# Retail appraisal request and examination UI pseudocode **Date:** 2026-07-23 **Scope:** status-bar Assess request, IdentifyObjectResponse parsing, and the retained examination window. ## Sources - Named retail: - `gmToolbarUI::ListenToElementMessage @ 0x004BEE90` - `gmExaminationUI::RecvNotice_ExamineObject @ 0x004AB7B0` - `gmExaminationUI::RecvNotice_SelectionChanged @ 0x004AB3D0` - `gmExaminationUI::SetActiveExamineUI @ 0x004AB420` - `gmExaminationUI::UseTime @ 0x004AB530` - `gmExaminationUI::SetAppraiseInfo @ 0x004ADAE0` - `BasicCreatureExamineUI::Init @ 0x004AB9C0` - `BasicCreatureExamineUI::BasicCreatureExamineUI @ 0x004ACD30` - `BasicCreatureExamineUI::SetLevelValueText @ 0x004B3E70` - `BasicCreatureExamineUI::SetAppraiseInfo @ 0x004B3F70` - `CreatureExamineUI::SetAppraiseInfo @ 0x004B3FF0` - `CharExamineUI::SetAppraiseInfo @ 0x004B45F0` - `AttributeInfoRegion::Update @ 0x004F1D90` - `Attribute2ndInfoRegion::Update @ 0x004F1E80` - `AppraisalSystem::InqCreatureDisplayName @ 0x005B59E0` - `ItemExamineUI::SetAppraiseInfo @ 0x004B72B0` - `ItemExamineUI::HandleInscriptionGainingFocus @ 0x004AC0E0` - `ItemExamineUI::HandleInscriptionMousePresses @ 0x004AC230` - `ItemExamineUI::SetInscriptionEditableState @ 0x004AC720` - `ItemExamineUI::SetInscription @ 0x004AE2F0` - `ItemExamineUI::HandleInscriptionLosingFocus @ 0x004AE620` - `gmFloatyExaminationUI::ResizeTo @ 0x004D4470` - `AppraisalProfile::IsHookedItemInscribable @ 0x005B2F90` - `HookAppraisalProfile::IsInscribable @ 0x005B64C0` - `CM_Writing::Event_SetInscription @ 0x006A98B0` - `PublicWeenieDesc::BF_INSCRIBABLE` in `acclient.h:6434` - Retail LayoutDesc `0x2100006B`, root `0x100005F2` (`gmFloatyExaminationUI`, authored size 310 x 400 pixels). - ACE: - `IdentifyResponseFlags` - `GameEventIdentifyObjectResponse` - `AppraiseInfo.Write` - `HookProfile.Write` - `GameActionSetInscription` - `Player.HandleActionSetInscription` - ACViewer's `HookAppraisalProfile` representation, used as a second interpretation check for the three-field hook profile. The named retail client is the behavior oracle. ACE and ACViewer only clarify the server packet and structure interpretation. ## Toolbar request ```text on Examine button: if selected object id != 0: ClientUISystem.ExamineObject(selected id) else: enter TARGET_MODE_EXAMINE ``` This was already present in acdream before this slice and does not need a second command path. ## Examination request lifetime ```text on ExamineObject(guid): if guid == 0: return if awaitingAppraisalId == 0: ClientUISystem.IncrementBusyCount() awaitingAppraisalId = guid send CM_Item.Event_Appraise(guid) clear pending profile pointer ``` Replacing one pending GUID does not add a second busy reference. The response for the current pending GUID releases that one reference. ## IdentifyObjectResponse packet order The flag values are part of the wire contract and are not the field-order indices: ```text IntStatsTable 0x0001 BoolStatsTable 0x0002 FloatStatsTable 0x0004 StringStatsTable 0x0008 SpellBook 0x0010 WeaponProfile 0x0020 HookProfile 0x0040 ArmorProfile 0x0080 CreatureProfile 0x0100 ArmorEnchantmentBitfield 0x0200 ResistEnchantmentBitfield 0x0400 WeaponEnchantmentBitfield 0x0800 DidStatsTable 0x1000 Int64StatsTable 0x2000 ArmorLevels 0x4000 ``` ACE writes the gated bodies in the order below, independent of the numerical position of each flag. ```text read guid read flags read success if IntStatsTable: read packed int table if Int64StatsTable: read packed int64 table if BoolStatsTable: read packed bool table if FloatStatsTable: read packed double table if StringStatsTable: read packed string table if DidStatsTable: read packed DID table if SpellBook: read spell list if ArmorProfile: read armor profile if CreatureProfile: read creature profile if WeaponProfile: read weapon profile if HookProfile: read flags, validLocations, ammoType (three u32) if ArmorEnchantmentBitfield: read highlight/color (two u16) if WeaponEnchantmentBitfield: read highlight/color (two u16) if ResistEnchantmentBitfield: read highlight/color (two u16) if ArmorLevels: read nine u32 armor levels ``` Every gated field is positional. A truncated gated field rejects the packet; returning a partial profile would let later fields masquerade as earlier ones. ## Applying an appraisal ```text SetAppraiseInfo(guid, profile): if guid == 0: return if guid != awaitingAppraisalId and guid != currentAppraisalId: return firstResponse = false if guid == awaitingAppraisalId: awaitingAppraisalId = 0 ClientUISystem.DecrementBusyCount() currentAppraisalId = guid firstResponse = true if profile has no CreatureProfile: subview = item else if profile has string property Template (5) or int property EquipmentSetId (0x105): subview = character/player else: subview = creature object = ClientObjMaintSystem.GetWeenieObject(guid) if object is absent: return titleName = profile string 0x34 if present else object.GetObjectName(NAME_APPROPRIATE) title = titleName with stack count newlySelectedInSubview = guid != subview.currentObjectId subview.Init(guid, object) subview.SetAppraiseInfo(profile, newlySelectedInSubview) SetActiveExamineUI(subview) if firstResponse: show examination window ``` Only the first response to an explicit request forces the window visible. Background refreshes update the current object without reopening a closed window. ## Subview and refresh behavior ```text SetActiveExamineUI(selected): hide item, creature, character, and spell subviews show selected subview only on time pulse: if examination window is visible and combat mode is not peace and active subview is creature or character and currentAppraisalId != 0 and 0.75 seconds elapsed: send another Event_Appraise(currentAppraisalId) ``` `gmExaminationUI::gmExaminationUI @ 0x004AB2B0` initializes `m_examineNewlySelectedItem` to one. Selection-follow is therefore retail's default examination behavior, not an optional preference: ```text on SelectionChanged: if examination window is not visible: return if selected object id != 0: ClientUISystem.ExamineObject(selected id) else: hide examination window ``` ## Creature presentation `BasicCreatureExamineUI` binds viewport `0x10000148`, base-stat list box `0x10000149`, miscellaneous-rating list box `0x10000335`, level value `0x1000014C`, and creature display name `0x1000014E`. Its rows are instances of LayoutDesc `0x2100006B` template `0x10000166`, whose label and value fields are `0x1000012A` and `0x1000012B`. ```text on creature appraisal: level = int property 25 level text = decimal level when positive, otherwise "???" creatureType = int property 2 display name = EnumMapper 0x2200000E[creatureType] replace underscores in display name with spaces clear stat list append rows in this exact order: Strength primary attribute 1 Endurance primary attribute 2 Coordination primary attribute 4 Quickness primary attribute 3 Focus primary attribute 5 Self primary attribute 6 Health current secondary 2 / maximum secondary 1, show percent Stamina current secondary 4 / maximum secondary 3 Mana current secondary 6 / maximum secondary 5 clear miscellaneous list damageRating = int property 0x133 damageResistRating = int property 0x134 critRating = int property 0x139 critDamageRating = int property 0x13A critResistRating = int property 0x13B critDamageResist = int property 0x13C healingBoostRating = int property 0x143 dotResistRating = int property 0x15E lifeResistRating = int property 0x15F if any displayed rating group is nonzero: append blank row if damageRating or critRating or critDamageRating is positive: append "Dmg/CritDmg" = "Rating: damageRating/critDamageRating" if damageResistRating or critResistRating or critDamageResist is positive: append "Dmg/CritDmg" = "Resist: damageResistRating/critDamageResist" if dotResistRating or lifeResistRating is positive: append "DoT/Life:" = "Resist: dotResistRating/lifeResistRating" append blank row ``` Successful primary values are decimal integers. Successful Health is `current/max (percent %)`; Stamina and Mana are `current/max`. On a failed assessment, Health still shows the percentage when both values are known, while every other row is `???