Extract row rendering policy

docs/prompt-architecture-improvement-plan.md

@@ -131,6 +131,9 @@ Already isolated:
 - row item selection, weighted item/pair choice, item-template axis filling,
   and oral/outercourse axis compatibility filters live in `row_item.py`;
   `prompt_builder.py` keeps public delegate wrappers.
+- row prompt/caption template selection, safe formatting, default prompt
+  templates, configured-cast descriptor insertion, and POV directive insertion
+  live in `row_rendering.py`; `prompt_builder.py` keeps compatibility aliases.
 - row action/position route metadata resolution, template metadata precedence,
   inferred position-key merging, and source action-family fallback live in
   `row_route_metadata.py`; `prompt_builder.py` keeps a public delegate wrapper.

docs/prompt-pool-routing-map.md

@@ -71,6 +71,7 @@ Core helper ownership:
 | `category_extensions.py` | JSON `pool_extensions`, legacy pool patching, built-in category choice lists, and category/subcategory UI choices. |
 | `category_template_metadata.py` | Object-style item-template metadata extraction, action/position family normalization, position-key normalization, key merging, and audit validation errors. |
 | `row_item.py` | Row item selection, weighted item/pair choice, item-template axis filling, and oral/outercourse axis compatibility filters. |
+| `row_rendering.py` | Row prompt/caption template selection, safe formatting, default prompt templates, configured-cast descriptor insertion, and POV directive insertion. |
 | `row_route_metadata.py` | Row action/position route metadata resolution, template metadata precedence, inferred position-key merging, and source action-family fallback. |
 | `row_generation.py` | Built-in legacy row generation, auto-weighted/auto-full selection, row mode randomization, ratio clamps, and expression-intensity randomization. |
 | `category_cast_config.py` | Category preset and cast preset schemas, category/cast config JSON builders, choice lists, and config parsers used by route nodes. |
@@ -245,7 +246,8 @@ Important JSON keys:
 - `expression_pool` / `expression_pools` or direct `expressions`: expression road.
 - `composition_pool` / `composition_pools` or direct `compositions`: framing road.
 - `poses`: category-specific pose fallback.
-- `prompt_template` / `caption_template`: final prompt assembly for that category.
+- `prompt_template` / `caption_template`: final row prompt/caption assembly,
+  selected and formatted by `row_rendering.py`.
 - `inherit_scenes`, `inherit_expressions`, `inherit_compositions`: stop or allow
   inheritance from category/subcategory/item levels.
 - `pool_extensions`: patch legacy pools from JSON through `category_extensions.py`.

prompt_builder.py

@@ -1,9 +1,7 @@
 from __future__ import annotations
 
 import random
-import re
 from pathlib import Path
-from string import Formatter
 from typing import Any
 
 try:
@@ -42,6 +40,7 @@ try:
     from . import row_item as row_item_policy
     from . import row_location as row_location_policy
     from . import row_pools as row_pool_policy
+    from . import row_rendering as row_rendering_policy
     from . import row_route_metadata as row_route_policy
     from . import seed_config as seed_policy
     from . import subject_context as subject_context_policy
@@ -86,6 +85,7 @@ except ImportError:  # Allows local smoke tests with `python -c`.
     import row_item as row_item_policy
     import row_location as row_location_policy
     import row_pools as row_pool_policy
+    import row_rendering as row_rendering_policy
     import row_route_metadata as row_route_policy
     import seed_config as seed_policy
     import subject_context as subject_context_policy
@@ -146,34 +146,11 @@ def _hardcore_position_keys(*parts: Any, axis_values: dict[str, Any] | None = No
 CAMERA_ORBIT_FRAMING_CHOICES = camera_policy.CAMERA_ORBIT_FRAMING_CHOICES
 CAMERA_ORBIT_FOCUS_CHOICES = camera_policy.CAMERA_ORBIT_FOCUS_CHOICES
 
