diff --git a/build-src/codemirror-entry.mjs b/build-src/codemirror-entry.mjs
index e48995b..06f9fcb 100644
--- a/build-src/codemirror-entry.mjs
+++ b/build-src/codemirror-entry.mjs
@@ -783,15 +783,26 @@ function formatRegionInner(inner) {
 }
 
 function formatWithRegions(text) {
-  const OPEN = /\$[A-Za-z]\w*\s*\{/g;
+  const OPEN = /\$\w+\s*\{/g;  // \w+ to match the compiler/binding rule (digit-leading names too)
   let result = "";
   let last = 0;
   let m;
   while ((m = OPEN.exec(text)) !== null) {
     const openBrace = m.index + m[0].length - 1;
-    const close = text.indexOf("}", openBrace + 1);
-    if (close === -1) continue; // unterminated — leave it for the linter to flag
-    const name = m[0].match(/^\$[A-Za-z]\w*/)[0];
+    // Find the region's close by brace DEPTH, not the first `}` — otherwise a
+    // wildcard brace ({a|b}) inside the body ends the region early, spilling the
+    // rest into the wildcard formatter and splitting a phrase across lines (which
+    // the newline→comma rule then turns into an unwanted comma).
+    let depth = 1, j = openBrace + 1;
+    while (j < text.length && depth > 0) {
+      const ch = text[j];
+      if (ch === "{") depth++;
+      else if (ch === "}") depth--;
+      j++;
+    }
+    if (depth !== 0) continue; // unterminated — leave it for the linter to flag
+    const close = j - 1;
+    const name = m[0].match(/^\$\w+/)[0];
     const before = text.slice(last, m.index);
     if (before.trim()) result += formatPromptText(before).trim() + "\n\n";
     const inner = text.slice(openBrace + 1, close);
diff --git a/core/compiler.py b/core/compiler.py
index d3476bf..3a43dbf 100644
--- a/core/compiler.py
+++ b/core/compiler.py
@@ -74,8 +74,48 @@ def strip_comments(text: str) -> str:
 # =============================================================================
 # A `$name { body }` group pins `body` to the mannequin identified by `name`
 # (e.g. $mannequin1). Anything OUTSIDE every group is the shared/global prompt.
-# Non-greedy body so adjacent groups don't merge; DOTALL so a group spans lines.
-MANNEQUIN_RE = re.compile(r"\$(\w+)\s*\{(.*?)\}", re.DOTALL)
+# The close brace is matched by DEPTH (not the first `}`) so a wildcard or
+# <SCRIPT> brace inside a body ({a|b}) doesn't truncate the region and leak the
+# rest into the global prompt.
+_REGION_OPEN_RE = re.compile(r"\$(\w+)\s*\{")
+
+
+def _iter_region_spans(text: str):
+    """Yield (name, body, start, end) for each `$name{ ... }` group, matching the
+    close brace by depth so nested braces survive. start..end spans the whole
+    `$name{...}` (braces included) for removing it from the global remainder."""
+    if not text or "$" not in text:
+        return
+    pos = 0
+    while True:
+        m = _REGION_OPEN_RE.search(text, pos)
+        if not m:
+            return
+        depth, i = 1, m.end()
+        while i < len(text) and depth > 0:
+            c = text[i]
+            if c == "{":
+                depth += 1
+            elif c == "}":
+                depth -= 1
+            i += 1
+        if depth != 0:
+            # Unbalanced (no matching close): take the rest as the body rather
+            # than loop forever, matching the old regex's graceful give-up.
+            yield m.group(1), text[m.end():], m.start(), len(text)
+            return
+        yield m.group(1), text[m.end():i - 1], m.start(), i
+        pos = i
+
+
+def _remove_region_spans(text: str, spans) -> str:
+    """`text` with each (.., start, end) span removed (for the global remainder)."""
+    parts, cursor = [], 0
+    for *_meta, start, end in spans:
+        parts.append(text[cursor:start])
+        cursor = end
+    parts.append(text[cursor:])
+    return "".join(parts)
 
 
 def strip_region_markers(text: str) -> str:
@@ -87,7 +127,16 @@ def strip_region_markers(text: str) -> str:
     """
     if not text or "$" not in text:
         return text
-    return MANNEQUIN_RE.sub(lambda m: m.group(2), text)
+    spans = list(_iter_region_spans(text))
+    if not spans:
+        return text
+    parts, cursor = [], 0
+    for _name, body, start, end in spans:
+        parts.append(text[cursor:start])
+        parts.append(body)
+        cursor = end
+    parts.append(text[cursor:])
+    return "".join(parts)
 
 
 def compile_regions(text: str, **compile_kwargs) -> dict:
@@ -98,12 +147,22 @@ def compile_regions(text: str, **compile_kwargs) -> dict:
     existing feature. `id` is the trailing integer of the name ($mannequin1 -> 1)
     for positional figure binding; falls back to 1-based order if name has none.
     """
-    groups = [(m.group(1), m.group(2)) for m in MANNEQUIN_RE.finditer(text or "")]
-    global_text = MANNEQUIN_RE.sub("", text or "")
+    # Strip comments FIRST so example $name{} blocks in the // help scaffold
+    # (e.g. "//   $alice{ red dress }") aren't extracted as real regions — that
+    # turned a 2-region prompt into a 5-region mess and broke binding.
+    text = strip_comments(text or "")
+    spans = list(_iter_region_spans(text))
+    groups = [(name, body) for name, body, _s, _e in spans]
+    global_text = _remove_region_spans(text, spans) if spans else text
     g_pos, g_neg, _ = compile_prompt(global_text, **compile_kwargs)
 
