Project Atlas User Manual

Guide for first login, offline caching, system creation, system management, pinstack building, exports, and recovery.

Project Atlas has two protected tools: the Generator and the Standalone Pinstack Calculator. Both tools are browser-based, both can work offline after the app has been loaded and authorized on a device, and both rely on you to keep your exported files organized locally.

1. First Visit, Login, And Access

1. Open the Project Atlas home page and review the User Agreement the first time you launch a protected tool.
2. Use the Login or Sign Up buttons in the header if you need an account before opening the Generator or Pinstack Calculator.
3. Sign Up creates an account using your email, password, and optional organization name. The organization field is for account identification and greeting purposes, not for storing project data.
4. If email confirmation is enabled, complete the confirmation step from your email and return to Atlas. After confirmation, Atlas signs you in when possible.
5. If you choose Remember Me, Atlas keeps a longer device session window. If you do not choose Remember Me, the device session window is shorter.
6. Logout removes the active browser-stored session state, but it does not delete any project files or downloads already saved on the device.

What The Account Is For

• It controls access to the protected Atlas tools.
• It allows Atlas to authorize offline use on the current device for a limited time after an online session.
• It records beta and professional-use metadata attached to the account.

2. Caching, Install, And Offline Use

Project Atlas uses browser cache, service-worker storage, and local browser storage so the app can behave like an installable tool instead of a simple webpage.

• Once the app has loaded online, Atlas stores app resources so the latest cached version can open later without a live connection.
• Protected pages are intended to work offline only after an authorized session has granted offline access on that device.
• Clearing browser or site data can remove offline availability, agreement state, and local session state.
• Offline access helps you keep working in the field, but it does not replace device security. Anyone with access to the device or browser profile may be able to open locally stored files.

Installing Atlas

• Desktop Chrome or Edge: use the install icon in the address bar or the browser menu option to install the app.
• Android: use Install App or Add to Home screen from the browser menu.
• iPhone or iPad: use Safari's Share menu and choose Add to Home Screen.

3. Generator Overview

The Generator is the main system-design workspace. It lets you build a hierarchy, review keys in a tree, control key status, calculate pinning, maintain a virtual clipboard, and export a complete project package.

Starting A New System

1. Launch the Generator from the home page.
2. Enter a system name or blind client reference rather than real client names whenever practical.
3. Select the DSD or profile that matches the keyway and hardware you are planning around.
4. Enter the key blank or keyway details used for the project.
5. Set the top master and, for IC workflows, the control key when required by the profile.
6. Choose whether the project is a 3-level or 4-level system.
7. Enter or review the progression patterns, then use Generate System.

Random GMK And Preview

• The Random GMK helper can supply a starting grand master key value when you want a quick seed for the system.
• Preview or Generate shows the resulting tree so you can inspect the hierarchy before exporting or using pinning outputs.

Tree Review And System Management

• Use the tree viewer to search by label or bitting and inspect the generated hierarchy.
• Select keys in the tree to review bittings, send them to the calculator, or manage status.
• Status controls let you mark selected keys as Activated, Deactivated, or Available.
• These status choices affect the working view and can carry through into exported data and project recovery files.
• Clear All Keys resets selected working keys in the current review session.

Quick Key

Quick Key automatically adds parent keys when you select a child key. This is useful when you want a core build or clipboard output to include the hierarchy above the selected key without reselecting each parent manually.

4. Building Pinstacks And Cores In The Generator

1. Select a key from the generated system or manually review the current output shown in the pinning panel.
2. Read the Pinstack Output area for the calculated bottom pins, master wafers, top pins, and control-stack information where applicable.
3. For IC and SFIC workflows, include control information where required by the selected profile. Atlas automatically adjusts calculations for supported core formats.
4. Enter a cylinder label before adding the current result to the Virtual Clipboard if you want the entry saved in the running list.
5. Enter Qty when you want Atlas to track how many cylinders or cores use that same pinning.
6. Use Add To List to move the current pinstack into the Virtual Clipboard.

Virtual Clipboard In The Generator

• Jump To Virtual Clipboard moves you directly to the running list area.
• Copy Clipboard List sends the formatted list to the device clipboard for pasting elsewhere.
• Download Pin-Stacks saves the running list as a text file.
• Clear List removes the current clipboard collection from the generator session.
• Filter Clipboard Entries helps you search the running list by designation or text.
• Running summary panels show total pins and other aggregate information across saved entries.