-GENERIC_POSITIVE_SUFFIX = (
+GENERIC_POSITIVE_SUFFIX = row_rendering_policy.GENERIC_POSITIVE_SUFFIX
-    "Use crisp clean comic linework, detailed hatching, soft blended shading, "
+SINGLE_TEMPLATE = row_rendering_policy.SINGLE_TEMPLATE
-    "pastel skin tones, muted blues and pinks, warm sensual lighting, and tactile textured paper."
+COUPLE_TEMPLATE = row_rendering_policy.COUPLE_TEMPLATE
-)
+GROUP_TEMPLATE = row_rendering_policy.GROUP_TEMPLATE
-
+LAYOUT_TEMPLATE = row_rendering_policy.LAYOUT_TEMPLATE
-SINGLE_TEMPLATE = (
-    "A {subject}: {style}, {age}, {body_phrase}, {skin}, {hair}, {eyes}. "
-    "{item_label}: {item}. Scene: {scene}. Pose: {pose}. Facial expression: {expression}. "
-    "Composition: {composition_prompt}. {positive_suffix} Avoid: {negative_prompt}."
-)
-
-COUPLE_TEMPLATE = (
-    "{subject_phrase}: {style}. Ages: {age}. Body types: {body}. {item_label}: {item}. "
-    "Scene: {scene}. Pose: {pose}. Facial expressions: {expression}. "
-    "Composition: {composition_prompt}. {positive_suffix} Avoid: {negative_prompt}."
-)
-
-GROUP_TEMPLATE = (
-    "{subject_phrase}: {style}, ages {age}, diverse adult body types. {item_label}: {item}. "
-    "Scene: {scene}. Facial expressions: {expression}. Composition: {composition_prompt}. "
-    "{positive_suffix} Avoid: {negative_prompt}."
-)
-
-LAYOUT_TEMPLATE = (
-    "{item}: {style}, adults only, clean designed composition. Scene: {scene}. "
-    "Facial expression: {expression}. Composition: {composition}. {positive_suffix} "
-    "Avoid: {negative_prompt}. Use no readable text unless the layout naturally needs small decorative placeholder marks."
-)
 
 CAMERA_MODE_PROMPTS = camera_policy.CAMERA_MODE_PROMPTS
 CAMERA_COMPACT_LABELS = camera_policy.CAMERA_COMPACT_LABELS
@@ -186,9 +163,7 @@ CAMERA_PHONE_PROMPTS = camera_policy.CAMERA_PHONE_PROMPTS
 CAMERA_PRIORITY_PROMPTS = camera_policy.CAMERA_PRIORITY_PROMPTS
 
 
-class SafeFormatDict(dict):
+SafeFormatDict = row_rendering_policy.SafeFormatDict
-    def __missing__(self, key: str) -> str:
-        return "{" + key + "}"
 
 
 def _slug(value: str) -> str:
@@ -812,11 +787,7 @@ def _is_pose_content_category(category: dict[str, Any], subcategory: dict[str, A
 
 
 def _format(template: str, context: dict[str, Any]) -> str:
-    fields = {key for _, key, _, _ in Formatter().parse(template) if key}
+    return row_rendering_policy.format_template(template, context)
-    safe_context = SafeFormatDict({key: str(value) for key, value in context.items()})
-    for field in fields:
-        safe_context.setdefault(field, "{" + field + "}")
-    return template.format_map(safe_context)
 
 
 def _clean_prompt_punctuation(text: str) -> str:
@@ -2294,35 +2265,17 @@ def _build_custom_row(
         }
     )
 
-    if isinstance(item, dict) and "prompt_template" in item:
+    rendered = row_rendering_policy.render_prompt_caption(
-        template = str(item["prompt_template"])
+        item=item,
-    else:
+        subcategory=subcategory,
-        template = str(subcategory.get("prompt_template") or category.get("prompt_template") or "")
+        category=category,
-    if not template:
+        subject_type=subject_type,
-        if subject_type in ("woman", "man"):
+        context=context,
-            template = SINGLE_TEMPLATE
+        cast_descriptor_text=cast_descriptor_text,
-        elif subject_type == "couple":
+        pov_prompt_directive=_pov_prompt_directive(pov_character_labels) if pov_character_labels else "",
-            template = COUPLE_TEMPLATE
-        elif subject_type == "group":
-            template = GROUP_TEMPLATE
-        else:
-            template = LAYOUT_TEMPLATE
-
-    caption_template = str(
-        (item.get("caption_template") if isinstance(item, dict) else None)
-        or subcategory.get("caption_template")
-        or category.get("caption_template")
-        or "{trigger}, {subject_phrase}, {age}, {item}, {scene}, {composition}, coloured pencil comic illustration"
     )
-
+    prompt = rendered["prompt"]
-    prompt = _format(template, context)
+    caption = rendered["caption"]
-    if subject_type == "configured_cast" and cast_descriptor_text and "{cast_descriptors}" not in template:
-        prompt = _insert_positive_directive(prompt, f"Characters: {cast_descriptor_text}.")
-    if subject_type == "configured_cast" and pov_character_labels:
-        prompt = _insert_positive_directive(prompt, _pov_prompt_directive(pov_character_labels))
-    caption = _format(caption_template, context)
-    if subject_type == "configured_cast" and cast_descriptor_text and "{cast_descriptors}" not in caption_template:
-        caption = f"{caption.rstrip()}, {cast_descriptor_text}"
     batch = max(1, ((row_number - 1) // g.BATCH_SIZE) + 1)
     index = start_index + row_number - 1
     row = g.row_base(index, batch, context["subject"], context["age"], context["body"], scene_slug, composition)