     regions = []
     for name, body in groups:
+        # A region is ONE figure's description — a continuous phrase, not a lazy
+        # tag-stack. So its line breaks collapse to spaces (a wildcard or phrase
+        # spread across lines reads naturally) instead of the global's
+        # newline→comma. Commas the user types still separate.
+        body = re.sub(r"\s*\n\s*", " ", body)
         r_pos, _, _ = compile_prompt(body, **compile_kwargs)
         num = re.search(r"(\d+)$", name)
         rid = int(num.group(1)) if num else len(regions) + 1
@@ -127,6 +186,8 @@ def _pose_entity_index(pose_json: str = "") -> tuple[list[str], int | None]:
         pose = json.loads(pose_json)
     except (json.JSONDecodeError, TypeError, AttributeError):
         return [], None
+    if not isinstance(pose, dict):
+        return [], None  # json.loads accepts scalars/arrays/null — .get would crash
     ents = pose.get("regionEntities")
     if isinstance(ents, list) and ents:
         names = [str((e.get("name") if isinstance(e, dict) else None) or "").lower()
@@ -577,7 +638,11 @@ def _resolve_braces(text: str) -> str:
         match = re.search(r"\{([^{}]+)\}", text)
         if not match:
             break
-        options = [opt.strip() for opt in match.group(1).split("|") if opt.strip()]
+        # Strip whitespace AND leading/trailing commas off each option. Lines are
+        # comma-joined before braces resolve, so a multi-line wildcard can hand us
+        # ", red" or "blue,"; internal commas (a multi-tag option like "a, b") are
+        # kept so {a⏎b|c⏎d} resolves to "a, b" / "c, d".
+        options = [o for o in (opt.strip(" \t\r\n,") for opt in match.group(1).split("|")) if o]
         replacement = random.choice(options) if options else ""
         text = text[:match.start()] + replacement + text[match.end():]
     return text.strip()
diff --git a/core/crop_windows.py b/core/crop_windows.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..9d60d81
--- /dev/null
+++ b/core/crop_windows.py
@@ -0,0 +1,29 @@
+"""Pure crop-window remap for regional / tiled re-sampling.
+
+Extracted from regional_detailer so the most-revised, most-regressed geometry in
+the codebase (the moved-content inpaint and per-tile cond + ControlNet-hint
+remap) is importable and unit-testable WITHOUT the ComfyUI runtime. torch-only,
+no comfy deps — see scripts/test_crop_windows.py.
+"""
+
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+import torch
+import torch.nn.functional as F
+
+
+def crop_hint_to_window(t, win, img_h, img_w, sh, sw, mode="bilinear"):
+    """Resize a (...,H,W) hint to canvas, crop the detail window, resize to the
+    sampled crop dims — the per-crop remap the tiled upscaler does. Depth/control
+    hints use bilinear; region masks pass mode='nearest-exact' so a hard region
+    edge doesn't soften into a bleed band against the neighbouring region.
+
+    win is (cx1, cy1, cx2, cy2) in canvas pixels. Output last two dims == (sh, sw).
+    """
+    cx1, cy1, cx2, cy2 = win
+    t = t.float()
+    align = None if mode.startswith("nearest") else False
+    if t.shape[-2:] != (img_h, img_w):
+        t = F.interpolate(t, size=(img_h, img_w), mode=mode, align_corners=align)
+    t = t[..., cy1:cy2, cx1:cx2]
+    return F.interpolate(t, size=(sh, sw), mode=mode, align_corners=align)
diff --git a/core/pose_api.py b/core/pose_api.py
index 3026c15..ca35dc7 100644
--- a/core/pose_api.py
+++ b/core/pose_api.py
@@ -69,6 +69,35 @@ async def delete_pose_files(request):
     return ok_response({"deleted": deleted})
 
 
+@routes.post("/promptchain/pose-files/pin")
+async def pin_pose_files(request):
+    """Mark a content-addressed capture set permanent (write <base>.keep).
+
+    Called when a prompt referencing the set is ENQUEUED, closing the window
+    between queue and the node's execute() (which also pins): during a busy
+    queue, a re-pose would otherwise fire the superseded-delete on a set whose
+    render is still waiting, losing its map + the only copy of its region masks.
+    The delete route already refuses any base carrying a .keep.
+    """
+    data, err = await parse_json(request)
+    if err:
+        return err
+    base = data.get("base", "")
+    if not _is_hashed(base):
+        return error_response("not a content-addressed pose base")
+    pose_dir = _pose_dir()
+    # Only pin a set whose map is actually on disk — don't litter markers.
+    if not os.path.exists(os.path.join(pose_dir, base + ".png")):
+        return ok_response({"pinned": False})
+    marker = os.path.join(pose_dir, base + ".keep")
+    if not os.path.exists(marker):
+        try:
+            open(marker, "w").close()
+        except OSError as e:
+            return error_response(f"could not pin: {e}")
+    return ok_response({"pinned": True})
+
+
 # ── imported meshes (.glb/.obj props) ────────────────────────────────────────
 
