Route pair metadata structurally

caption_metadata_routes.py

@@ -5,8 +5,10 @@ from dataclasses import dataclass
 from typing import Any, Callable
 
 try:
+    from . import formatter_input as input_policy
     from . import formatter_target as target_policy
 except ImportError:  # pragma: no cover - plain-script smoke tests
+    import formatter_input as input_policy
     import formatter_target as target_policy
 
 
@@ -308,7 +310,7 @@ def insta_of_pair_from_row_result(
     keep_style = request.keep_style
     pair_target = target_policy.pair_policy(request.target)
     target = pair_target.pair_target
-    if deps.clean_text(row.get("mode")).lower() != "insta/of":
+    if not input_policy.is_pair_metadata(row):
         return None
     soft_row = row.get("softcore_row")
     hard_row = row.get("hardcore_row")

docs/prompt-pool-routing-map.md

@@ -698,6 +698,13 @@ Important POV rule:
 
 ## Formatter Routes
 
+Formatter metadata input is normalized by `formatter_input.py`. Pair routing is
+structural: metadata with both a softcore side and a hardcore side
+(`softcore_row`/`hardcore_row` or root soft/hard prompt/caption fields) is
+treated as pair metadata even if the UI `mode` label is absent. Krea2, SDXL, and
+caption routes share this detection to avoid hidden drift between formatter
+paths.
+
 ### Krea2
 
 `format_krea2_prompt` chooses between three roads:

formatter_input.py

@@ -81,11 +81,27 @@ def maybe_json(text: Any) -> dict[str, Any] | None:
 def normalize_input_metadata(row: dict[str, Any]) -> dict[str, Any]:
     row = dict(row)
     trigger = str(row.get("trigger") or "").strip()
-    if row.get("mode") == "Insta/OF":
+    if is_pair_metadata(row):
         return row_normalization_policy.normalize_pair_metadata(row, active_trigger=trigger)
     return row_normalization_policy.sanitize_metadata_row_text(row, active_trigger=trigger)
 
 
+def is_pair_metadata(row: Any) -> bool:
+    if not isinstance(row, dict):
+        return False
+    soft_side = (
+        isinstance(row.get("softcore_row"), dict)
+        or bool(clean_text(row.get("softcore_prompt")))
+        or bool(clean_text(row.get("softcore_caption")))
+    )
+    hard_side = (
+        isinstance(row.get("hardcore_row"), dict)
+        or bool(clean_text(row.get("hardcore_prompt")))
+        or bool(clean_text(row.get("hardcore_caption")))
+    )
+    return soft_side and hard_side
+
+
 def normalize_input_hint(value: Any, *, text_hint: str = INPUT_HINT_PROMPT) -> str:
     hint = clean_text(value).lower().replace("-", "_")
     hint = _INPUT_HINT_ALIASES.get(hint, hint)

krea_format_route.py

@@ -5,9 +5,11 @@ from typing import Any, Callable
 
 try:
     from . import formatter_detail as detail_policy
+    from . import formatter_input as input_policy
     from . import formatter_target as target_policy
 except ImportError:  # pragma: no cover - plain-script smoke tests
     import formatter_detail as detail_policy
+    import formatter_input as input_policy
     import formatter_target as target_policy
 
 
@@ -68,7 +70,7 @@ def format_krea2_prompt_result(request: KreaFormatRequest, deps: KreaFormatDepen
     target = target_policy.normalize_target(request.target)
     row, method = deps.row_from_inputs(request.source_text, request.metadata_json, request.input_hint)
 
-    if row and row.get("mode") == "Insta/OF":
+    if row and input_policy.is_pair_metadata(row):
         pair_target = target_policy.pair_policy(target)
         soft_prompt, soft_negative, hard_prompt, hard_negative = deps.insta_pair_to_krea(
             row,

sdxl_format_route.py

@@ -4,8 +4,10 @@ from dataclasses import dataclass
 from typing import Any, Callable
 
 try:
+    from . import formatter_input as input_policy
     from . import formatter_target as target_policy
 except ImportError:  # pragma: no cover - plain-script smoke tests
+    import formatter_input as input_policy
     import formatter_target as target_policy
 
 
@@ -65,7 +67,7 @@ def format_sdxl_prompt_result(request: SDXLFormatRequest, deps: SDXLFormatDepend
     nude_weight = max(0.1, min(3.0, float(request.nude_weight)))
     row, method = deps.row_from_inputs(request.source_text, request.metadata_json, request.input_hint)
 
-    if row and row.get("mode") == "Insta/OF":
+    if row and input_policy.is_pair_metadata(row):
         pair_target = target_policy.pair_policy(target)
         soft_row = row.get("softcore_row") if isinstance(row.get("softcore_row"), dict) else {}
         hard_row = row.get("hardcore_row") if isinstance(row.get("hardcore_row"), dict) else {}

tools/prompt_smoke.py

@@ -2932,7 +2932,6 @@ def smoke_formatter_input_policy() -> None:
     row, method = formatter_input.row_from_inputs(source_json, "", "prompt")
     _expect(row is None and method == "text", "Formatter input parser should not parse source JSON in explicit prompt mode")
     pair_metadata = {
-        "mode": "Insta/OF",
         "trigger": Trigger,
         "softcore_row": {
             "prompt": f"{Trigger}, {Trigger}, embedded-only soft.",
@@ -2952,8 +2951,10 @@ def smoke_formatter_input_policy() -> None:
             "camera_scene_directive": "Row hard scene camera layout.",
         },
     }
+    _expect(formatter_input.is_pair_metadata(pair_metadata), "Formatter input policy should detect structural pair metadata")
     parsed_pair, pair_method = formatter_input.row_from_inputs("", _json(pair_metadata), "metadata_json")
     _expect(pair_method == "metadata_json", "Formatter input parser should read pair metadata JSON")
+    _expect(formatter_input.is_pair_metadata(parsed_pair), "Formatter input parser should preserve structural pair metadata")
     _expect_trigger_once("formatter_input.pair.soft_prompt", parsed_pair.get("softcore_prompt"), Trigger)
     _expect(
         parsed_pair.get("softcore_partner_styling") == parsed_pair["softcore_row"].get("softcore_partner_styling"),
@@ -6107,7 +6108,6 @@ def smoke_formatter_metadata_fixtures() -> None:
     _expect("sdxl route tag" not in caption_text, "Caption naturalizer leaked SDXL formatter hint")
 
     external_pair = {
-        "mode": "Insta/OF",
         "trigger": Trigger,
         "shared_descriptor": "25-year-old adult woman, slim figure, fair skin, blonde hair, blue eyes",
         "shared_cast_descriptors": [