MSW Sprite RUID

Rules for assigning a RUID to SpriteRendererComponent.SpriteRUID (world) or SpriteGUIRendererComponent.ImageRUID (UI).

Native type support

Both components accept a sprite or animationclip RUID directly — no extra animator component required.

ImageRUID is a DataRef: in runtime .mlua, assign DataRef(ruid). Use { DataId: ruid } only in .ui / .model JSON or builder patch data. SpriteRUID remains a plain string.

-- World: sprite or animationclip RUID both work
self.Entity.SpriteRendererComponent.SpriteRUID = ruid

-- UI: sprite or animationclip RUID both work
self.Entity.SpriteGUIRendererComponent.ImageRUID = DataRef(ruid)

A skeleton / avataritem RUID assigned without the thumbnail:// prefix fails silently (no error, nothing renders).

animationclip: single animation vs multi-state

• Single looping animation (background deco, idle effect, prop): set SpriteRUID or ImageRUID directly to the animationclip RUID.
• Multi-state (stand / move / attack / hit / die): use StateAnimationComponent + ActionSheet. See msw-general/references/monster.md.

thumbnail:// prefix — static thumbnail from any resource

Prepend thumbnail:// to SpriteRUID or ImageRUID to render a static thumbnail image from any resource — useful for icons, preview images, and item thumbnails.

thumbnail://<32-char hex RUID>

Accepted types: sprite · animationclip · skeleton · avataritem

-- World thumbnail (any resource type)
self.Entity.SpriteRendererComponent.SpriteRUID = "thumbnail://" .. anyRuid

-- UI thumbnail (any resource type)
self.Entity.SpriteGUIRendererComponent.ImageRUID = DataRef("thumbnail://" .. anyRuid)

Primary use case: avataritem icons

avataritem RUIDs cannot render without thumbnail://. With the prefix they become item icons for inventory slots, shop listings, and equip previews.

slotEntity.SpriteGUIRendererComponent.ImageRUID = DataRef("thumbnail://" .. avatarItemRuid)

Search avatar item RUIDs with the msw-search skill (searchAvatarItems).

Common pitfalls

• skeleton / avataritem directly into SpriteRUID / ImageRUID without prefix → silently invisible.
• thumbnail:// = static image only. For live animation, assign the animationclip RUID directly (no prefix).
• Runtime .mlua uses ImageRUID = DataRef("..."); the { "DataId": "..." } object form is .ui / .model JSON only (the prefix goes inside DataId, not a separate field). Do not use the table form in runtime code — the LSP rejects it as a DataRef type mismatch.
• CostumeManagerComponent.Custom*Equip, StateAnimationComponent.ActionSheet, and SkeletonRendererComponent.SkeletonRUID do not accept thumbnail://.
• Do not prepend thumbnail:// to a RUID that was already retrieved as a thumbnail or icon image from msw-search. The prefix converts a source resource into its thumbnail — applying it to an already-thumbnail sprite is logically redundant. If the search query targeted an icon / thumbnail image and returned a sprite RUID, assign that RUID directly without any prefix.
• To search for RUIDs use the msw-search skill — searchAvatarItems for avatar items; searchResources for everything else.