 _MESH_EXTS = {".glb", ".gltf", ".obj"}
@@ -111,12 +140,14 @@ async def upload_pose_mesh(request):
             return error_response(f"mesh exceeds {_MESH_MAX_BYTES // (1024 * 1024)}MB")
     if not data:
         return error_response("empty upload")
-    name = hashlib.sha256(bytes(data)).hexdigest()[:16] + ext
+    name = hashlib.sha256(data).hexdigest()[:16] + ext  # hash the bytearray directly — no full copy
     mesh_dir = _mesh_dir()
     os.makedirs(mesh_dir, exist_ok=True)
     path = os.path.join(mesh_dir, name)
     if not os.path.exists(path):
-        tmp = path + ".part"
+        # Unique temp so two concurrent uploads of the same content (same path)
+        # don't write/replace each other's .part mid-flight.
+        tmp = f"{path}.part-{os.getpid()}-{os.urandom(4).hex()}"
         with open(tmp, "wb") as f:
             f.write(data)
         os.replace(tmp, path)
@@ -242,9 +273,14 @@ async def save_pose_preset(request):
 async def delete_pose_preset(request):
     name = request.match_info["name"]
     path = os.path.join(_pose_presets_dir(), _pose_preset_slug(name) + ".json")
-    if not os.path.isfile(path):
+    try:
+        os.remove(path)
+    except FileNotFoundError:
+        # Already gone (e.g. a second tab deleted it) — the user's intent is
+        # satisfied; report 404 rather than 500ing on the lost race.
         return error_response("not found", status=404)
-    os.remove(path)
+    except OSError as e:
+        return error_response(f"could not delete: {e}")
     return ok_response()
 
 
diff --git a/data/tag-builder/tag-builder.db b/data/tag-builder/tag-builder.db
index 2763880..6be3d3a 100644
Binary files a/data/tag-builder/tag-builder.db and b/data/tag-builder/tag-builder.db differ
diff --git a/data/templates/ideogram-t2i-regionbox.json b/data/templates/ideogram-t2i-regionbox.json
index bef6af5..c283d51 100644
--- a/data/templates/ideogram-t2i-regionbox.json
+++ b/data/templates/ideogram-t2i-regionbox.json
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 {
-  "name": "Regional — Region Boxes",
+  "name": "Region Boxes (caption placement)",
   "category": "Generation",
   "order": 1,
   "scope": {
diff --git a/js/codemirror.bundle.js b/js/codemirror.bundle.js
index 17bf2f8..36863d4 100644
--- a/js/codemirror.bundle.js
+++ b/js/codemirror.bundle.js
@@ -25,10 +25,10 @@ var PromptChainCM=(()=>{var ps=Object.defineProperty;var Ec=Object.getOwnPropert
 `;for(let d=0;d<f.length;d++){let p=d===0?"":"| ";o+=Wt.repeat(r+1)+p+i(f[d].trim(),r+1)+`
 `}o+=Wt.repeat(r)+"}"}else o+="{"+c+"}";l=h}else o+=s[l],l++;return o};return i(n,0)}function gm(n){let e=n.split(`
 `).map(i=>i.trim().replace(/[ \t]{2,}/g," ")),t=[];for(let i of e)i===""&&(t.length===0||t[t.length-1]==="")||t.push(i);for(;t.length&&t[t.length-1]==="";)t.pop();return t.map(i=>i===""?"":Wt+i).join(`
-`)}function ym(n){let e=/\$[A-Za-z]\w*\s*\{/g,t="",i=0,s;for(;(s=e.exec(n))!==null;){let o=s.index+s[0].length-1,l=n.indexOf("}",o+1);if(l===-1)continue;let a=s[0].match(/^\$[A-Za-z]\w*/)[0],h=n.slice(i,s.index);h.trim()&&(t+=Lo(h).trim()+`
+`)}function ym(n){let e=/\$\w+\s*\{/g,t="",i=0,s;for(;(s=e.exec(n))!==null;){let o=s.index+s[0].length-1,l=1,a=o+1;for(;a<n.length&&l>0;){let d=n[a];d==="{"?l++:d==="}"&&l--,a++}if(l!==0)continue;let h=a-1,c=s[0].match(/^\$\w+/)[0],f=n.slice(i,s.index);f.trim()&&(t+=Lo(f).trim()+`
 
-`);let c=n.slice(o+1,l);t+=`${a} {
-${gm(c)}
+`);let u=n.slice(o+1,h);t+=`${c} {
+${gm(u)}
 }
 
