diff --git a/Items.lua b/Items.lua
index 9f24a0a..f40e1a7 100644
--- a/Items.lua
+++ b/Items.lua
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-items = {
+itemdb = {
 {"entry",25,"class",2,"subclass",7,"name","Worn Shortsword","InventoryType",21,"ItemLevel",2,"RequiredLevel",1,"dmg_min1",1.0,"dmg_max1",3.0,"mobs","Talonsworn Forest-Rager,Crazed Murkblood Miner,Wyrmcult Zealot,Bloodmaul Warlock",0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,1900},
 {"entry",35,"class",2,"subclass",10,"name","Bent Staff","InventoryType",17,"ItemLevel",2,"RequiredLevel",1,"dmg_min1",3.0,"dmg_max1",5.0,"mobs","",0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,2900},
 {"entry",36,"class",2,"subclass",4,"name","Worn Mace","InventoryType",21,"ItemLevel",2,"RequiredLevel",1,"dmg_min1",1.0,"dmg_max1",3.0,"mobs","",0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,1900},
@@ -24219,5 +24219,5 @@ items = {
 {"entry",11042,"class",2,"subclass",7,"name","","InventoryType",13,"ItemLevel",0,"RequiredLevel",0,"dmg_min1",0.0,"dmg_max1",0.0,"mobs","",0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,1000},
 {"entry",11087,"class",2,"subclass",8,"name","","InventoryType",13,"ItemLevel",0,"RequiredLevel",0,"dmg_min1",0.0,"dmg_max1",0.0,"mobs","",0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,1000},
 {"entry",30452,"class",2,"subclass",2,"name","","InventoryType",15,"ItemLevel",0,"RequiredLevel",0,"dmg_min1",0.0,"dmg_max1",0.0,"mobs","",0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,1000},
-{"entry",2704,"class",2,"subclass",4,"name","","InventoryType",13,"ItemLevel",0,"RequiredLevel",0,"dmg_min1",0.0,"dmg_max1",0.0,"mobs","",0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,1000},
-}
\ No newline at end of file
+{"entry",2704,"class",2,"subclass",4,"name","","InventoryType",13,"ItemLevel",0,"RequiredLevel",0,"dmg_min1",0.0,"dmg_max1",0.0,"mobs","",0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,1000}
+}
diff --git a/main.fnl b/main.fnl
index 800185f..fd9b86a 100644
--- a/main.fnl
+++ b/main.fnl
@@ -1,4 +1,10 @@
-;; coll utils
+;; init note
+
+(if (> 1 (# itemdb))
+  (print "Failed to load item database")
+  (print "Item database loaded"))
+
+;; 1a: coll utils
 
 (fn length-of [coll]
   (if coll
@@ -13,7 +19,7 @@
   (let [key (next coll)]
     (. coll key)))
 
-;; str utils
+;; 1b: str utils
 
 (fn starts-with [s patt]
   (= (string.sub s 1 (string.len patt)) patt))
@@ -21,12 +27,12 @@
 (fn un-quote [s]
   (string.gsub s "\'" ""))
 
-;; number utils
+;; 1c: number utils
 
 (fn max [a b]
   (if (> a b) a b))
 
-;; fennel utils
+;; 1d: fennel utils
 
 (fn matches [a b]
   (if (starts-with a "lte:")
@@ -43,10 +49,10 @@
 
       (= a b)))
 
-;; querying
+;; 2a: querying
 
 (lambda find-items [params ?sort]
-  (let [results (icollect [_ row (ipairs items)]
+  (let [results (icollect [_ row (ipairs itemdb)]
                   (do
                     (var hit true)
                     (each [key param (pairs params)]
@@ -63,9 +69,9 @@
 (lambda find-item [params ?sort]
   (let [results (find-items params ?sort)]
     (if results
-        (first results))))
+        (. results 1))))
 
-;; specialized querying
+;; 2b: specialized querying
 
 (fn find-item-by-name [name]
   (find-item {8 name}))
@@ -87,16 +93,22 @@
                stat-position (string.format "gte:%d" stat-baseline)}
               ?sort))
 
