diff --git a/src/df/core/df_core.mdesk b/src/df/core/df_core.mdesk
index 8135ead4..8c38aa73 100644
--- a/src/df/core/df_core.mdesk
+++ b/src/df/core/df_core.mdesk
@@ -462,6 +462,13 @@ DF_CoreCmdTable://               |            |                  |
 //                          rows, this stage offers the ability to build a ui
 //                          stretching over all of the rows.
 //
+// whole ui build, "wu"  -> sometimes, more sophisticated interfaces need to be
+//                          provided for a view rule, that stretch beyond the
+//                          limits of what could be offered inside a watch
+//                          window block. in such cases, the eval/view-rule
+//                          combo will be granted its own tab for example, and
+//                          this stage is used to fill such a ui.
+//
 // A few other bits are included for various ways in which a view rule may be
 // applied throughout the eval visualization pipeline. A list follows:
 //
diff --git a/src/df/gfx/df_gfx.c b/src/df/gfx/df_gfx.c
index a4bc8282..d6b7ed78 100644
--- a/src/df/gfx/df_gfx.c
+++ b/src/df/gfx/df_gfx.c
@@ -6878,8 +6878,8 @@ df_single_line_eval_value_strings_from_eval(Arena *arena, DF_EvalVizStringFlags
         if(!has_array && direct_type_is_string && (flags & DF_EvalVizStringFlag_ReadOnlyDisplayRules) && eval.mode == EVAL_EvalMode_Addr)
         {
           U64 string_memory_addr = value_eval.imm_u64;
-          U64 element_size = tg_byte_size_from_graph_rdi_key(graph, rdi, eval.type_key);
-          CTRL_ProcessMemorySlice text_slice = ctrl_query_cached_zero_terminated_data_from_process_vaddr_limit(arena, process->ctrl_machine_id, process->ctrl_handle, eval.offset, 256, element_size, 0);
+          U64 element_size = tg_byte_size_from_graph_rdi_key(graph, rdi, direct_type_key);
+          CTRL_ProcessMemorySlice text_slice = ctrl_query_cached_zero_terminated_data_from_process_vaddr_limit(arena, process->ctrl_machine_id, process->ctrl_handle, string_memory_addr, 256, element_size, 0);
           String8 raw_text = {0};
           switch(element_size)
           {
diff --git a/src/df/gfx/df_gfx.h b/src/df/gfx/df_gfx.h
index c20510f2..ae72efcf 100644
--- a/src/df/gfx/df_gfx.h
+++ b/src/df/gfx/df_gfx.h
@@ -281,6 +281,7 @@ enum
   DF_GfxViewRuleSpecInfoFlag_LineStringize  = (1<<1),
   DF_GfxViewRuleSpecInfoFlag_RowUI          = (1<<2),
   DF_GfxViewRuleSpecInfoFlag_BlockUI        = (1<<3),
+  DF_GfxViewRuleSpecInfoFlag_WholeUI        = (1<<4),
 };
 
 #define DF_GFX_VIEW_RULE_VIZ_ROW_PROD_FUNCTION_SIG(name) void name(void)
@@ -299,10 +300,15 @@ enum
 #define DF_GFX_VIEW_RULE_BLOCK_UI_FUNCTION_NAME(name) df_gfx_view_rule_block_ui__##name
 #define DF_GFX_VIEW_RULE_BLOCK_UI_FUNCTION_DEF(name) DF_GFX_VIEW_RULE_BLOCK_UI_FUNCTION_SIG(DF_GFX_VIEW_RULE_BLOCK_UI_FUNCTION_NAME(name))
 