-`,i=l+1,e.lastIndex=l+1}let r=n.slice(i);return r.trim()&&(t+=Lo(r).trim()),t.trim()}function bm(n){let e=n.state.doc.toString(),t=ym(e);return t!==e&&n.dispatch({changes:{from:0,to:e.length,insert:t}}),!0}var wm=ee.fromClass(class{constructor(n){this.decorations=this.build(n)}update(n){(n.docChanged||n.viewportChanged)&&(this.decorations=this.build(n.view))}build(n){let e=[];for(let{from:t,to:i}of n.visibleRanges){let s=t;for(;s<=i;){let r=n.state.doc.lineAt(s),o=r.text.match(/^(\s+)/);if(o){let l=o[1].length;e.push(R.line({attributes:{style:`padding-left: ${l}ch; text-indent: -${l}ch;`}}).range(r.from))}s=r.to+1}}return R.set(e)}},{decorations:n=>n.decorations}),xm=[O.lineWrapping,wm,O.contentAttributes.of({draggable:"false"}),rh(),vh(),Cc,kc,Sc,Bc.of(Oc),pm,mm,La({position:"fixed"}),Bi.of([{key:"Tab",run:n=>yc(n.state)==="active"?Oo(n):wc(n)},{key:"Shift-Tab",run:xc},{key:"Mod-]",run:wc},{key:"Mod-[",run:xc},{key:"Shift-Alt-f",run:bm},{key:"Mod-s",preventDefault:!0,run:()=>(window.app?.extensionManager?.command?.execute?.("Comfy.SaveWorkflow"),!0)},{key:"Mod-Shift-Enter",preventDefault:!0,run:()=>(window.app?.extensionManager?.command?.execute?.("Comfy.QueuePromptFront"),!0)},{key:"Mod-Enter",preventDefault:!0,run:()=>(window.app?.extensionManager?.command?.execute?.("Comfy.QueuePrompt"),!0)},{key:"Mod-Alt-Enter",preventDefault:!0,run:()=>(window.app?.extensionManager?.command?.execute?.("Comfy.Interrupt"),!0)},...Xh,...Ah])];return Nc(vm);})();
+`,i=h+1,e.lastIndex=h+1}let r=n.slice(i);return r.trim()&&(t+=Lo(r).trim()),t.trim()}function bm(n){let e=n.state.doc.toString(),t=ym(e);return t!==e&&n.dispatch({changes:{from:0,to:e.length,insert:t}}),!0}var wm=ee.fromClass(class{constructor(n){this.decorations=this.build(n)}update(n){(n.docChanged||n.viewportChanged)&&(this.decorations=this.build(n.view))}build(n){let e=[];for(let{from:t,to:i}of n.visibleRanges){let s=t;for(;s<=i;){let r=n.state.doc.lineAt(s),o=r.text.match(/^(\s+)/);if(o){let l=o[1].length;e.push(R.line({attributes:{style:`padding-left: ${l}ch; text-indent: -${l}ch;`}}).range(r.from))}s=r.to+1}}return R.set(e)}},{decorations:n=>n.decorations}),xm=[O.lineWrapping,wm,O.contentAttributes.of({draggable:"false"}),rh(),vh(),Cc,kc,Sc,Bc.of(Oc),pm,mm,La({position:"fixed"}),Bi.of([{key:"Tab",run:n=>yc(n.state)==="active"?Oo(n):wc(n)},{key:"Shift-Tab",run:xc},{key:"Mod-]",run:wc},{key:"Mod-[",run:xc},{key:"Shift-Alt-f",run:bm},{key:"Mod-s",preventDefault:!0,run:()=>(window.app?.extensionManager?.command?.execute?.("Comfy.SaveWorkflow"),!0)},{key:"Mod-Shift-Enter",preventDefault:!0,run:()=>(window.app?.extensionManager?.command?.execute?.("Comfy.QueuePromptFront"),!0)},{key:"Mod-Enter",preventDefault:!0,run:()=>(window.app?.extensionManager?.command?.execute?.("Comfy.QueuePrompt"),!0)},{key:"Mod-Alt-Enter",preventDefault:!0,run:()=>(window.app?.extensionManager?.command?.execute?.("Comfy.Interrupt"),!0)},...Xh,...Ah])];return Nc(vm);})();
diff --git a/js/lib/model-settings-bridge.js b/js/lib/model-settings-bridge.js
index bf5da04..dfde496 100644
--- a/js/lib/model-settings-bridge.js
+++ b/js/lib/model-settings-bridge.js
@@ -1968,14 +1968,25 @@ function injectRegional(pcNode, modelConfig) {
   if (!LG) return false;
 
   const downstream = findDownstreamNodes(pcNode);
-  const ksNode = downstream.find(n => n.comfyClass === "KSampler" || n.comfyClass === "KSamplerAdvanced");
+  // Samplers that expose positive/negative/model directly so the reroute below
+  // can trace them. Custom/RES4LYF recipes (e.g. krea2 realism's
+  // ClownsharKSampler_Beta) were silently unsupported before — Regional bailed
+  // with a mislabeled "no attachment point" toast.
+  const REGIONAL_SAMPLERS = ["KSampler", "KSamplerAdvanced", "SamplerCustom", "ClownsharKSampler_Beta"];
+  const ksNode = downstream.find(n => REGIONAL_SAMPLERS.includes(n.comfyClass));
   if (!ksNode) return false;
 
