iProps.showTimeout = false;
   setTimeout(()=>iProps.showTimeout=true,4000);
-  iframe.value.setAttribute("src", "https://swate-alpha.nfdi4plants.org?is_swatehost=1&random="+SwateControlService.props.cacheNumber);
-  // iframe.value.setAttribute("src", "https://localhost:3000?is_swatehost=1&random="+SwateControlService.props.cacheNumber);
+  iframe.value.setAttribute("src", `${AppProperties.config.swate_url}?is_swatehost=1&random=${SwateControlService.props.cacheNumber}`);
 };
 
 onMounted(() => {
diff --git a/resources/ARCitect.json b/resources/ARCitect.json
index 0db3279..928c0a7 100644
--- a/resources/ARCitect.json
+++ b/resources/ARCitect.json
@@ -1,3 +1,6 @@
 {
-
+  "toolbarMinimized": false,
+  "showHelp": false,
+  "showTooltips": false,
+  "swate_url": "https://swate-alpha.nfdi4plants.org"
 }