PacTrack

What this area is for: Located in the left column, this section acts as your main "heads-up display" (HUD) for weight management. Its primary purpose is to provide real-time, at-a-glance weight calculations as you build, modify, or review your pack. It breaks down your inventory's weight into distinct, customizable telemetry slots so you can monitor your loadout without having to dig into individual item menus.

Component Breakdown:

• Total (Top Highlight): This is the master calculation. It represents the combined weight of absolutely everything currently loaded into your active profile (Backpack Base + All Pocket/MOLLE Inventory + Bedroll Base + All Bedroll Inventory).
• 4 Customizable Telemetry Slots: Surrounding the central Total box are 4 dynamic Telemetry Dashboard Slots. Out of the box, these default to displaying BackPack, Bedroll, T1 (Track 1), and T2 (Track 2).

Understanding Consumables (C#) vs. Equipment Trackers (T#): PacTrack separates your tracking tags into two specialized families so your weight audits and analytics stay razor-sharp:

• Consumable Trackers (C1 – C25): Highlighted in signature Gold/Yellow, Consumables represent supplies that get used up during a trip (water, food, stove fuel, batteries, etc.). C1: Water and C2: Food are built-in and system-locked so your core hydration and ration calculations always have a permanent home. You can create up to 25 total Consumables (C1 through C25) in System Settings.
• Equipment Trackers (T1 – T50): Highlighted in signature Tactical Blue, Equipment Trackers let you isolate and sum up specific groups of gear regardless of which pocket they are packed in (e.g., Worn Weight, Electronics, First Aid, Camera Rig). T1 and T2 are protected from deletion so they are always available, and you can rename them or create up to 50 total Equipment Trackers (T1 through T50).

How to Assign Trackers & Consumables: The dashboard updates automatically as you tag items across your loadout:

1. Tagging Individual Gear Items: When you open any item's specs window (Pocket Item Specs or Gear/Attachment Specs), use the Assign Tag/Tracker dropdown near the bottom to attach as many C# or T# tags to that item as you like. To remove a tag, simply tap the ✕ on its badge.
2. Tagging the Backpack or Bedroll Base Chassis: You can even assign C# or T# tags directly to your empty Backpack Base or Bedroll Base inside the Pack Profile and Bedroll Manager windows!

Customizing Your 4 Dashboard Slots: Inside System Settings under Telemetry Dashboard Slots, you can assign any of the 4 HUD boxes to display Backpack, Bedroll, any Consumable (C1–C25), or any Equipment Tracker (T1–T50), and toggle between Imperial (Lbs, Oz, g) and Metric (Kg, g) at any time.

Located in the left column below the weight dashboard, these elements serve as your compass so you always know exactly what profile you are working on and where you are in the application.

• Model / Name: This displays the custom title of the specific pack profile you currently have loaded.
• View: This indicates your current active screen within the application.

Understanding "Main Context"

When the View indicator displays Main Context, it means you are on the application's primary workspace viewing the root layer of your backpack.

In user interface terminology, "context" refers to the specific environment or mode you are currently operating in. Because PacTrack contains multiple nested sub-menus (such as Item Specs, nested Pocket Inventories, or System Settings), the "Main Context" confirms that you have backed out of those specific tasks and are looking at the top-level overview.

The Breadcrumb Trail: When navigating deep into nested pockets or using the search engine, a Breadcrumb Trail appears at the bottom of the left column. It shows you the exact physical path (e.g., Main > Front Pouch > First Aid Kit) to your current location.

The Heart of PacTrack: The center column houses the Main Canvas, the large visual workspace where your loadout comes to life.

How PacTrack is Different: Most traditional inventory and weight-tracking applications force you to manage your gear through endless text-based spreadsheets and lists. PacTrack abandons that outdated model in favor of spatial inventory management. Instead of just reading a list of what you packed, the canvas allows you to see exactly where your gear is physically located on your specific backpack or bedroll.

How the Canvas Works: The canvas is a fully interactive visual environment. When you are in the Main Context, the canvas displays the primary image of your backpack (and attached bedroll).

• 6-Axis Rotation: You aren't limited to a single flat image. By clicking the Rotate Left or Rotate Right buttons in the sidebar, you can rotate your pack across all 6 viewing angles—Back, Front, Left, Right, Top, and Bottom—allowing you to access different pockets and attachment points just like you would in real life.
• Interaction: Clicking on marker flags placed on your pack allows you to dive into specific pockets, pouches, or nested kits to manage the inventory inside them.