-  const poseNode = (graph._nodes || []).find(n => n.comfyClass === "PromptChain_PoseStudio");
+  // Mask producer: a 3D Poser (preferred — richer scene) OR a Region Box. Both
+  // expose the same MASKS + POSE_JSON contract, so either can drive Regional;
+  // previously only a Poser was accepted, so a Region-Box-only graph couldn't
+  // use the one-click path despite region-box.js documenting parity.
+  const nodes = graph._nodes || [];
+  const poseNode = nodes.find(n => n.comfyClass === "PromptChain_PoseStudio")
+    || nodes.find(n => n.comfyClass === "PromptChain_RegionBox");
   if (!poseNode) {
     app.extensionManager?.toast?.add({
-      severity: "warn", summary: "Add a 3D pose first",
-      detail: "Regional needs a PromptChain 3D Poser in the graph — add 'Depth + 3D pose', pose your figures, then add Regional.",
+      severity: "warn", summary: "Add a pose or region box first",
+      detail: "Regional needs a PromptChain 3D Poser or Region Box in the graph — add one, place your figures/boxes, then add Regional.",
       life: 7000,
     });
     return false;
@@ -2042,7 +2053,9 @@ function injectRegional(pcNode, modelConfig) {
   // $blocks cohere into ONE scene). Other DiTs (Flux/SD3/…) have no ported couple yet, so
   // they fall back to ComfyUI-native masked conditioning here.
   const arch = modelConfig?.architecture || "";
-  const NATIVE_REGIONAL_ARCH = new Set(["flux", "flux2", "sd3", "hidream", "qwen_image", "qwen_edit", "krea2"]);
+  // krea2 deliberately excluded: native cond-mask regional doesn't localize on
+  // Flux-based DiT (GPU-tested — regions smear onto the subject).
+  const NATIVE_REGIONAL_ARCH = new Set(["flux", "flux2", "sd3", "hidream", "qwen_image", "qwen_edit"]);
   if (NATIVE_REGIONAL_ARCH.has(arch)) {
     const rc = LG.createNode("PromptChain_RegionalConditioning");
     if (!rc) return false;
@@ -3108,17 +3121,12 @@ export async function showModelModal(pcNode, modelInfo, anchorEl, { tab = null }
           ],
         });
       }
-      // Krea 2 has no published ControlNet (and ComfyUI's krea2 model class exposes
-      // no control hook), but native cond-mask regional works — PromptChain_RegionalConditioning
-      // is model-agnostic. Offer Regional only.
-      if (arch === "krea2") {
-        items.push({
-          label: "ControlNet",
-          children: [
-            { label: "Regional", value: "ControlNet:regional" },
-          ],
-        });
-      }
+      // Krea 2 has no working regional path: it's a Flux.1-dev finetune, and
+      // Flux/DiT models don't honour ComfyUI's native cond-area masks (the only
+      // regional engine available to krea2). GPU-tested — "a cat"/"a dog" boxes
+      // smeared onto the main subject instead of separating. A real krea2
+      // regional would need a Flux attention-couple node (like ZImageRegionalCouple),
+      // which doesn't exist; until then Regional is intentionally NOT offered.
       // Z-Image ControlNet (DiffSynth model-patch path; core nodes + aux
       // preprocessors). The control model is family-specific: Turbo's is
       // step-distilled, base's isn't, and they're NOT cross-compatible — so a
diff --git a/js/lib/region-highlight.js b/js/lib/region-highlight.js
index ce5ae9f..b0a32f7 100644
--- a/js/lib/region-highlight.js
+++ b/js/lib/region-highlight.js
@@ -1,12 +1,13 @@
 // $region highlight — colors `$name { ... }` markers (regional-conditioning blocks)
 // so it's visually obvious they pin a section to a mannequin. Self-contained CM6
-// extension, no node/app imports. Regions don't nest, so the matching close brace
-// is simply the next `}` after the opener.
+// extension, no node/app imports. The close brace is matched by DEPTH so a
+// wildcard/alternation brace ({a|b}) inside a body isn't mistaken for the region
+// close, and the opener allows any \w+ name to match the binding/compiler rule.
 
 export function regionHighlightExtension(CM) {
   const nameDeco = CM.Decoration.mark({ class: "pcr-region-name" });
   const braceDeco = CM.Decoration.mark({ class: "pcr-region-brace" });
-  const OPEN = /\$[A-Za-z]\w*\s*\{/g;
+  const OPEN = /\$\w+\s*\{/g;
 