+#define DF_GFX_VIEW_RULE_WHOLE_UI_FUNCTION_SIG(name) void name(struct DF_Window *ws, struct DF_Panel *panel, struct DF_View *view, Rng2F32 rect, DBGI_Scope *dbgi_scope, DF_CtrlCtx *ctrl_ctx, EVAL_ParseCtx *parse_ctx, EVAL_String2ExprMap *macro_map, struct DF_CfgNode *cfg)
+#define DF_GFX_VIEW_RULE_WHOLE_UI_FUNCTION_NAME(name) df_gfx_view_rule_whole_ui__##name
+#define DF_GFX_VIEW_RULE_WHOLE_UI_FUNCTION_DEF(name) DF_GFX_VIEW_RULE_WHOLW_UI_FUNCTION_SIG(DF_GFX_VIEW_RULE_WHOLE_UI_FUNCTION_NAME(name))
+
 typedef DF_GFX_VIEW_RULE_VIZ_ROW_PROD_FUNCTION_SIG(DF_GfxViewRuleVizRowProdHookFunctionType);
 typedef DF_GFX_VIEW_RULE_LINE_STRINGIZE_FUNCTION_SIG(DF_GfxViewRuleLineStringizeHookFunctionType);
 typedef DF_GFX_VIEW_RULE_ROW_UI_FUNCTION_SIG(DF_GfxViewRuleRowUIFunctionType);
 typedef DF_GFX_VIEW_RULE_BLOCK_UI_FUNCTION_SIG(DF_GfxViewRuleBlockUIFunctionType);
+typedef DF_GFX_VIEW_RULE_WHOLE_UI_FUNCTION_SIG(DF_GfxViewRuleWholeUIFunctionType);
 
 typedef struct DF_GfxViewRuleSpecInfo DF_GfxViewRuleSpecInfo;
 struct DF_GfxViewRuleSpecInfo
@@ -313,6 +319,7 @@ struct DF_GfxViewRuleSpecInfo
   DF_GfxViewRuleLineStringizeHookFunctionType *line_stringize;
   DF_GfxViewRuleRowUIFunctionType *row_ui;
   DF_GfxViewRuleBlockUIFunctionType *block_ui;
+  DF_GfxViewRuleWholeUIFunctionType *whole_ui;
 };
 
 typedef struct DF_GfxViewRuleSpecInfoArray DF_GfxViewRuleSpecInfoArray;
diff --git a/src/df/gfx/df_gfx.mdesk b/src/df/gfx/df_gfx.mdesk
index 14ad8d43..92a4283e 100644
--- a/src/df/gfx/df_gfx.mdesk
+++ b/src/df/gfx/df_gfx.mdesk
@@ -231,23 +231,23 @@ DF_CmdParamSlot2ViewSpecMap:
 //
 // NOTE(rjf): see @view_rule_info
 
-@table(string     vr  ls  ru  bu)
+@table(string     vr  ls  ru  bu  wu)
 DF_GfxViewRuleTable:
 {
-  {"array"         -   -   -   -}
-  {"list"          x   -   -   -}
-  {"dec"           -   x   -   -}
-  {"bin"           -   x   -   -}
-  {"oct"           -   x   -   -}
-  {"hex"           -   x   -   -}
-  {"only"          x   x   -   -}
-  {"omit"          x   x   -   -}
-  {"no_addr"       -   x   -   -}
-  {"rgba"          -   -   x   x}
-  {"text"          -   -   -   x}
-  {"disasm"        -   -   -   x}
-  {"bitmap"        -   -   x   x}
-  {"geo"           -   -   x   x}
+  {"array"         -   -   -   -   -  }
+  {"list"          x   -   -   -   -  }
+  {"dec"           -   x   -   -   -  }
+  {"bin"           -   x   -   -   -  }
+  {"oct"           -   x   -   -   -  }
+  {"hex"           -   x   -   -   -  }
+  {"only"          x   x   -   -   -  }
+  {"omit"          x   x   -   -   -  }
+  {"no_addr"       -   x   -   -   -  }
+  {"rgba"          -   -   x   x   -  }
+  {"text"          -   -   -   x   -  }
+  {"disasm"        -   -   -   x   -  }
+  {"bitmap"        -   -   x   x   x  }
+  {"geo"           -   -   x   x   -  }
 }
 
 ////////////////////////////////