Image Optimization - Alpha Channels & File Types: Because the canvas relies on user-uploaded imagery, the quality of your images directly impacts your experience.

• The Alpha Channel Advantage: For the cleanest, most professional-looking canvas, we highly recommend editing your pack and gear photos to include an alpha channel (transparency) before uploading them.
• Why it matters: By using a format that supports transparency (like a PNG or WebP with an alpha channel), the background is removed. This allows your backpack to float cleanly on the canvas, integrating seamlessly with PacTrack's custom color themes and custom canvas background colors.

The Multi-Mode Search Engine: When your pack is fully loaded with dozens of items across multiple pockets and nested kits, manually hunting for a single piece of gear can be frustrating. PacTrack solves this with a targeted, 5-mode search engine that lets you control both how deep the engine scans and how it presents your results.

The 5 Search Modes (Found via 'Search Settings' button):

1. Lite: Scans the first 6 non-tag words of an item's Name AND the first 6 non-tag words of its Notes, giving you ultra-fast, focused results.
2. Lite Guided: Uses the same 6-word Lite scan, and generates a visual breadcrumb trail on the main canvas highlighting the exact marker flag and pocket path you need to open to retrieve that item.
3. Deep: Scans the entire, unlimited word depth of both an item's Name and its long-form Notes.
4. Deep Guided: Scans the full, unlimited word depth of Names and Notes and activates the visual breadcrumb trail to guide you step-by-step to the item's location.
5. Category: A strict, specialized filter that ignores ordinary descriptive text and searches only your assigned #Category / *Category tags, your Consumable IDs & Names (C1–C25), and your Equipment Tracker IDs & Names (T1–T50).

How Category Tagging Works (# and *): Anywhere in an item's Name or Notes, you can tag a category word by placing a hashtag (#) or asterisk (*) directly in front of the word—for example: Titanium Pot #Cookware. These tags not only make your gear instantly searchable in Category Mode, they also automatically build your category breakdowns inside the Tactical Analytics Suite!

Advanced Search - Power Symbol Operators: You can type three special symbol operators directly into the search bar in any mode to filter your gear by tags, location, or weight:

1. Hashtag or Asterisk (# or *) - Tag & Tracker Filtering: Type # or * followed by a Category tag or Tracker ID (like #c1 or #t1) to pull up every matching item in your pack.
2. The 'At' Symbol (@) - Location Targeting: Type @ followed by a location or pocket name to restrict your search to that physical zone. (e.g., typing @bedroll isolates items in your bedroll).
3. Math Symbols (> and <) - Weight Thresholds: Command the search engine to find gear based purely on how heavy or light it is by typing > or < followed by a number and unit (lbs, oz, or g). (e.g., typing < 2 oz filters your pack to show only ultralight gear under two ounces).

Smart Trail Features: As soon as you type into the search bar, a live dropdown menu appears showing immediate matches and their exact pocket paths. For any search word 4 letters or longer, PacTrack's built-in Fuzzy Match algorithm even forgives 1-character typos!

Mapping Your Gear in 2D Space: The Map Controls section (Create Flag / Delete Flag) is the bridge between a simple list and a true spatial inventory. This is where you place interactive Marker Flags onto your backpack's canvas, telling the application—and the 3D Spatial Load Map—exactly where every piece of gear is physically located.

What is a Marker Flag? At its most basic level, a flag represents a storage location. When you click a flag on the canvas, it opens a dedicated inventory menu for that specific location. However, flags in PacTrack are highly flexible and customizable:

• Customization: Every flag can be custom-named (e.g., "Top Brain," "Left Hipbelt") and color-coded so you can instantly recognize different zones on your pack at a glance.
• Container Items (Kits): Flags do not have to be physical pockets sewn onto your backpack. They can represent container items. You can drop a flag on your canvas and name it "Fire Kit." When you open that flag, you can list all the individual matches, tinder, and bandages stored specifically inside that kit.
• Nested Mapping (Inception Mode): For complex packs, you can nest maps. When you configure a flag representing a large pocket, you can upload an interior photograph of that pocket and then drop sub-flags directly inside that pocket's view to map out internal dividers and sub-pouches!