5. Saving, Loading, Exporting, And Recovery In The Generator

Save Or Load System JSON

• Use Save to download a system JSON file that captures the generator project state.
• Use Load to restore a previously saved system JSON file into the generator.
• JSON is the preferred recovery and continuation format for active Atlas projects.

Export Excel And Export Entire System

• Export Excel creates a spreadsheet version of the system tree and related status information.
• Export Entire System creates the full project zip package, including spreadsheet output, system JSON, and the pinout sheet built from the virtual clipboard.
• The safest save method is to export the full project zip when editing is complete, extract it, and replace your local working folder with the updated version so every file remains synchronized.

System Token Recovery

• The system token is a recovery tool for rebuilding the key system structure and bittings.
• It does not reload saved pinstacks, clipboard entries, or the full project-management state.
• Use system tokens as a fallback, not as your primary save or project-management method.

6. Standalone Pinstack Calculator Overview

The standalone calculator is for manual key entry, quick bench work, imported Atlas system JSON usage, and field pinning without generating a full hierarchy first.

Manual Key Entry Workflow

1. Launch the Pinstack Calculator.
2. Enter a system name and select the correct DSD or profile.
3. Enter one or more key labels and bittings manually.
4. If the selected profile is IC-based, enter the control key when required.
5. Atlas calculates the pinstack output for standard, LFIC, or SFIC-capable workflows based on the profile rules.

Loading JSON Into The Calculator

• You can load a saved pinstacks JSON file to restore calculator progress.
• You can also load a generated system JSON file from the Generator to unlock the system tree selector inside the calculator.
• When a generator JSON is loaded, Atlas displays project information such as client reference, profile, key blank, GGMK, and control data if present.

Quick Key, Status Control, And Tree Selection

• When using a loaded system tree, Quick Key can automatically add parent keys along with the selected key.
• Activate, Deactivate, and Available controls let you manage working key status while selecting from generated trees.
• This helps keep clipboard output aligned with the same status logic used in the Generator.

Calculator Clipboard And Quantity Tracking

• Enter a cylinder label before adding a pinstack to the Virtual Clipboard.
• Use Qty to track multiple identical cylinders in one entry.
• Copy Clipboard List copies the running list to the device clipboard.
• Download Pin-Stacks saves the running list as a text file.
• Clear List removes the current clipboard entries.
• Summary fields and filters help manage large running lists and cumulative pin totals.

Save Or Load Pinstack JSON

• Use Save to download a pinstacks JSON file and preserve the calculator session.
• Use Load to reopen that session later.
• Changing the DSD can clear loaded keys so pin lengths and depth rules stay valid for the newly selected profile.

7. Universal Progression Chart

The Universal Progression Chart tool helps you generate, visualize, and manage key progression charts for automotive and other keys. It supports MACS, cut depth ranges, known cuts, and JSON save/load for chart state. This tool is mobile-friendly and privacy-focused—no data is stored on the server.

Getting Started

1. Launch the Universal Progression Chart from the home page.
2. Select the total number of cuts, MACS value, and cut depth range for your key.
3. Enter any known cuts if available. Unknown cuts can be left blank.
4. Click Load Chart to generate a progression chart for missing cuts.
5. Tap or click bitting values in the chart to mark them as eliminated as you progress your key.
6. Use Save to download your chart as a JSON file, or Load to restore a previously saved chart.

Features

• Visual progression chart for missing cuts
• MACS and cut depth range support
• Known cuts input and auto-advance
• Mark eliminated bittings for quick reference
• Save/load chart state as JSON
• Mobile-friendly, dark mode UI
• No server-side data storage

8. Best Practices For System Management

• Use blind codes or internal references instead of real customer names inside project fields whenever possible.
• Save JSON early and often when a project is still changing.
• Use Export Entire System as the final handoff and archive format.
• Keep the JSON, spreadsheet, and pinning sheet together in one project folder.
• When you finish editing, replace older extracted folders with the newest exported package so all project components stay aligned.
• Review generated systems manually before production use. Atlas is a planning and workflow tool, not a substitute for professional verification.

9. Troubleshooting Notes

• If Atlas does not open a protected tool offline, reconnect once online so the current device can refresh the app cache and authorized session window.
• If a project seems incomplete after recovery, load the saved JSON instead of relying on the system token alone.
• If the clipboard list looks wrong, check cylinder labels, quantities, and selected statuses before exporting.
• If a profile change clears keys, that is expected behavior used to avoid mixing incompatible depth rules.
• If you encounter invalid output or a suspected cross-key issue, preserve the system JSON or token and review the project before field use.