   const build = (view) => {
     const ranges = [];
@@ -14,12 +15,22 @@ export function regionHighlightExtension(CM) {
     let m;
     OPEN.lastIndex = 0;
     while ((m = OPEN.exec(text)) !== null) {
-      const nameLen = m[0].match(/^\$[A-Za-z]\w*/)[0].length;
+      const nameLen = m[0].match(/^\$\w+/)[0].length;
       ranges.push(nameDeco.range(m.index, m.index + nameLen)); // $name
       const open = m.index + m[0].length - 1;
       ranges.push(braceDeco.range(open, open + 1)); // {
-      const close = text.indexOf("}", open + 1);
-      if (close !== -1) ranges.push(braceDeco.range(close, close + 1)); // }
+      // Depth-track to the matching close (mirrors the binding parser) so nested
+      // wildcard braces in the body don't steal the region-close decoration.
+      let depth = 1, i = open + 1;
+      for (; i < text.length && depth > 0; i++) {
+        const c = text[i];
+        if (c === "{") depth++;
+        else if (c === "}") depth--;
+      }
+      if (depth === 0) {
+        ranges.push(braceDeco.range(i - 1, i)); // }
+        OPEN.lastIndex = i; // resume past this region; its body never holds another opener
+      }
     }
     ranges.sort((a, b) => a.from - b.from);
     return CM.Decoration.set(ranges, true);
diff --git a/js/lib/svelte/assets/promptchain-svelte.css b/js/lib/svelte/assets/promptchain-svelte.css
index eafcde9..aa00f2e 100644
--- a/js/lib/svelte/assets/promptchain-svelte.css
+++ b/js/lib/svelte/assets/promptchain-svelte.css
@@ -3640,6 +3640,7 @@
   /* {@html} content — needs :global */
   .pcr-output-panel-label-pos { color: #4fc3f7; font-weight: 600; }
   .pcr-output-panel-label-neg { color: #e74c3c; font-weight: 600; }
+  .pcr-output-panel-label-region { color: #ffb74d; font-weight: 600; }
   .pcr-output-panel-placeholder {
     color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.4);
     font-style: italic;
diff --git a/js/lib/svelte/promptchain-node.js b/js/lib/svelte/promptchain-node.js
index 101875a..b6a9294 100644
--- a/js/lib/svelte/promptchain-node.js
+++ b/js/lib/svelte/promptchain-node.js
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ var __typeError = (msg) => {
 var __accessCheck = (obj, member, msg) => member.has(obj) || __typeError("Cannot " + msg);
 var __privateGet = (obj, member, getter) => (__accessCheck(obj, member, "read from private field"), getter ? getter.call(obj) : member.get(obj));
 var __privateAdd = (obj, member, value) => member.has(obj) ? __typeError("Cannot add the same private member more than once") : member instanceof WeakSet ? member.add(obj) : member.set(obj, value);
-var _mode, _switchIndex, _locked, _disabled, _collapsed, _connectedCount, _hasLabels, _switchLabel, _iterateCurrent, _iterateTotal, _iterateCycle, _switchOptions, _outputPanelOpen, _imagePanelVisible, _aiAssistantOpen, _posePanelVisible, _regionPanelVisible, _hasPoseStudio, _hasRegionBox, _compiledOutput, _compiledNegOutput, _imageUrl, _previewUrl, _progress, _isGenerating, _rollSelected;
+var _mode, _switchIndex, _locked, _disabled, _collapsed, _connectedCount, _hasLabels, _switchLabel, _iterateCurrent, _iterateTotal, _iterateCycle, _switchOptions, _outputPanelOpen, _imagePanelVisible, _aiAssistantOpen, _posePanelVisible, _regionPanelVisible, _hasPoseStudio, _hasRegionBox, _compiledOutput, _compiledNegOutput, _compiledRegions, _imageUrl, _previewUrl, _progress, _isGenerating, _rollSelected;
 import { p as push, o as bind_this, k as append, l as pop, A as from_html, d as delegate, a as prop, g as get, j as delegated, m as user_derived, s as state, c as proxy, u as user_effect, i as if_block, f as sibling, r as event, e as set, C as tick, n as child, D as comment, v as first_child, w as each, t as template_effect, y as set_text, h as set_class, x as set_attribute, Q as clsx, z as index, R as text, E as untrack, M as unmount, L as mount } from "./disclose-version-et9wt-4m.js";
 import { u as useApi, p as provideApi } from "./api-context-BNqvELYR.js";
 import { M as Menubar } from "./Menubar-CMm15KuK.js";
@@ -34,7 +34,13 @@ function EditorPane($$anchor, $$props) {
 var root$c = from_html(`<div class="pcr-output-panel-content pcr-scrollable svelte-qbaa69" tabindex="0"></div>`);
 function PromptOutput($$anchor, $$props) {
   push($$props, true);
-  let compiledOutput = prop($$props, "compiledOutput", 3, ""), compiledNegOutput = prop($$props, "compiledNegOutput", 3, "");
+  let compiledOutput = prop($$props, "compiledOutput", 3, ""), compiledNegOutput = prop($$props, "compiledNegOutput", 3, ""), compiledRegions = prop(
+    $$props,
+    "compiledRegions",
+    3,
+    ""
+    // JSON {global, regions:[{name,text}], negative} sent with the compile
+  );
   const _HTML_ESCAPES = {
     "&": "&amp;",
     "<": "&lt;",
@@ -45,10 +51,39 @@ function PromptOutput($$anchor, $$props) {
   function escapeHtml(text2) {
     return String(text2).replace(/[&<>"']/g, (c) => _HTML_ESCAPES[c]);
   }
+  let regional = user_derived(() => {
+    if (!compiledRegions()) return null;
+    try {
+      const o = JSON.parse(compiledRegions());
+      return o && Array.isArray(o.regions) && o.regions.length ? o : null;
+    } catch {
+      return null;
+    }
+  });
   let html$1 = user_derived(() => {
-    if (!compiledOutput() && !compiledNegOutput()) {
+    if (!compiledOutput() && !compiledNegOutput() && !get(regional)) {
       return '<span class="pcr-output-panel-placeholder">Queue workflow to see prompt output</span>';
     }
+    if (get(regional)) {
+      const regEmpty = '<span class="pcr-output-panel-placeholder">(empty → uses global)</span>';
+      let result2 = "";
+      for (const reg of get(regional).regions) {
+        const body = (reg.text || "").trim();
+        result2 += `<span class="pcr-output-panel-label-region">$${escapeHtml(reg.name || "")}</span>
+${body ? escapeHtml(body) : regEmpty}
+
+`;
+      }
+      const g = (get(regional).global || "").trim();
+      result2 += `<span class="pcr-output-panel-label-pos">Global:</span>
+${g ? escapeHtml(g) : '<span class="pcr-output-panel-placeholder">(none)</span>'}`;
+      const neg = get(regional).negative || compiledNegOutput();
+      if (neg) result2 += `
+
+<span class="pcr-output-panel-label-neg">Negative:</span>
+${escapeHtml(neg)}`;
+      return result2;
+    }
     let result = `<span class="pcr-output-panel-label-pos">Positive:</span>
 ${escapeHtml(compiledOutput())}`;
     if (compiledNegOutput()) {
@@ -516,6 +551,9 @@ function OutputPanel($$anchor, $$props) {
         },
         get compiledNegOutput() {
           return $$props.shared.compiledNegOutput;
+        },
+        get compiledRegions() {
+          return $$props.shared.compiledRegions;
         }
       });
     };
@@ -3917,6 +3955,7 @@ class SharedState {
     __privateAdd(this, _hasRegionBox, state(false));
     __privateAdd(this, _compiledOutput, state(""));
     __privateAdd(this, _compiledNegOutput, state(""));
+    __privateAdd(this, _compiledRegions, state(""));
     __privateAdd(this, _imageUrl, state(null));
     __privateAdd(this, _previewUrl, state(null));
     __privateAdd(this, _progress, state(null));
@@ -3939,6 +3978,7 @@ class SharedState {
     this.regionPanelVisible = !!p.pcrRegionPanel;
     this.compiledOutput = p.pcrCompiledOutput || "";
     this.compiledNegOutput = p.pcrCompiledNegOutput || "";
+    this.compiledRegions = p.pcrCompiledRegions || "";
   }
   get mode() {
     return get(__privateGet(this, _mode));
@@ -4066,6 +4106,12 @@ class SharedState {
   set compiledNegOutput(value) {
     set(__privateGet(this, _compiledNegOutput), value, true);
   }
+  get compiledRegions() {
+    return get(__privateGet(this, _compiledRegions));
+  }
+  set compiledRegions(value) {
+    set(__privateGet(this, _compiledRegions), value, true);
+  }
   get imageUrl() {
     return get(__privateGet(this, _imageUrl));
   }
@@ -4118,6 +4164,7 @@ _hasPoseStudio = new WeakMap();
 _hasRegionBox = new WeakMap();
 _compiledOutput = new WeakMap();
 _compiledNegOutput = new WeakMap();
+_compiledRegions = new WeakMap();
 _imageUrl = new WeakMap();
 _previewUrl = new WeakMap();
 _progress = new WeakMap();
diff --git a/js/main.js b/js/main.js
index 8dd96f2..d377caa 100644
--- a/js/main.js
+++ b/js/main.js
@@ -1701,12 +1701,14 @@ app.registerExtension({
           if (!this.properties) this.properties = {};
           this.properties.pcrCompiledOutput = message.text[0];
           this.properties.pcrCompiledNegOutput = message.neg_text?.[0] || "";
+          this.properties.pcrCompiledRegions = message.regions?.[0] || "";
           this._pcrOutputText = message.text[0];
           this._pcrNegOutputText = message.neg_text?.[0] || "";
           this._pcrRegionsText = message.regions?.[0] || "";
           if (shared) {
             shared.compiledOutput = message.text[0];
             shared.compiledNegOutput = message.neg_text?.[0] || "";
+            shared.compiledRegions = message.regions?.[0] || "";
           }
           updateInputLabels(this);
           requestAnimationFrame(() => attachSlotClickHandlers(this));
diff --git a/js/pose-studio.js b/js/pose-studio.js
index 94fb5a4..82e572e 100644
--- a/js/pose-studio.js
+++ b/js/pose-studio.js
@@ -1160,6 +1160,30 @@ function deleteSupersededSet(previousRef, newBase) {
   }).catch((e) => console.warn("[PoseStudio] superseded-set delete failed", e));
 }
 