How to Place and Access a Flag (The Workflow): Placing flags uses a three-step workflow so you never accidentally drop markers while navigating:

1. Turn Map Mode ON: Click the Create Flag button to toggle Map Mode "ON." The application is now armed and waiting for your placement command.
2. Place the Flag: Click anywhere on your main pack canvas where you want the marker to appear. The Configure Marker Flag window will open so you can name it, choose its color, and optionally add an interior photo.
3. Turn Map Mode OFF (Crucial): You cannot open a flag's inventory while Map Mode is armed. Click the Create Flag button again to toggle it "OFF." You can now click the flag to open its Pocket Inventory or edit its Pocket Description notes.

Delete Flag - Proceed with Caution:

• How to use it: To remove a marker, toggle Delete Flag to "ON," then click the specific flag on the canvas you wish to remove. Once deleted, toggle it back to "OFF."
• WARNING - Absolute Deletion: Deleting a flag does not just remove the visual marker from the canvas; it permanently deletes everything stored inside that flag's inventory. If you just want to relocate items, open the pocket first and use Menu ➔ Move or Store Item to save your gear before deleting the flag!

Building Your Foundation: Located in the Pack & Bedroll Management section, the Create / Edit Pack window is where you construct the digital twin of your physical backpack, upload its 6-axis photos, set its empty base weight, and manage its exterior items.

Uploading Your Pack Files (6-Axis Views): You will see photo upload and URL slots for all six viewing angles: Top, Bottom, Left, Right, Back, and Front. Adding transparent PNG/WebP photos gives you a crisp, floating 6-axis pack on the main canvas.

Backpack Specifications & Base Trackers: Enter your Pack Name (required to save), Brand Name, Material Construction, Notes, and your Empty Pack Base Weight. You can even assign Tracker or Consumable tags directly to the empty pack chassis itself using the Assign Tag/Tracker (For Pack Itself) dropdown!

MOLLE & Outer Attachments: At the bottom of the Pack Profile is the Internal/External Gear & Attachments list. When you add an item here and open its specs, you can assign its exact Spatial Location (Internal Core, Front, Back, Left, Right, Top, or Bottom) so the 3D Spatial Load Map knows exactly which face of the pack carries that weight.

Inside Item Specs - Solid Weight vs. Liquid Consumable Volume: Whenever you click an item in a pocket, on MOLLE, or in your Bedroll, the Item Specs window opens. Here you can add a photo, write auto-expanding notes, include #Category tags, set the Quantity, and choose your Measurement Mode:

• Solid Weight (Default): Enter the item's weight directly in Lbs / Oz / g (or Kg / g in Metric mode).
• Liquid Consumable Mode (C1–C25): If you select any Consumable (such as C1: Water or a custom fuel consumable like C3: White Gas) from the Measurement Mode (Liquid Consumable) dropdown, the input boxes automatically transform into a Liquid Volume & Density Calculator!
  • In Imperial Mode: Enter volume in Gallons / Quarts / Fluid Ounces and set the Weight per Gallon.
  • In Metric Mode: Enter volume in Liters / Milliliters and set the Weight per Liter.
  • PacTrack automatically tags the item and converts the volume and density into exact physical weight across your entire pack!

The Global Action Menu & The Gear Library: In the top-right corner of the Pack Profile, Bedroll Manager, and Pocket Inventory windows, you will find the blue Menu button. It gives you two tiers of rapid inventory tools:

• Standard Mobility (Add Item, Copy, Paste, Move, Delete): Transfer gear seamlessly between pockets, MOLLE, and your Bedroll without ever re-typing specs or re-uploading photos.
• The Gear Library (Store Item & Fetch Item): Think of the Gear Library as your permanent gear closet! Check any item and tap Store Item to save it permanently into your browser. Tap Fetch Item in any pocket to open the Gear Library, search your saved gear, and drop it instantly into your pack!

Switch Pack - Loading Saved Profiles: If you have multiple backpacks for different seasons or trip lengths, PacTrack allows you to save and switch between up to 5 different pack profiles right inside your active session.

How to Switch: When you click the Switch Pack button, a system prompt will appear listing your currently occupied save slots and the names of the packs stored in them.

• Crucial Tip: Do not type the name of the backpack into the prompt! This is a common mistake that will result in an error. To load a pack, simply type the number of the slot it is saved in (for example, just type 1 or 2) and hit enter. The application will instantly swap out your entire digital loadout for the selected profile.