`. The profile highlight/color bitfields select one of retail's four authored FontInfo entries (normal, beneficial, detrimental, or incomplete); exact FontInfo-list binding remains AP-110. The 2013 client reads HealingBoost but does not append it to this creature rating list. CritRating and CritResistRating determine whether their paired row exists, while the displayed right-hand value is CritDamageRating or CritDamageResistRating exactly as retail formats it. The authored viewport and list overlap. Retail draws the creature between the row chrome and the row text. The modern retained RTT seam reproduces that ordering with two synchronized copies of the same DAT row template: media-only chrome below the viewport and media-free label/value descendants above it. Both copies share one pixel scroll model. The 292-pixel authored row is inset four pixels within the 300-pixel list surface, giving the text a balanced left/right margin without changing template geometry. The animated preview is a private `CreatureMode`, not the live world object: ```text clear the previous private creature clone selected CPhysicsObj with makeObject set clone heading to 191.367905 degrees query the clone bounding box width = bbox.max.x - bbox.min.x depth = bbox.max.y - bbox.min.y height = bbox.max.z - bbox.min.z viewportHeightOverWidth = viewport.height / viewport.width fittedVerticalSpan = max(height, width * viewportHeightOverWidth) center = (bbox.min + bbox.max) / 2 camera.position = ( center.x, center.y - (fittedVerticalSpan * 1.20710683 + depth / 2), center.z) camera.direction = identity (+Y) viewport light: type = DISTANT_LIGHT intensity = 2 direction = (0.3, 1.9, 0.65) insert clone into the private CreatureMode ``` ACDream's modern rendering equivalent uses the same isolated render-to-texture owner as the inventory paperdoll. The examination clone has its own stable render identity, fixed heading and retail camera/light, while its mesh-part transforms are refreshed from the live target each frame so its current animation is visible without registering a second gameplay entity. Retail's clone instead advances the motion state copied by `CPhysicsObj::MorphToExistingObject`; that narrow sequencer-ownership adaptation is recorded under AP-92. ## Item presentation order `ItemExamineUI::SetAppraiseInfo` clears and rebuilds the authored item text in this order: 1. icon; 2. value and burden (the EoR layout has no separate value/burden controls, so these enter the main text); 3. inscription/signature; 4. tinkering/workmanship; 5. set and rating information; 6. weapon or armor profile; 7. defense and armor modifiers; 8. magic, special properties, usage and wield requirements; 9. caster/boost/healer/capacity/lock/mana/uses/craftsman details; 10. sale restriction, rare status, full magic, and description. The individual branches are not a generic property dump. They project the wire profile into retail prose: ```text ShowWeaponAndArmor(validLocations, profile): ammoType = live PublicWeenieDesc ammo type if object is a hook: ammoType = HookProfile ammo type if validLocations contains Shield: append "Base Shield Level: " append the player-dependent effective Shield level when available if validLocations contains a weapon location: weapon = profile.WeaponProfile append "Skill: " if WeaponType exists: append the parenthesized weapon subtype launcher = validLocations contains MissileWeapon and ammoType != None append launcher ? "Damage Bonus: " : "Damage: " minimum = (1 - DamageVariance) * Damage if Damage - minimum > 0.0002: append " - " else: append "" append damage type for non-launchers append Elemental Damage Bonus when present append launcher Damage Modifier when present if validLocations contains MeleeWeapon, MissileWeapon, or TwoHanded: append "Speed: ()" categories: raw < 11 -> Very Fast raw < 31 -> Fast raw < 50 -> Average raw < 80 -> Slow otherwise -> Very Slow if launcher: rangeYards = min( 