+// Pin a content-addressed capture set so a later re-pose's superseded-delete
+// can't remove it (the delete route honours <base>.keep). Fire-and-forget.
+function pinCaptureSet(ref) {
+  const name = ref?.split("/").pop()?.replace(/ \[\w+\]$/, "") || "";
+  const base = name.endsWith(".png") ? name.slice(0, -4) : null;
+  if (!base || !/^promptchain_pose_[0-9a-f]{12}$/.test(base)) return;
+  api.fetchApi("/promptchain/pose-files/pin", {
+    method: "POST",
+    headers: { "Content-Type": "application/json" },
+    body: JSON.stringify({ base }),
+  }).catch((e) => console.warn("[PoseStudio] pin failed", e));
+}
+
+// Before a prompt is enqueued, pin every live Poser's current control map so a
+// re-pose while that render waits in a busy queue can't GC the set it
+// references (execute() also pins, but only once the render actually starts).
+function pinLivePoserSets() {
+  for (const n of poseRegistry.all()) {
+    if (!n._pcrAlive) continue;
+    const ref = n.widgets?.find((w) => w.name === "control_map")?.value;
+    if (ref) pinCaptureSet(ref);
+  }
+}
+
 async function captureAndUpload(node) {
   const ps = node._pcrPose;
   if (!ps || !node._pcrAlive) return; // bail if torn down (renderer may be disposed)
@@ -1885,6 +1909,16 @@ async function mountViewport(node, container) {
     return;
   }
   if (!node._pcrAlive) return; // node was removed during the async load
+  // Re-mount safety: drop a prior mount's global capture listeners before
+  // building a new scene — node._pcrPose is overwritten at the end of this
+  // function, so without this a re-mount would leak the previous keydown/
+  // pointerdown/contextmenu handlers (a duplicate global Ctrl+Z over a dead scene).
+  const _priorPose = node._pcrPose;
+  if (_priorPose) {
+    if (_priorPose.onKey) window.removeEventListener("keydown", _priorPose.onKey, true);
+    if (_priorPose.onWinPointerDown) window.removeEventListener("pointerdown", _priorPose.onWinPointerDown, true);
+    if (_priorPose.onContextMenu) window.removeEventListener("contextmenu", _priorPose.onContextMenu, true);
+  }
   const { THREE, OrbitControls, TransformControls, GLTFLoader, OBJLoader } = lib;
 