Delete Pack - Clearing a Save Slot: If you need to free up one of your 5 save slots, or if you are completely retiring an old backpack, use the Delete Active Pack button.

How to Delete: Similar to the Switch function, clicking this button will prompt you to select which pack you want to remove. Again, simply type the number of the save slot you wish to clear.

• Warning: Deletion is permanent unless you have exported a backup file using Save / Backup Pack. Once you delete a pack profile, all of its associated inventory, weight data, and flags are wiped from that slot to make room for a new build.

Configuring Your Sleep System: Found under the Pack & Bedroll Management controls, this dedicated section is designed to manage your entire sleep/shelter system or any major external gear cluster strapped to your pack.

By separating the bedroll from the main backpack inventory, it keeps your internal pocket lists from becoming cluttered, and it allows both the main dashboard and the 3D Spatial Load Map to calculate your Bedroll weight independently from your BackPack weight.

Configuring the Bedroll Image & Scale: When you open the Create / Edit Bedroll window, the first step is giving it a visual presence.

• Upload Photo: Just like the main pack, you can upload an image of your bedroll (images with a transparent background are recommended).
• The Scale (%) Slider: Drag this slider to shrink or enlarge the bedroll image so it looks proportional to your main backpack on the visual canvas.

Base Weight & Base Trackers: Assign a Base Weight for the empty bedroll carrier or lashing straps, and optionally assign Tracker or Consumable tags directly to the bedroll chassis using Assign Tag/Tracker (For Bedroll Itself).

Bedroll Inventory & Spatial Location: The bottom half of this window is your Bedroll Inventory. Open the top-right Menu to Add, Copy, Paste, Move, Delete, Store, or Fetch items from your Gear Library. When you open an item inside the Bedroll Inventory, you can set its Spatial Location to either Bedroll Internal (Core) or Bedroll External (Outer), which directly feeds the 3D Bedroll cylinder in the Tactical Analytics Suite!

Delete Bedroll - Clearing Your Sleep System: Located directly beneath the Create / Edit Bedroll option, the Delete Bedroll button serves a single, specific purpose: it completely wipes the bedroll configuration from your currently active pack profile.

• What it does: Clicking this button permanently deletes your bedroll image, its assigned base weight, and every single item stored inside the bedroll's inventory.
• Why use it: If you are transitioning from a multi-day camping trip to a quick day hike, you can use this button to instantly strip the bedroll weight, inventory, and visuals from your dashboard without having to alter or delete your primary backpack setup.
• Warning: Just like deleting a full pack profile, this action is permanent. Once the bedroll is deleted, that specific inventory is gone.

The Telemetry Command Center: Clicking the Spatial Analytics button in the System Tools group launches the interactive Tactical Analytics Suite in a new tab. When it opens, you arrive at the Tactical Command Hub, featuring four specialized telemetry modules that let you audit your loadout from every physical and mathematical angle.

1. 🎒 Spatial Load Map (3D Wireframe & Heatmap):

• Interactive 3D Pack & Bedroll: Drag your mouse across the stage to rotate a 3D wireframe of both your 6-Axis Backpack (Core, Front, Back, Left, Right, Top, Bottom) and your Bedroll (Core and Outer).
• Weight Map [ON/OFF] & Calibration: Toggling the Weight Map ON illuminates each face of the 3D pack and bedroll with a color-graded heatmap—transitioning from cool green (light) to glowing red as an axis approaches or exceeds the maximum payload limits you set in the Weight Map Calibration grid.
• Pocket Map [ON/OFF]: Toggling the Pocket Map ON plots interactive, weight-graded coordinate dots onto the exact 3D faces where your Marker Flags live.

2. 📊 At a Glance (Charts, Audits & Saved Favorites): Use the Select At a Glance View dropdown in the sidebar to switch between 6 core analytical rooms plus your 5 Saved Favorite Battles:

• Category Loadout Analysis: A ranked horizontal bar chart of every #Category / *Category tag in your pack. Click any bar to open the Item Drilldown Modal listing every individual item.
• Category Percentage Analysis: An interactive Doughnut Chart showing each category's percentage share of your total loadout.
• Consumables vs Trackers: Compares your Gold Consumables (C#) against your Blue Equipment Trackers (T#) using a 3-way relative toggle bar.
• List View C's or T's: A dedicated bar chart isolating either all active Consumables or all active Equipment Trackers ranked from heaviest to lightest.
• List Heavy Hitters: Instantly ranks the top 15 heaviest individual gear items in your entire loadout.
• List Liquids: Isolates every Liquid Consumable item in your pack, displaying total volume and calculating weight based on density.
• ⭐ Saved Favorite Battles (Fav 1 – Fav 5): Render any head-to-head matchup you save from the This vs That Arena as an interactive Doughnut Chart!