85, 2 * MaxVelocity^2 * (1 / 9.8) * 1.094) if rangeYards < 10: displayedRange = ceil(rangeYards) else: displayedRange = truncate down to a multiple of 5 append "Range: yds." if MaxVelocityEstimated: append " (based on STRENGTH 100)" if WeaponOffense != 1 and this is not launcher damage: append "Bonus to Attack Skill: ." append the retail ammunition sentence: ammunition -> "Used as ammunition by bows/crossbows/atlatls." launcher -> "Uses arrows/quarrels/atlatl darts as ammunition." ShowArmor(profile): append "Armor Level: " for Slashing, Piercing, Bludgeoning, Fire, Cold, Acid, Electric, Nether: adjective from DamageResistanceToString: 0.0 -> None (0.0, 0.4) -> Poor [0.4, 0.8) -> Below Average [0.8, 1.2) -> Average [1.2, 1.6) -> Above Average [1.6, 2.0) -> Excellent >= 2.0 -> Unparalleled append ": ()" ShowMagic(profile): if the spellbook exists and appraisal failed: append "Spells: unknown." return split spell ids by the high enchantment bit resolve every id with that bit masked through ClientMagicSystem for ordinary spells: append Spellcraft, Mana, and Mana Cost when present append "Spell Descriptions:" append each spell name and its DAT description for high-bit enchantments: append "Enchantments:" append each spell name and its DAT description ShowSpecialProperties(profile): append carry limit and authored cooldown duration when present append cleave count build one "Properties: " line from: creature slayer, Multi-Strike, imbued-effect flags, Magic Absorbing, Unenchantable, Attuned/Bonded/death behavior, Retained, Crushing Blow, Biting Strike, Armor/Resistance Cleaving, Cast on Strike, Ivoryable, and Dyeable if an imbued-effect flag exists: append "This item cannot be further imbued." if AutowieldLeft: append the left-hand tether sentence ShowRemainingItemFields(profile): append, in SetAppraiseInfo order: usage text level, direct heritage restriction, and wield requirements (up to four requirement triplets) use restrictions item level and item XP activation requirements caster, boost, healing, capacity, lock, and mana-stone data remaining key/charge counts creator, last tinkerer, and imbuer cannot-be-sold and rare notices short and long descriptions ``` Sources: - `ItemExamineUI::SetAppraiseInfo @ 0x004B72B0` - `ItemExamineUI::Appraisal_ShowWieldRequirements @ 0x004AF9A0` - `ItemExamineUI::Appraisal_ShowSpecialProperties @ 0x004B0140` - `ItemExamineUI::Appraisal_ShowWeaponAndArmorData @ 0x004B10E0` - `ItemExamineUI::Appraisal_ShowArmorModsData @ 0x004B1F60` - `ItemExamineUI::Appraisal_ShowMagicInfo @ 0x004B2E10` - `ItemExamineUI::Appraisal_ShowActivationRequirements @ 0x004B3270` - `AppraisalSystem::WeaponTimeToString @ 0x005B4970` - `AppraisalSystem::DamageResistanceToString @ 0x005B5490` - `AppraisalSystem::InqWorkmanshipAdjective @ 0x005B48E0` - `ClientUISystem::DeltaTimeToString @ 0x00565E10` ACE's `AppraiseInfo` serializer and property enums were used to pin the typed-table IDs carried by the network profile. ACViewer's portal.dat SpellTable path was used as the second reference check that item spell names and descriptions come from DAT spell metadata rather than a hand-maintained client list. Retail's named functions remain the behavioral oracle. The main text and inscription areas use their authored scrollbars. A newly selected object resets those scroll positions to the top; a refresh of the same object preserves the user's position. ## Window behavior The LayoutDesc root already contains retail's complete floaty window chrome, close control, item/creature/character/spell subviews, and scrollbars. The root's concrete retail type is `gmFloatyExaminationUI`, not a child of `gmPanelUI`. It is mounted and persisted as its own top-level retained window. Showing it must not hide, replace, resize, or reposition the shared Inventory/Skills/Spellbook panel. `gmFloatyExaminationUI::ResizeTo` delegates to ordinary `UIElement::ResizeTo` and persists width/height; it adds no special resize algorithm. The authored root is exactly 310 by 400 pixels and has 