Keep SDXL character tags metadata driven

docs/prompt-pool-routing-map.md

@@ -802,10 +802,10 @@ SDXL field consumption:
 
 | Branch | Reads most from | Key functions |
 | --- | --- | --- |
-| Normal metadata | cast descriptors, age/body/skin/hair/eyes, `action_family`, `position_family`, `position_keys`, item, role graph, clothing/body exposure state, scene, camera config/directive | `sdxl_tag_routes.row_core_tags_result`, `sdxl_tag_policy.metadata_family_tags`, `sdxl_tag_policy.camera_tags` |
+| Normal metadata | `cast_descriptor_text` or structured age/body/skin/hair/eyes, `action_family`, `position_family`, `position_keys`, item, role graph, clothing/body exposure state, scene, camera config/directive | `sdxl_tag_routes.row_core_tags_result`, `sdxl_tag_policy.normal_character_tags`, `sdxl_tag_policy.metadata_family_tags`, `sdxl_tag_policy.camera_tags` |
 | Pair softcore | `softcore_row`, pair partner styling, root soft camera config | `sdxl_tag_routes.soft_tags_result` |
 | Pair hardcore | `hardcore_row`, `action_family`, `position_family`, `position_keys`, role graph, item, `hardcore_clothing_state`, expression/composition, hard camera fields | `sdxl_tag_routes.hard_tags_result`, `sdxl_tag_policy.metadata_family_tags` |
-| Text fallback | `source_text`, preserve-trigger setting, shared field-label stripping | `_fallback_text_to_sdxl` |
+| Text fallback | `source_text`, preserve-trigger setting, shared field-label stripping, prompt labels such as `Characters:` | `_fallback_text_to_sdxl` |
 
 SDXL is the right place for model trigger handling, tag ordering, weight syntax,
 quality/style preset changes, and nude-weight defaults. Do not solve those in

sdxl_tag_policy.py

@@ -162,11 +162,7 @@ def character_tags_from_descriptor(descriptor: Any) -> list[str]:
 
 
 def normal_character_tags(row: dict[str, Any]) -> list[str]:
-    descriptor = (
-        clean(row.get("cast_descriptor_text"))
-        or prompt_field(row.get("prompt", ""), "Characters")
-        or prompt_field(row.get("prompt", ""), "Cast descriptors")
-    )
+    descriptor = clean(row.get("cast_descriptor_text"))
     if descriptor:
         return character_tags_from_descriptor(descriptor)
 

tools/prompt_smoke.py

@@ -4417,6 +4417,32 @@ def smoke_sdxl_tag_policy() -> None:
     _expect(deps.explicit_tags is sdxl_tag_policy.explicit_tags, "SDXL route deps lost explicit tag policy")
     _expect(deps.softcore_pair_tags is sdxl_tag_policy.softcore_pair_tags, "SDXL route deps lost softcore pair tag policy")
 
+    stale_character_row = {
+        "prompt": "Characters: 99-year-old adult man, stale body, stale skin, stale hair, stale eyes.",
+        "age_band": "27-year-old adult",
+        "subject_phrase": "woman",
+        "body_phrase": "athletic figure",
+        "skin": "warm olive skin",
+        "hair": "short black hair",
+        "eyes": "green eyes",
+    }
+    stale_character_tags = sdxl_tag_policy.normal_character_tags(stale_character_row)
+    _expect("27-year-old adult" in stale_character_tags, "SDXL character tags lost structured age")
+    _expect("warm olive skin" in stale_character_tags, "SDXL character tags lost structured skin")
+    _expect(
+        all("stale" not in tag for tag in stale_character_tags),
+        "SDXL character tags should not parse stale raw prompt character labels",
+    )
+    descriptor_tags = sdxl_tag_policy.normal_character_tags(
+        {
+            "prompt": "Characters: stale prompt descriptor.",
+            "cast_descriptor_text": "Woman A: 30-year-old adult woman, toned figure, fair skin, red hair, gray eyes",
+        }
+    )
+    _expect("30-year-old adult woman" in descriptor_tags, "SDXL character tags lost cast descriptor metadata")
+    _expect("toned build" in descriptor_tags, "SDXL character tags did not normalize descriptor figure tag")
+    _expect(all("stale" not in tag for tag in descriptor_tags), "SDXL cast descriptor metadata should beat stale prompt labels")
+
 
 def smoke_sdxl_tag_routes() -> None:
     row = _fixture_hardcore_row(
@@ -4435,6 +4461,29 @@ def smoke_sdxl_tag_routes() -> None:
         "Typed SDXL row tag route should match legacy wrapper output",
     )
     _expect("sdxl route tag" in typed_row.as_text(), "Typed SDXL row tag route lost route-specific formatter hint")
+    stale_character_route_row = _fixture_hardcore_row(
+        prompt="Characters: stale prompt subject, stale body, stale skin, stale hair, stale eyes.",
+        cast_descriptor_text="",
+        cast_descriptors=[],
+        subject_type="woman",
+        subject_phrase="woman",
+        primary_subject="woman",
+        age_band="27-year-old adult",
+        body_phrase="athletic figure",
+        skin="warm olive skin",
+        hair="short black hair",
+        eyes="green eyes",
+        women_count=1,
+        men_count=0,
+        person_count=1,
+    )
+    stale_character_route_tags = sdxl_tag_routes.row_core_tags_result(
+        sdxl_tag_routes.SDXLRowTagRequest(stale_character_route_row, 1.29),
+        deps,
+    ).as_text()
+    _expect("27-year-old adult" in stale_character_route_tags, "SDXL route lost structured character age")
+    _expect("warm olive skin" in stale_character_route_tags, "SDXL route lost structured character skin")
+    _expect("stale" not in stale_character_route_tags, "SDXL route should not parse stale prompt character labels")
     stale_prompt_row = _fixture_hardcore_row(
         prompt="stale raw prompt mentions fully nude naked pussy penis oral anal semen penetration",
         item="standing portrait setup",