3. 🌳 The Family Tree (Interactive Loadout Hierarchy):

• 2D Pan & Zoom Blueprint: Maps your entire loadout as an interactive branching tree—from the Backpack down through every Spatial Axis, nested Marker Flag, and gear item.
• 🖨️ Print Loadout: Click the purple Print Loadout button in the sidebar to generate a clean, printer-friendly Tactical Gear Manifest table.

4. ⚔️ This vs That Arena (Universal Head-to-Head Engine):

• Pit Anything Against Anything: Select any contender for Contender A (Gold) and Contender B (Blue)—choose from Complete Loadout, Pack Base, All Trackers, any Spatial Axis, any Pocket Flag, any #Category, or any single Gear Item!
• Live Verdict & Favorites: The center console calculates the exact percentage split and weight delta. Pick any of the 5 slots and click ⭐ Save Battle to Slot to wire that matchup into your At a Glance dropdown!

Saving and Loading Your Pack: Because PacTrack operates entirely within your browser for maximum privacy and offline speed, your pack data is saved directly to your device rather than a remote cloud server.

Save / Backup Pack & Load Archive File:

• Save / Backup Pack: Clicking this button compiles your entire loadout—every item, weight, liquid volume, note, photo, custom tracker, and marker flag—into a single, secure save file that downloads to your computer.
• Load Archive File: This button allows you to import a previously saved pack file back into the application, instantly restoring your fully mapped canvas and inventory.

Cross-App Synergy - PacTrack & FieldPac: PacTrack and its mobile sister application, FieldPac, are built on the exact same core engine and share 100% file compatibility:

• PacTrack (The Desktop Workbench): Optimized for widescreen desktop and laptop monitors. You can build your pack, type out detailed notes, organize your Gear Library, and map your flags on a large screen.
• FieldPac (The Mobile Field Tool): Send your saved pack file (and optional Gear Library .json export) to your phone and load it into FieldPac. Every marker flag coordinate, custom tracker, and liquid volume transfers seamlessly!

Personalizing Your Interface & Engine: The System Settings window is your central command panel for visual themes, measurement units, dashboard slots, and custom trackers. (Remember to click the blue Save Settings button at the top of the window to apply changes!)

Visuals & System Engine:

• Default Pack View: Choose which 6-axis angle (Back, Front, Left, Right, Top, or Bottom) displays first when you boot up or return to the Main Context.
• Color Theme (16 Tactical Palettes): Choose from Dark and Light editions of Desert Sand, Forest Canopy, Urban Slate, Marine, Tactical, Red Light Compatible, Chocolate, and Color Blind Safe palettes. Changing your theme here also dynamically updates the color theme of this User Manual!
• Interface Font: Switch the entire application's typography between Georgia, Segoe UI, Arial, Times New Roman, Courier New, Verdana, Impact, or Trebuchet MS.
• Canvas Background Color: Use the color picker bar to customize the background color behind your pack photos on the main canvas.
• Auto Save Engine: Toggle the IndexedDB Auto Save Engine On or Off. When On, every item edit or flag placement is automatically saved to your browser's local database.

Tracking & Metrics - Managing Your C# & T# Corrals:

• Measurement System: Switch globally between Imperial (lbs/oz/g & gal/qt/fl oz) and Metric (kg/g & L/mL).
• Telemetry Dashboard Slots: Choose which 4 readouts appear on your Left Column HUD dashboard.
• Consumable Trackers (C1 – C25): Click + Add Consumable to create up to 25 custom Consumables (e.g., Fuel or Electrolytes). C1: Water and C2: Food are permanent system baselines.
• Equipment Trackers (T1 – T50): Click + Add Tracker to create up to 50 custom Equipment Trackers (e.g., MedKit or Optics). T1 and T2 are protected from deletion, but all trackers can be renamed anytime.

Demo_Pack - Your Digital Training Ground: At the bottom of System Settings, clicking the Demo_Pack button loads a pre-built, fully populated backpack loadout complete with 6-axis visuals, marker flags, and weights so you can test the search engine and Analytics Suite right away.