diff --git a/src/df/core/df_core.c b/src/df/core/df_core.c
index a70712f6..2cc202da 100644
--- a/src/df/core/df_core.c
+++ b/src/df/core/df_core.c
@@ -5429,13 +5429,11 @@ df_append_viz_blocks_for_parent__rec(Arena *arena, DBGI_Scope *scope, DF_EvalVie
 }
 
 internal DF_EvalVizBlockList
-df_eval_viz_block_list_from_eval_view_expr_num(Arena *arena, DBGI_Scope *scope, DF_CtrlCtx *ctrl_ctx, EVAL_ParseCtx *parse_ctx, EVAL_String2ExprMap *macro_map, DF_EvalView *eval_view, String8 expr, U64 num)
+df_eval_viz_block_list_from_eval_view_expr_keys(Arena *arena, DBGI_Scope *scope, DF_CtrlCtx *ctrl_ctx, EVAL_ParseCtx *parse_ctx, EVAL_String2ExprMap *macro_map, DF_EvalView *eval_view, String8 expr, DF_ExpandKey parent_key, DF_ExpandKey key)
 {
   ProfBeginFunction();
   DF_EvalVizBlockList blocks = {0};
   {
-    DF_ExpandKey start_parent_key = df_expand_key_make(5381, num);
-    DF_ExpandKey start_key = df_expand_key_make(df_hash_from_expand_key(start_parent_key), df_hash_from_string(expr));
     DF_Eval eval = df_eval_from_string(arena, scope, ctrl_ctx, parse_ctx, macro_map, expr);
     U64 expr_comma_pos = str8_find_needle(expr, 0, str8_lit(","), 0);
     String8List default_view_rules = {0};
@@ -5460,14 +5458,14 @@ df_eval_viz_block_list_from_eval_view_expr_num(Arena *arena, DBGI_Scope *scope,
         str8_list_pushf(arena, &default_view_rules, "array:{%S}", expr_extension);
       }
     }
-    String8 view_rule_string = df_eval_view_rule_from_key(eval_view, start_key);
+    String8 view_rule_string = df_eval_view_rule_from_key(eval_view, key);
     DF_CfgTable view_rule_table = {0};
     for(String8Node *n = default_view_rules.first; n != 0; n = n->next)
     {
       df_cfg_table_push_unparsed_string(arena, &view_rule_table, n->string, DF_CfgSrc_User);
     }
     df_cfg_table_push_unparsed_string(arena, &view_rule_table, view_rule_string, DF_CfgSrc_User);
-    df_append_viz_blocks_for_parent__rec(arena, scope, eval_view, ctrl_ctx, parse_ctx, macro_map, start_parent_key, start_key, expr, eval, 0, &view_rule_table, 0, &blocks);
+    df_append_viz_blocks_for_parent__rec(arena, scope, eval_view, ctrl_ctx, parse_ctx, macro_map, parent_key, key, expr, eval, 0, &view_rule_table, 0, &blocks);
   }
   ProfEnd();
   return blocks;
diff --git a/src/df/core/df_core.h b/src/df/core/df_core.h
index 848f50a7..48b0845c 100644
--- a/src/df/core/df_core.h
+++ b/src/df/core/df_core.h
@@ -1618,7 +1618,7 @@ internal DF_EvalVizBlock *df_eval_viz_block_begin(Arena *arena, DF_EvalVizBlockK
 internal DF_EvalVizBlock *df_eval_viz_block_split_and_continue(Arena *arena, DF_EvalVizBlockList *list, DF_EvalVizBlock *split_block, U64 split_idx);
 internal void df_eval_viz_block_end(DF_EvalVizBlockList *list, DF_EvalVizBlock *block);
 internal void df_append_viz_blocks_for_parent__rec(Arena *arena, DBGI_Scope *scope, DF_EvalView *view, DF_CtrlCtx *ctrl_ctx, EVAL_ParseCtx *parse_ctx, EVAL_String2ExprMap *macro_map, DF_ExpandKey parent_key, DF_ExpandKey key, String8 string, DF_Eval eval, TG_Member *opt_member, DF_CfgTable *cfg_table, S32 depth, DF_EvalVizBlockList *list_out);
-internal DF_EvalVizBlockList df_eval_viz_block_list_from_eval_view_expr_num(Arena *arena, DBGI_Scope *scope, DF_CtrlCtx *ctrl_ctx, EVAL_ParseCtx *parse_ctx, EVAL_String2ExprMap *macro_map, DF_EvalView *eval_view, String8 expr, U64 num);
+internal DF_EvalVizBlockList df_eval_viz_block_list_from_eval_view_expr_keys(Arena *arena, DBGI_Scope *scope, DF_CtrlCtx *ctrl_ctx, EVAL_ParseCtx *parse_ctx, EVAL_String2ExprMap *macro_map, DF_EvalView *eval_view, String8 expr, DF_ExpandKey parent_key, DF_ExpandKey key);
 internal void df_eval_viz_block_list_concat__in_place(DF_EvalVizBlockList *dst, DF_EvalVizBlockList *to_push);
 