row_rendering.py

@@ -0,0 +1,113 @@
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+from string import Formatter
+from typing import Any
+
+try:
+    from . import row_camera as row_camera_policy
+except ImportError:  # Allows local smoke tests from the repository root.
+    import row_camera as row_camera_policy
+
+
+GENERIC_POSITIVE_SUFFIX = (
+    "Use crisp clean comic linework, detailed hatching, soft blended shading, "
+    "pastel skin tones, muted blues and pinks, warm sensual lighting, and tactile textured paper."
+)
+
+SINGLE_TEMPLATE = (
+    "A {subject}: {style}, {age}, {body_phrase}, {skin}, {hair}, {eyes}. "
+    "{item_label}: {item}. Scene: {scene}. Pose: {pose}. Facial expression: {expression}. "
+    "Composition: {composition_prompt}. {positive_suffix} Avoid: {negative_prompt}."
+)
+
+COUPLE_TEMPLATE = (
+    "{subject_phrase}: {style}. Ages: {age}. Body types: {body}. {item_label}: {item}. "
+    "Scene: {scene}. Pose: {pose}. Facial expressions: {expression}. "
+    "Composition: {composition_prompt}. {positive_suffix} Avoid: {negative_prompt}."
+)
+
+GROUP_TEMPLATE = (
+    "{subject_phrase}: {style}, ages {age}, diverse adult body types. {item_label}: {item}. "
+    "Scene: {scene}. Facial expressions: {expression}. Composition: {composition_prompt}. "
+    "{positive_suffix} Avoid: {negative_prompt}."
+)
+
+LAYOUT_TEMPLATE = (
+    "{item}: {style}, adults only, clean designed composition. Scene: {scene}. "
+    "Facial expression: {expression}. Composition: {composition}. {positive_suffix} "
+    "Avoid: {negative_prompt}. Use no readable text unless the layout naturally needs small decorative placeholder marks."
+)
+
+DEFAULT_CAPTION_TEMPLATE = (
+    "{trigger}, {subject_phrase}, {age}, {item}, {scene}, {composition}, coloured pencil comic illustration"
+)
+
+
+class SafeFormatDict(dict):
+    def __missing__(self, key: str) -> str:
+        return "{" + key + "}"
+
+
+def format_template(template: str, context: dict[str, Any]) -> str:
+    fields = {key for _, key, _, _ in Formatter().parse(template) if key}
+    safe_context = SafeFormatDict({key: str(value) for key, value in context.items()})
+    for field in fields:
+        safe_context.setdefault(field, "{" + field + "}")
+    return template.format_map(safe_context)
+
+
+def default_prompt_template(subject_type: str) -> str:
+    if subject_type in ("woman", "man"):
+        return SINGLE_TEMPLATE
+    if subject_type == "couple":
+        return COUPLE_TEMPLATE
+    if subject_type == "group":
+        return GROUP_TEMPLATE
+    return LAYOUT_TEMPLATE
+
+
+def prompt_template_for(item: Any, subcategory: dict[str, Any], category: dict[str, Any], subject_type: str) -> str:
+    if isinstance(item, dict) and "prompt_template" in item:
+        return str(item["prompt_template"])
+    template = str(subcategory.get("prompt_template") or category.get("prompt_template") or "")
+    return template or default_prompt_template(subject_type)
+
+
+def caption_template_for(item: Any, subcategory: dict[str, Any], category: dict[str, Any]) -> str:
+    return str(
+        (item.get("caption_template") if isinstance(item, dict) else None)
+        or subcategory.get("caption_template")
+        or category.get("caption_template")
+        or DEFAULT_CAPTION_TEMPLATE
+    )
+
+
+def render_prompt_caption(
+    *,
+    item: Any,
+    subcategory: dict[str, Any],
+    category: dict[str, Any],
+    subject_type: str,
+    context: dict[str, Any],
+    cast_descriptor_text: str = "",
+    pov_prompt_directive: str = "",
+) -> dict[str, str]:
+    prompt_template = prompt_template_for(item, subcategory, category, subject_type)
+    caption_template = caption_template_for(item, subcategory, category)
+
+    prompt = format_template(prompt_template, context)
+    if subject_type == "configured_cast" and cast_descriptor_text and "{cast_descriptors}" not in prompt_template:
+        prompt = row_camera_policy.insert_positive_directive(prompt, f"Characters: {cast_descriptor_text}.")
+    if subject_type == "configured_cast" and pov_prompt_directive:
+        prompt = row_camera_policy.insert_positive_directive(prompt, pov_prompt_directive)
+
+    caption = format_template(caption_template, context)
+    if subject_type == "configured_cast" and cast_descriptor_text and "{cast_descriptors}" not in caption_template:
+        caption = f"{caption.rstrip()}, {cast_descriptor_text}"
+
+    return {
+        "prompt": prompt,
+        "caption": caption,
+        "prompt_template": prompt_template,
+        "caption_template": caption_template,
+    }