-;; arg parsing
+;; 3b: specialized parsing
+
+(fn parse-item-id [link]
+  (tonumber (string.sub (string.match link "item:[%d+]+") 6)))
+
+;; 3c: arg parsing
 
 (fn parse-opts [msg]
   (icollect [k v (string.gmatch msg "%w+")] v))
 
-;; ui
+;; 4a: ui
 
 (fn ui-print [msg]
   (UIErrorsFrame:AddMessage msg))
 
+;; 4b
 (fn stat-name [n]
   (let [stat-names ["Mana" "Health" "No Visible Effect"
                     "Agility" "Strength" "Intellect"
@@ -132,7 +144,7 @@
         (set val (.. val " " (stat-name (- n 21)) ": " (. item n)))))
   val)
 
-;; main
+;; 5: main
 
 (global
  main
@@ -147,10 +159,9 @@
          inv-slot               (GetInventorySlotInfo slot)
          i-link                 (GetInventoryItemLink "player" inv-slot)
 
+         i-id                   (if i-link (parse-item-id i-link))
          p-level                (UnitLevel "player")]
      
-     ;; (print (string.format "slot %s stat %s gear-index %s" slot stat gear-index))
-     
      (if (not i-link) 
          ;; empty
          (let [best (.
@@ -183,7 +194,6 @@
                      i-level     (. stats 12)
                      i-stat      (. stats stat)
                      best        (. (find-next-better-item i-class i-subclass i-invtype p-level i-level stat (max i-stat 1) (fn [a b] (< (. a stat) (. b stat)))) gear-index)]
-           
                  (if best
                      (do
                        (DEFAULT_CHAT_FRAME:AddMessage (string.format "\124Hitem:%d:0:0:0:0:0:0:0:0\124h[%s]\124h\124r" (. best 2) (. best 8)))
@@ -194,9 +204,11 @@
                                      " at "
                                      (or (. best 20)) "N/A"))
                        
