diff --git a/code/_helpers/client.dm b/code/_helpers/client.dm
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..08ad6b1086
--- /dev/null
+++ b/code/_helpers/client.dm
@@ -0,0 +1,51 @@
+/*
+ Helpers related to /client
+*/
+
+
+/// Duck check to see if text looks like a ckey
+/proc/valid_ckey(text)
+ var/static/regex/matcher = new (@"^[a-z0-9]{1,30}$")
+ return findtext(text, matcher)
+
+
+/// Duck check to see if text looks like a key
+/proc/valid_key(text)
+ var/static/regex/matcher = new (@"^[0-9A-Za-z][0-9A-Za-z_\. -]{2,29}$")
+ return findtext(text, matcher)
+
+
+/// Get the client associated with ckey text if it is currently connected
+/proc/ckey2client(text)
+ if (valid_ckey(text))
+ for (var/client/C as anything in GLOB.clients)
+ if (C.ckey == text)
+ return C
+
+
+/// Get the client associated with key text if it is currently connected
+/proc/key2client(text)
+ if (valid_key(text))
+ for (var/client/C as anything in GLOB.clients)
+ if (C.key == text)
+ return C
+
+
+/// Null, or a client if thing is a client, a mob with a client, a connected ckey, or null
+/proc/resolve_client(client/thing)
+ if (istype(thing))
+ return thing
+ if (!thing)
+ thing = usr
+ if (ismob(thing))
+ var/mob/M = thing
+ return M.client
+ return ckey2client(thing)
+
+
+/// Null or a client from the list of connected clients, chosen by actor if actor is valid
+/proc/select_client(client/actor, message = "Connected clients:", title = "Select Client")
+ actor = resolve_client(actor)
+ if (!actor)
+ return
+ return input(actor, message, title) as null | anything in GLOB.clients
diff --git a/code/datums/browser.dm b/code/datums/browser.dm
index 274d9132a6..56e09ebba4 100644
--- a/code/datums/browser.dm
+++ b/code/datums/browser.dm
@@ -148,12 +148,13 @@
// to pass a "close=1" parameter to the atom's Topic() proc for special handling.
// Otherwise, the user mob's machine var will be reset directly.
//
-/proc/onclose(mob/user, windowid, var/atom/ref=null)
- if(!user || !user.client) return
+/proc/onclose(client/user, windowid, atom/ref)
+ user = resolve_client(user)
+ if (!user)
+ return
var/param = "null"
if(ref)
param = "\ref[ref]"
-
winset(user, windowid, "on-close=\".windowclose [param]\"")
//to_world("OnClose [user]: [windowid] : ["on-close=\".windowclose [param]\""]")
diff --git a/code/modules/admin/topic.dm b/code/modules/admin/topic.dm
index 57640ab07f..a927bc2ff1 100644
--- a/code/modules/admin/topic.dm
+++ b/code/modules/admin/topic.dm
@@ -1434,7 +1434,7 @@
var/obj/item/fax = locate(href_list["AdminFaxView"])
if (istype(fax, /obj/item/weapon/paper))
var/obj/item/weapon/paper/P = fax
- P.show_content(usr,1)
+ P.show_content(usr, TRUE)
else if (istype(fax, /obj/item/weapon/photo))
var/obj/item/weapon/photo/H = fax
H.show(usr)
@@ -1460,10 +1460,10 @@
if (istype(bundle.pages[page], /obj/item/weapon/paper))
var/obj/item/weapon/paper/P = bundle.pages[page]
- P.show_content(src.owner, 1)
+ P.show_content(owner, TRUE)
else if (istype(bundle.pages[page], /obj/item/weapon/photo))
var/obj/item/weapon/photo/H = bundle.pages[page]
- H.show(src.owner)
+ H.show(owner)
return
else if(href_list["FaxReply"])
diff --git a/code/modules/paperwork/paper.dm b/code/modules/paperwork/paper.dm
index 2c11287635..c807356452 100644
--- a/code/modules/paperwork/paper.dm
+++ b/code/modules/paperwork/paper.dm
@@ -156,13 +156,28 @@
else
. += "You have to go closer if you want to read it."
-/obj/item/weapon/paper/proc/show_content(var/mob/user, var/forceshow=0)
- if(!(istype(user, /mob/living/carbon/human) || istype(user, /mob/observer/dead) || istype(user, /mob/living/silicon) || user.universal_understand) && !forceshow)
- user << browse("[name][stars(info)][stamps]", "window=[name]")
- onclose(user, "[name]")
- else
- user << browse("[name][info][stamps]", "window=[name]")
- onclose(user, "[name]")
+
+/obj/item/weapon/paper/proc/show_content(mob/user, force_show)
+ if (!user)
+ return
+ var/user_is_client = isclient(user)
+ if (!user_is_client && !ismob(user))
+ return
+ var/understands = force_show
+ if (!understands)
+ if (user_is_client)
+ understands = TRUE
+ else if (user.universal_understand)
+ understands = TRUE
+ else if (isobserver(user))
+ understands = TRUE
+ else if (ishuman(user))
+ understands = TRUE
+ else if (issilicon(user))
+ understands = TRUE
+ user << browse("[name][understands ? info : stars(info)][stamps]", "window=[name]")
+ onclose(user, "[name]")
+
/obj/item/weapon/paper/verb/rename()
set name = "Rename paper"
diff --git a/polaris.dme b/polaris.dme
index 7a8df2dc0d..e1e8fd7412 100644
--- a/polaris.dme
+++ b/polaris.dme
@@ -102,6 +102,7 @@
#include "code\_helpers\_lists.dm"
#include "code\_helpers\atmospherics.dm"
#include "code\_helpers\atom_movables.dm"
+#include "code\_helpers\client.dm"
#include "code\_helpers\events.dm"
#include "code\_helpers\files.dm"
#include "code\_helpers\game.dm"