 //- rjf: viz block list <-> table coordinates
diff --git a/src/df/gfx/df_gfx.c b/src/df/gfx/df_gfx.c
index eab71082..82561444 100644
--- a/src/df/gfx/df_gfx.c
+++ b/src/df/gfx/df_gfx.c
@@ -5105,7 +5105,9 @@ df_window_update_and_render(Arena *arena, OS_EventList *events, DF_Window *ws, D
           U64 expr_hash = df_hash_from_string(expr);
           DF_EvalViewKey eval_view_key = df_eval_view_key_from_stringf("eval_hover_%I64x", expr_hash);
           DF_EvalView *eval_view = df_eval_view_from_key(eval_view_key);
-          DF_EvalVizBlockList viz_blocks = df_eval_viz_block_list_from_eval_view_expr_num(scratch.arena, scope, &ctrl_ctx, &parse_ctx, macro_map, eval_view, expr, 1);
+          DF_ExpandKey parent_key = df_expand_key_make(5381, 1);
+          DF_ExpandKey key = df_expand_key_make(df_hash_from_expand_key(parent_key), 1);
+          DF_EvalVizBlockList viz_blocks = df_eval_viz_block_list_from_eval_view_expr_keys(scratch.arena, scope, &ctrl_ctx, &parse_ctx, macro_map, eval_view, expr, parent_key, key);
           DF_EvalVizWindowedRowList viz_rows = df_eval_viz_windowed_row_list_from_viz_block_list(scratch.arena, scope, &ctrl_ctx, &parse_ctx, macro_map, eval_view, 10, ui_top_font(), ui_top_font_size(), r1s64(0, 50), &viz_blocks);
           
           //- rjf: animate
diff --git a/src/df/gfx/df_views.c b/src/df/gfx/df_views.c
index eb45f21e..0a0a3fd9 100644
--- a/src/df/gfx/df_views.c
+++ b/src/df/gfx/df_views.c
@@ -610,9 +610,7 @@ df_eval_root_from_expand_key(DF_EvalWatchViewState *ews, DF_EvalView *eval_view,
   DF_EvalRoot *root = 0;
   for(DF_EvalRoot *r = ews->first_root; r != 0; r = r->next)
   {
-    DF_ExpandKey parent_key = df_expand_key_make(5381, (U64)r);
-    U64 parent_key_hash = df_hash_from_expand_key(parent_key);
-    DF_ExpandKey key = df_expand_key_make(parent_key_hash, df_hash_from_string(df_string_from_eval_root(r)));
+    DF_ExpandKey key = df_expand_key_from_eval_root(r);
     if(df_expand_key_match(key, expand_key))
     {
       root = r;
@@ -629,6 +627,21 @@ df_string_from_eval_root(DF_EvalRoot *root)
   return string;
 }
 
+internal DF_ExpandKey
+df_parent_expand_key_from_eval_root(DF_EvalRoot *root)
+{
+  DF_ExpandKey parent_key = df_expand_key_make(5381, (U64)root);
+  return parent_key;
+}
+
+internal DF_ExpandKey
+df_expand_key_from_eval_root(DF_EvalRoot *root)
+{
+  DF_ExpandKey parent_key = df_parent_expand_key_from_eval_root(root);
+  DF_ExpandKey key = df_expand_key_make(df_hash_from_expand_key(parent_key), (U64)root);
+  return key;
+}
+
 //- rjf: windowed watch tree visualization (both single-line and multi-line)
 