tools/prompt_smoke.py

@@ -57,6 +57,7 @@ import row_generation  # noqa: E402
 import row_item  # noqa: E402
 import row_location  # noqa: E402
 import row_pools  # noqa: E402
+import row_rendering  # noqa: E402
 import row_route_metadata  # noqa: E402
 import server_routes  # noqa: E402
 import sdxl_formatter  # noqa: E402
@@ -1402,6 +1403,73 @@ def smoke_row_normalization_policy() -> None:
     _expect_no_duplicate_comma_items("row_normalization.pair.hard_row_negative", pair["hardcore_row"].get("negative_prompt"))
 
 
+def smoke_row_rendering_policy() -> None:
+    _expect(pb.SINGLE_TEMPLATE == row_rendering.SINGLE_TEMPLATE, "Prompt builder single template should delegate to row_rendering")
+    _expect(
+        pb._format("Known {known}, missing {missing}", {"known": 7})
+        == row_rendering.format_template("Known {known}, missing {missing}", {"known": 7}),
+        "Prompt builder safe formatter should delegate to row_rendering",
+    )
+    _expect(
+        row_rendering.format_template("Known {known}, missing {missing}", {"known": 7}) == "Known 7, missing {missing}",
+        "Row rendering changed missing-field preservation",
+    )
+    _expect(
+        row_rendering.prompt_template_for({}, {}, {}, "woman") == row_rendering.SINGLE_TEMPLATE,
+        "Row rendering default woman template changed",
+    )
+    _expect(
+        row_rendering.prompt_template_for({}, {}, {}, "group") == row_rendering.GROUP_TEMPLATE,
+        "Row rendering default group template changed",
+    )
+
+    context = {
+        "trigger": Trigger,
+        "subject": "configured cast",
+        "subject_phrase": "configured adult cast",
+        "age": "adult",
+        "body": "varied",
+        "body_phrase": "varied",
+        "skin": "",
+        "hair": "",
+        "eyes": "",
+        "item_label": "Scene",
+        "item": "shared action",
+        "scene": "warm room",
+        "pose": "standing close",
+        "expression": "focused look",
+        "composition": "centered frame",
+        "composition_prompt": "vertical centered frame",
+        "positive_suffix": "clear readable bodies.",
+        "negative_prompt": "bad anatomy",
+        "cast_descriptors": "Woman A: adult woman; Man A: adult man",
+    }
+    rendered = row_rendering.render_prompt_caption(
+        item={},
+        subcategory={
+            "prompt_template": "Scene: {item}. Composition: {composition_prompt}. Avoid: {negative_prompt}.",
+            "caption_template": "{trigger}, {item}, {scene}",
+        },
+        category={},
+        subject_type="configured_cast",
+        context=context,
+        cast_descriptor_text="Woman A: adult woman; Man A: adult man",
+        pov_prompt_directive="First-person POV from Man A.",
+    )
+    prompt = rendered["prompt"]
+    caption = rendered["caption"]
+    _expect("Characters: Woman A: adult woman; Man A: adult man." in prompt, "Row rendering lost configured-cast descriptors")
+    _expect("First-person POV from Man A." in prompt, "Row rendering lost configured-cast POV directive")
+    _expect(
+        prompt.index("Characters:") < prompt.index("First-person POV") < prompt.index("Avoid:"),
+        "Row rendering did not insert configured-cast directives before negative prompt",
+    )
+    _expect(
+        caption.endswith("Woman A: adult woman; Man A: adult man"),
+        "Row rendering did not append descriptors to captions without descriptor placeholders",
+    )
+
+
 def smoke_formatter_input_policy() -> None:
     source_row = {
         "prompt": "A simple adult portrait. Setting: quiet studio. Pose: standing calmly. Avoid: low quality.",
@@ -4197,6 +4265,7 @@ SMOKE_CASES: list[tuple[str, Callable[[], None]]] = [
     ("character_config_policy", smoke_character_config_policy),
     ("character_profile_policy", smoke_character_profile_policy),
     ("row_normalization_policy", smoke_row_normalization_policy),
+    ("row_rendering_policy", smoke_row_rendering_policy),
     ("formatter_input_policy", smoke_formatter_input_policy),
     ("formatter_cast_policy", smoke_formatter_cast_policy),
     ("caption_policy", smoke_caption_policy),