310-by-400 minimum constraints. Its maximum constraints are 2000 by 2000, so 310 by 400 is the retail opening/default size, not a fixed-size panel. The main item report control is authored with bottom vertical justification, but `ItemExamineUI::AddItemInfo` appends rows from the start of the cleared text surface. The retained projection must therefore lay out that generated report from the top while leaving the separate authored inscription behavior intact. ## Inscription presentation and eligibility ```text SetInscription(profile): reset inscription field to its unfocused state clear displayed text, signature, old inscription, scribe name/account inscribable = object.PublicWeenieDesc has BF_INSCRIBABLE if object is a hook: inscribable = profile.HookProfile exists and (HookProfile.Flags & 1) != 0 if not inscribable: hide inscription field and signature return scribe = profile string property 8, or empty oldInscription = profile string property 7, or empty if scribe is empty: field = "" signature = "" else: field = oldInscription signature = "--" + scribe if local player is a PSR and scribe-account property 0x17 exists: signature += " <" + scribeAccount + ">" show field and signature SetInscriptionEditableState() SetInscriptionEditableState: editable = object exists and object has BF_INSCRIBABLE and object is owned by the local player and (scribe is empty or case-insensitive scribe == local player name) PSR may override the ownership/scribe restriction field.Editable = editable field.Selectable = editable inscription background receives mouse presses only when not editable ``` The ordinary-player port does not fabricate PSR status. It applies the exact ownership/name rule; an eventual PSR player-description capability can add the retail override without changing this transaction. For hooks, the appraisal HookProfile is the source of truth for presentation: `AppraisalProfile::IsHookedItemInscribable` returns false when it is absent and otherwise returns bit 0. The live public description remains the source used by `SetInscriptionEditableState`, matching the two retail functions rather than merging them into one guessed rule. Noneditable mouse presses report retail's exact reason: ```text if scribe is nonempty and differs from local player: "Only can change the inscription" else if object is absent or not owned: "Item must be in your inventory to inscribe." else if BF_INSCRIBABLE is absent: "This item is not inscribable." ``` ## Inscription edit transaction ```text on inscription focus gained: if scribe is empty: switch to the normal editing state clear "" signature = "--" + local player name on inscription focus lost: if current object id == 0: return text = current field text skipSend = text is empty and original scribe is empty if not skipSend and text != oldInscription: send CM_Writing.Event_SetInscription(object id, text) if text is empty: restore unfocused state field = "" signature = "" scribe name/account = "" else: scribe name = local player name signature = "--" + local player name oldInscription = text ``` `CM_Writing::Event_SetInscription` sends a normal UI-counter GameAction: ```text u32 0xF7B1 GameAction envelope u32 uiCounter u32 0x00BF SetInscription u32 objectGuid String16L text CP-1252, padded to a four-byte boundary ``` There is no successful server reply in retail captures. The client therefore updates its field/signature optimistically after sending; ACE deliberately implements the same behavior. ## Remaining slice boundary The request lifetime, exact packet flags, independent floaty window, inscription permission/edit/write transaction, subview choice, authored outer layout, ordered creature stats and ratings, animated creature preview, viewport/list/text compositing, selection-follow, scrollbar ownership, and combat refresh are in scope. Retail's item-object preview, exhaustive specialized `ItemExamineUI` detail branches, exact appraisal FontInfo-list selection, and PSR-only scribe-account/override behavior remain explicit AP-110 work.