 internal DF_EvalVizBlockList
@@ -655,7 +668,9 @@ df_eval_viz_block_list_from_watch_view_state(Arena *arena, DBGI_Scope *scope, DF
         FuzzyMatchRangeList matches = fuzzy_match_find(arena, filter, root_expr_string);
         if(matches.count == matches.needle_part_count)
         {
-          DF_EvalVizBlockList root_blocks = df_eval_viz_block_list_from_eval_view_expr_num(arena, scope, ctrl_ctx, parse_ctx, macro_map, eval_view, root_expr_string, (U64)root);
+          DF_ExpandKey parent_key = df_parent_expand_key_from_eval_root(root);
+          DF_ExpandKey key = df_expand_key_from_eval_root(root);
+          DF_EvalVizBlockList root_blocks = df_eval_viz_block_list_from_eval_view_expr_keys(arena, scope, ctrl_ctx, parse_ctx, macro_map, eval_view, root_expr_string, parent_key, key);
           df_eval_viz_block_list_concat__in_place(&blocks, &root_blocks);
         }
       }
@@ -679,7 +694,9 @@ df_eval_viz_block_list_from_watch_view_state(Arena *arena, DBGI_Scope *scope, DF
         FuzzyMatchRangeList matches = fuzzy_match_find(arena, filter, root_expr_string);
         if(matches.count == matches.needle_part_count)
         {
-          DF_EvalVizBlockList root_blocks = df_eval_viz_block_list_from_eval_view_expr_num(arena, scope, ctrl_ctx, parse_ctx, macro_map, eval_view, root_expr_string, num);
+          DF_ExpandKey parent_key = df_expand_key_make(5381, 0);
+          DF_ExpandKey key = df_expand_key_make(df_hash_from_expand_key(parent_key), num);
+          DF_EvalVizBlockList root_blocks = df_eval_viz_block_list_from_eval_view_expr_keys(arena, scope, ctrl_ctx, parse_ctx, macro_map, eval_view, root_expr_string, parent_key, key);
           df_eval_viz_block_list_concat__in_place(&blocks, &root_blocks);
         }
       }
@@ -689,7 +706,9 @@ df_eval_viz_block_list_from_watch_view_state(Arena *arena, DBGI_Scope *scope, DF
         FuzzyMatchRangeList matches = fuzzy_match_find(arena, filter, root_expr_string);
         if(matches.count == matches.needle_part_count)
         {
-          DF_EvalVizBlockList root_blocks = df_eval_viz_block_list_from_eval_view_expr_num(arena, scope, ctrl_ctx, parse_ctx, macro_map, eval_view, root_expr_string, num);
+          DF_ExpandKey parent_key = df_expand_key_make(5381, 0);
+          DF_ExpandKey key = df_expand_key_make(df_hash_from_expand_key(parent_key), num);
+          DF_EvalVizBlockList root_blocks = df_eval_viz_block_list_from_eval_view_expr_keys(arena, scope, ctrl_ctx, parse_ctx, macro_map, eval_view, root_expr_string, parent_key, key);
           df_eval_viz_block_list_concat__in_place(&blocks, &root_blocks);
         }
       }
@@ -707,7 +726,9 @@ df_eval_viz_block_list_from_watch_view_state(Arena *arena, DBGI_Scope *scope, DF
         FuzzyMatchRangeList matches = fuzzy_match_find(arena, filter, root_expr_string);
         if(matches.count == matches.needle_part_count)
         {
-          DF_EvalVizBlockList root_blocks = df_eval_viz_block_list_from_eval_view_expr_num(arena, scope, ctrl_ctx, parse_ctx, macro_map, eval_view, root_expr_string, num);
+          DF_ExpandKey parent_key = df_expand_key_make(5381, 0);
+          DF_ExpandKey key = df_expand_key_make(df_hash_from_expand_key(parent_key), num);
+          DF_EvalVizBlockList root_blocks = df_eval_viz_block_list_from_eval_view_expr_keys(arena, scope, ctrl_ctx, parse_ctx, macro_map, eval_view, root_expr_string, parent_key, key);
           df_eval_viz_block_list_concat__in_place(&blocks, &root_blocks);
         }
       }
@@ -1624,7 +1645,7 @@ df_eval_watch_view_build(DF_Window *ws, DF_Panel *panel, DF_View *view, DF_EvalW
   {
     DF_EvalWatchViewColumnKind commit_column = (DF_EvalWatchViewColumnKind)cursor_tbl.x;
     cursor_tbl = next_cursor_tbl;
-    if(edit_commit)
+    if(commit_row != 0 && edit_commit)
     {
       ewv->input_editing = 0;
       String8 commit_string = str8(ewv->input_buffer, ewv->input_size);
@@ -1653,6 +1674,10 @@ df_eval_watch_view_build(DF_Window *ws, DF_Panel *panel, DF_View *view, DF_EvalW
             if(!root && df_expand_key_match(commit_row->key, empty_row_key))
             {
               root = df_eval_root_alloc(view, ewv);
+              DF_ExpandKey parent_key = df_parent_expand_key_from_eval_root(root);
+              DF_ExpandKey key = df_expand_key_from_eval_root(root);
+              df_expand_set_expansion(eval_view->arena, &eval_view->expand_tree_table, parent_key, key, 0);
+              df_eval_view_set_key_rule(eval_view, key, str8_lit(""));
             }
             if(root != 0)
             {
@@ -6650,6 +6675,7 @@ DF_VIEW_SETUP_FUNCTION_DEF(Watch)
   
