PRISM Advanced User Manual

PRISM is designed for recursive research. Each node is a claim, explanation, definition, critique, synthesis, or source-finding step that can branch into more precise work.

Recommended Test Setup

Use your own BYO API keys for hosted model calls. For low-cost testing, start with GPT-4o Mini before trying larger models.

Local mode is still useful for interface testing, but it does not return real model answers.

Provider Setup

Open Settings with the Settings button.

• OpenRouter uses https://openrouter.ai/api/v1/chat/completions.
• NVIDIA NIM uses https://integrate.api.nvidia.com/v1/chat/completions.
• Both providers use Authorization: Bearer <key>.
• Provider keys are stored in browser localStorage.
• Portable session files do not include API keys.

For OpenRouter testing, use your own BYO API key and choose GPT-4o Mini. If you hit rate limits or account restrictions, try a different model available to your account.

OpenRouter Live web search is optional and off by default. When enabled, PRISM sends the openrouter:web_search server tool with OpenRouter calls so the selected model can retrieve current web information. This can add latency and may use OpenRouter credits.

Advanced web search settings let you choose the search engine, context depth, result limits, allowed/excluded domains, and optional approximate location. The default profile is auto, medium, 5 results per search, and 10 total results.

Research Graph Workflow

Start broad, then branch only from text that deserves further investigation.

• Use the root node for the main research question.
• Use highlights to turn specific claims into child nodes.
• Use Analyse for structure and evidence.
• Use Explain for causal accounts.
• Use Define for terms and boundaries.
• Use Critique for risks, objections, and failure modes.

Use multi-node synthesis when several branches need to be combined. Select 2-4 nodes with the node-header select button, then click Synthesise selected in the canvas toolbar. Synthesis nodes are the integration products of the session: they compare agreements, divergences, what emerges from the combination, and the next research move.

Use Discuss when a single node deserves more depth before branching. It opens an inline question box; submitted discussion calls append new text into the same node body, keeping it highlightable and convertible into further nodes.

The Use as global session context checkbox is checked by default. When checked, PRISM also appends the discussion to global Context; when unchecked, it remains local node memory only.

Node footers show highlight count, branch count, and model provenance for the latest node text. Older imported nodes may show Unknown model until they are discussed or regenerated.

Highlight-Anchored Branching

New highlights store character offsets when the selection is created. This lets PRISM connect child-node lines to the exact highlighted span, even when the same text appears more than once.

If a source node is minimized, or the highlighted mark cannot be measured, the connector falls back to the node card edge.

Use Highlight only to capture an insight without calling a model or creating a child node. Standalone highlights can later be converted from the marked text itself or from the Insights panel.

Use Delete in Insights to remove any highlight annotation. Use Delete text when the underlying selected text should also be removed from the node body and from matching session context/journal memory. Child nodes are not deleted automatically.

Reading And Sidebar Tools

• Reading hides the side panels for a cleaner canvas.
• The floating x exits Reading mode.
• The right rail starts collapsed. Use <<< to open it and >>> to collapse it again.
• Active Path shows the selected node lineage.
• Insights lists starred highlights and captured branches.
• Journal stores session notes.

The Active Path, Insights, and Journal sections start minimized. Use + to open a section and - to close it.

Portable Sessions

Portable autosave creates a .prism.json file wherever you choose in the browser save picker.

Portable session files include session data, node positions, minimized state, highlight offsets, child links, active node, reading mode, canvas scroll, selected provider, and selected model.

Portable session files do not include OpenRouter API keys, NVIDIA NIM API keys, or browser Gallery history outside the exported session.

PDF Report in Export opens a printable report with the compact map, context, journal, node text, discussions, source spans, synthesis sources, and coloured highlights. Use the browser print dialog to save it as a PDF.

Troubleshooting

If a model call fails, PRISM writes the provider, endpoint, model, status code, and error message into the node.

• Missing or invalid BYO API key
• Model ID unavailable for the account
• Provider rate limit, including OpenRouter 429
• Browser or network blocking direct API calls
• Provider account access or billing restrictions

If there is no key, PRISM uses local fallback mode. If there is a key and the call fails, PRISM shows the API failure instead of silently pretending the local answer is real.