# Retail client-command routing and lifestone recall

Date: 2026-07-13

## Scope

This note records the retail path used for chat-bar commands and the first
ported client command, `@lifestone` (`@lif`, `@ls`). It deliberately separates
commands the retail client executes from ACE administrator commands that the
server consumes as Talk text.

## Named-retail sources

- `ChatInterface::ProcessCommand @ 0x004F5100`
- `ClientCommunicationSystem::OnChatCommand @ 0x00581320`
- `ClientCommunicationSystem::DoLifestone @ 0x0056FC70`
- `ClientCommunicationSystem::HelpLifestone @ 0x00578500`
- `CM_Character::Event_TeleToLifestone @ 0x006A1B90`
- Command-table construction at `0x005838F7` through `0x00583A2B`
- Alias data at `0x007E17E4` (`ls`), `0x007E17E8` (`lif`), and
  `0x007E17EC` (`lifestone`)

Source file:
`docs/research/named-retail/acclient_2013_pseudo_c.txt`.

## Cross-references

- ACE consumes server/admin commands such as `@ci` from the Talk game action.
  That is a different path from retail client commands.
- acdream already has the exact lifestone action builder in
  `AcDream.Core.Net.Messages.InteractRequests.BuildTeleToLifestone`.
- holtburger's chat parser is useful for chat aliases, but the named retail
  command registry is authoritative for client-command ownership and aliases.

## Retail pseudocode

### Chat submission

```text
ChatInterface.ProcessCommand():
    text = read chat input
    communicationSystem.OnChatCommand(text, currentCommandSource)
    append text to input history
```

```text
ClientCommunicationSystem.OnChatCommand(text, source):
    allow plugin to inspect/replace the input
    remember the current source and trimmed command line

    if first character is '/':
        replace it with '@'
        return DoCommand()

    if first character is '@':
        return DoCommand()

    if first character denotes an emote shortcut:
        rewrite to '@emote ...'
        return DoCommand()

    otherwise:
        route as ordinary speech according to the current talk focus
```

### Lifestone command registration

```text
register "lifestone" -> DoLifestone, HelpLifestone
register "lif"       -> DoLifestone, HelpLifestone
register "ls"        -> DoLifestone, HelpLifestone
```

The registry uses case-insensitive command keys.

### Lifestone command execution

```text
ClientCommunicationSystem.DoLifestone(argumentCount, arguments):
    if argumentCount == 0:
        CM_Character.Event_TeleToLifestone()
    else:
        add the command's usage/error text to the chat scroll
    return handled
```

```text
CM_Character.Event_TeleToLifestone():
    sequence = Proto_UI.GetNextUICounter()
    packet = OrderHdr(gameActionEnvelope, sequence, payloadLength = 12)
    packet.action = 0x0063
    sent = Proto_UI.SendToWeenie(packet)
    if not sent:
        Proto_UI.UICounterFailedSend(sequence)
    return sent
```

## Port contract

1. Both `/` and `@` prefixes are accepted for retail client commands.
2. `lifestone`, `lif`, and `ls` match case-insensitively.
3. The command accepts no arguments. Invalid arguments display usage locally
   and send neither chat nor a game action.
4. A valid command publishes a typed client action. The App layer executes it
   through `WorldSession`; UI code never touches the network session.
5. Unknown command verbs remain server commands: `/foo` is canonicalized to
   `@foo` and sent through Talk so ACE remains authoritative for its command
   set.
6. The wire body is the existing 12-byte game-action envelope with opcode
   `0x0063`; no command text is sent for lifestone recall.