   // rjf: add roots for watches
   {
+    Temp scratch = scratch_begin(0, 0);
     DF_EvalViewKey eval_view_key = df_eval_view_key_from_eval_watch_view(ewv);
     DF_EvalView *eval_view = df_eval_view_from_key(eval_view_key);
     for(DF_CfgNode *expr = cfg_root->first; expr != &df_g_nil_cfg_node; expr = expr->next)
@@ -6657,17 +6683,17 @@ DF_VIEW_SETUP_FUNCTION_DEF(Watch)
       if(expr->flags & DF_CfgNodeFlag_StringLiteral)
       {
         DF_EvalRoot *root = df_eval_root_alloc(view, ewv);
-        DF_ExpandKey parent_key = df_expand_key_make(5381, (U64)root);
-        U64 parent_key_hash = df_hash_from_expand_key(parent_key);
-        df_eval_root_equip_string(root, expr->string);
+        DF_ExpandKey key = df_expand_key_from_eval_root(root);
+        String8 expr_raw = df_cfg_raw_from_escaped_string(scratch.arena, expr->string);
+        df_eval_root_equip_string(root, expr_raw);
         if(expr->first != &df_g_nil_cfg_node)
         {
-          DF_ExpandKey root_key = df_expand_key_make(parent_key_hash, df_hash_from_string(expr->string));
-          String8 view_rule = expr->first->string;
-          df_eval_view_set_key_rule(eval_view, root_key, view_rule);
+          String8 view_rule_raw = df_cfg_raw_from_escaped_string(scratch.arena, expr->first->string);
+          df_eval_view_set_key_rule(eval_view, key, view_rule_raw);
         }
       }
     }
+    scratch_end(scratch);
   }
   
   ProfEnd();
@@ -6683,15 +6709,15 @@ DF_VIEW_STRING_FROM_STATE_FUNCTION_DEF(Watch)
   {
     for(DF_EvalRoot *root = ewv->first_root; root != 0; root = root->next)
     {
-      DF_ExpandKey parent_key = df_expand_key_make(5381, (U64)root);
-      U64 parent_key_hash = df_hash_from_expand_key(parent_key);
+      DF_ExpandKey key = df_expand_key_from_eval_root(root);
       String8 string = df_string_from_eval_root(root);
-      str8_list_pushf(arena, &strs, "\"%S\"", string);
-      DF_ExpandKey root_key = df_expand_key_make(parent_key_hash, df_hash_from_string(string));
-      String8 view_rule = df_eval_view_rule_from_key(eval_view, root_key);
-      if(view_rule.size != 0)
+      String8 string_escaped = df_cfg_escaped_from_raw_string(scratch.arena, string);
+      str8_list_pushf(arena, &strs, "\"%S\"", string_escaped);
+      String8 view_rule = df_eval_view_rule_from_key(eval_view, key);
+      String8 view_rule_escaped = df_cfg_escaped_from_raw_string(scratch.arena, view_rule);
+      if(view_rule_escaped.size != 0)
       {
-        str8_list_pushf(arena, &strs, ":{\"%S\"}", view_rule);
+        str8_list_pushf(arena, &strs, ":{\"%S\"}", view_rule_escaped);
       }
       if(root->next != 0)
       {
diff --git a/src/df/gfx/df_views.h b/src/df/gfx/df_views.h
index 0a5933dc..b32c90a0 100644
--- a/src/df/gfx/df_views.h
+++ b/src/df/gfx/df_views.h
@@ -453,6 +453,8 @@ internal void           df_eval_root_equip_string(DF_EvalRoot *root, String8 str
 internal DF_EvalRoot *  df_eval_root_from_string(DF_EvalWatchViewState *ews, String8 string);
 internal DF_EvalRoot *  df_eval_root_from_expand_key(DF_EvalWatchViewState *ews, DF_EvalView *eval_view, DF_ExpandKey expand_key);
 internal String8        df_string_from_eval_root(DF_EvalRoot *root);
+internal DF_ExpandKey   df_parent_expand_key_from_eval_root(DF_EvalRoot *root);
+internal DF_ExpandKey   df_expand_key_from_eval_root(DF_EvalRoot *root);
 
 //- rjf: windowed watch tree visualization
 internal DF_EvalVizBlockList df_eval_viz_block_list_from_watch_view_state(Arena *arena, DBGI_Scope *scope, DF_CtrlCtx *ctrl_ctx, EVAL_ParseCtx *parse_ctx, EVAL_String2ExprMap *macro_map, DF_View *view, DF_EvalWatchViewState *ews);