-                       (ui-print (.. "currently equipped " i-name " " (or (. stats stat) "N/A")))))))
+                       (ui-print (.. "currently equipped " i-name " " (or (. stats stat) "N/A"))))))
+               (print (.. "Item " (un-quote i-name) " not found")))
            "ok")))))
- 
+
+;; unused 
 (fn maxxed []
   (let [slots ["AmmoSlot"
                "BackSlot"
diff --git a/main.lua b/main.lua
index a029e1c..32394c4 100644
--- a/main.lua
+++ b/main.lua
@@ -1,3 +1,8 @@
+if (1 > #itemdb) then
+  print("Failed to load item database")
+else
+  print("Item database loaded")
+end
 local function length_of(coll)
   if coll then
     local c = 0
@@ -40,12 +45,12 @@ local function matches(a, b)
   end
 end
 local function find_items(params, _3fsort)
-  _G.assert((nil ~= params), "Missing argument params on main.fnl:48")
+  _G.assert((nil ~= params), "Missing argument params on main.fnl:54")
   local results
   do
     local tbl_17_auto = {}
     local i_18_auto = #tbl_17_auto
-    for _, row in ipairs(items) do
+    for _, row in ipairs(itemdb) do
       local val_19_auto
       do
         local hit = true
@@ -74,10 +79,10 @@ local function find_items(params, _3fsort)
   end
 end
 local function find_item(params, _3fsort)
-  _G.assert((nil ~= params), "Missing argument params on main.fnl:63")
+  _G.assert((nil ~= params), "Missing argument params on main.fnl:69")
   local results = find_items(params, _3fsort)
   if results then
-    return first(results)
+    return results[1]
   else
     return nil
   end
@@ -89,12 +94,15 @@ local function find_next_better_item(class, subclass, invtype, lv, ilv, stat_pos
   return find_items({[4] = class, [6] = subclass, [10] = invtype, [14] = string.format("lte:%d", lv), [stat_position] = string.format("gt>:%d", item_stat)}, _3fsort)
 end
 local function find_good_item(invtype, lv, stat_position, stat_baseline, _3fsort)
-  _G.assert((nil ~= stat_baseline), "Missing argument stat-baseline on main.fnl:83")
-  _G.assert((nil ~= stat_position), "Missing argument stat-position on main.fnl:83")
-  _G.assert((nil ~= lv), "Missing argument lv on main.fnl:83")
-  _G.assert((nil ~= invtype), "Missing argument invtype on main.fnl:83")
+  _G.assert((nil ~= stat_baseline), "Missing argument stat-baseline on main.fnl:89")
+  _G.assert((nil ~= stat_position), "Missing argument stat-position on main.fnl:89")
+  _G.assert((nil ~= lv), "Missing argument lv on main.fnl:89")
+  _G.assert((nil ~= invtype), "Missing argument invtype on main.fnl:89")
   return find_items({[10] = invtype, [14] = string.format("lte:%d", lv), [stat_position] = string.format("gte:%d", stat_baseline)}, _3fsort)
 end
+local function parse_item_id(link)
+  return tonumber(string.sub(string.match(link, "item:[%d+]+"), 6))
+end
 local function parse_opts(msg)
   local tbl_17_auto = {}
   local i_18_auto = #tbl_17_auto
@@ -140,22 +148,28 @@ local function main0(msg)
     end
     opts = tbl_17_auto
   end
-  local _let_11_ = opts
-  local slot = _let_11_[1]
-  local stat = _let_11_[2]
-  local gear_index = _let_11_[3]
+  local _let_12_ = opts
+  local slot = _let_12_[1]
+  local stat = _let_12_[2]
+  local gear_index = _let_12_[3]
   local slot0 = (slot .. "Slot")
   local stat0 = (21 + tonumber(stat))
   local gear_index0 = tonumber((gear_index or "1"))
   local inv_slot = GetInventorySlotInfo(slot0)
   local i_link = GetInventoryItemLink("player", inv_slot)
+  local i_id
+  if i_link then
+    i_id = parse_item_id(i_link)
+  else
+    i_id = nil
+  end
   local p_level = UnitLevel("player")
   if not i_link then
     local best
-    local function _12_(a, b)
+    local function _14_(a, b)
       return ((a[stat0] < b[stat0]) and (a[12] < b[12]))
     end
-    best = (find_good_item(inv_slot, UnitLevel("player"), stat0, 1, _12_))[gear_index0]
+    best = (find_good_item(inv_slot, UnitLevel("player"), stat0, 1, _14_))[gear_index0]
     if best then
       DEFAULT_CHAT_FRAME:AddMessage(string.format("|Hitem:%d:0:0:0:0:0:0:0:0|h[%s]|h|r", best[2], best[8]))
       return ui_print(("next best available: " .. best[8] .. " " .. stat_print(best) .. " at " .. best[20] .. "N/A"))
@@ -172,10 +186,10 @@ local function main0(msg)
       local i_level = stats[12]
       local i_stat = stats[stat0]
       local best
-      local function _14_(a, b)
+      local function _16_(a, b)
         return (a[stat0] < b[stat0])
       end
-      best = (find_next_better_item(i_class, i_subclass, i_invtype, p_level, i_level, stat0, max(i_stat, 1), _14_))[gear_index0]
+      best = (find_next_better_item(i_class, i_subclass, i_invtype, p_level, i_level, stat0, max(i_stat, 1), _16_))[gear_index0]
       if best then
         DEFAULT_CHAT_FRAME:AddMessage(string.format("|Hitem:%d:0:0:0:0:0:0:0:0|h[%s]|h|r", best[2], best[8]))
         ui_print(("next best available: " .. best[8] .. " " .. stat_print(best) .. " at " .. best[20] .. "N/A"))
@@ -183,6 +197,7 @@ local function main0(msg)
       else
       end
     else
+      print(("Item " .. un_quote(i_name) .. " not found"))
     end
     return "ok"
   end