   const scene = new THREE.Scene();
@@ -3398,6 +3432,7 @@ async function mountViewport(node, container) {
   // stay depth dressing). Uses the live materials so skinning/pose is preserved;
   // isolates by visibility, so it survives overlaps a screen-space split can't.
   let maskTarget = null;
+  let maskOverrideMat = null; // shared silhouette override — built once, disposed in disposeCapture (not per capture)
   let captureBusy = false; // blocks renderFrame from clobbering renderer state mid-capture
   const captureRegionMasks = async () => {
     // Mask-row order = entity order: figures first (so heads[] / detailer face
@@ -3464,7 +3499,8 @@ async function mountViewport(node, container) {
       // with the normal lit materials bakes shading into the mask (~0.6 gray),
       // which downstream consumers multiply by — the regional detailer's
       // re-render strength was silently capped at that gray level.
-      scene.overrideMaterial = new THREE.MeshBasicMaterial({ color: 0xffffff });
+      if (!maskOverrideMat) maskOverrideMat = new THREE.MeshBasicMaterial({ color: 0xffffff });
+      scene.overrideMaterial = maskOverrideMat;
       for (let i = 0; i < entities.length; i++) {
         const ent = entities[i];
         figures.forEach((f) => { f.root.visible = ent.kind === "figure" && f === ent.o; });
@@ -3506,7 +3542,7 @@ async function mountViewport(node, container) {
     return out;
   };
   const disposeCapture = () => {
-    captureTarget?.dispose(); maskTarget?.dispose();
+    captureTarget?.dispose(); maskTarget?.dispose(); maskOverrideMat?.dispose();
     depthOutTarget?.dispose(); depthLinearGeo.dispose(); depthLinearMat.dispose();
     outlineTarget?.dispose(); outlineQuadGeo.dispose();
     outlineQuadMat.dispose(); outlineDepthMat.dispose(); outlineSelMat.dispose(); outlineActMat.dispose();
@@ -5943,7 +5979,12 @@ async function mountViewport(node, container) {
   const MAX_FOLD = 0.95; // rad (~54°) max bend at any single joint — generous enough for tight corkscrews, tight enough to stop the inside-out kink / tangent-flip singularity
   const COS_HALF_FOLD = Math.cos(MAX_FOLD / 2); // min next-nearest distance = (len[i]+len[i+1]) * this
   const chainRopeStep = () => {
-    if (!chainDrag.active || !chainDrag.prop || !propsGroup.children.includes(chainDrag.prop)) { chainDrag.settling = false; return; }
+    // Liveness guard FIRST: a node torn down mid chain-drag (Ctrl+Z rebuild,
+    // workflow switch) never fires pointerup, so chainDrag.active stays true and
+    // the prop stays in propsGroup — without this the rAF loop re-arms forever on
+    // disposed three.js objects. No cancelAnimationFrame exists, so the loop must
+    // self-terminate on the teardown flag.
+    if (!node._pcrAlive || !chainDrag.active || !chainDrag.prop || !propsGroup.children.includes(chainDrag.prop)) { chainDrag.settling = false; return; }
     const prop = chainDrag.prop, rope = chainDrag.rope, lens = chainDrag.ropeLens;
     const n = rope.length - 1, pin = chainDrag.pinIdx, grab = chainDrag.driveCount;
     const pinTarget = chainPinTarget(prop, _ropeTmp).clone();
@@ -11134,6 +11175,20 @@ export async function mountDetachedPoser(parentEl, { width = 832, height = 1216,
 
 app.registerExtension({
   name: "PromptChain.PoseStudio",
+  setup() {
+    // Pin-on-enqueue: wrap the queue action once so a busy-queue re-pose can't
+    // GC a capture set whose render is still pending (execute() pins only when
+    // the render actually starts). Event-driven — reacts to the queue action,
+    // never polls — and always delegates to the original.
+    if (!app._pcrPoseQueueHook && typeof app.queuePrompt === "function") {
+      app._pcrPoseQueueHook = true;
+      const origQueue = app.queuePrompt.bind(app);
+      app.queuePrompt = function (...args) {
+        try { pinLivePoserSets(); } catch (e) { console.warn("[PoseStudio] pin-on-queue failed", e); }
+        return origQueue(...args);
+      };
+    }
+  },
   async nodeCreated(node) {
     if (node.comfyClass !== NODE_TYPE) return;
     setupPoseStudio(node);
diff --git a/js/region-box.js b/js/region-box.js
index 6dc2d92..74045b4 100644
--- a/js/region-box.js
+++ b/js/region-box.js
@@ -328,7 +328,9 @@ function setupRegionBox(node) {
   }
   function uniqueName() {
     let n = 1;
-    const have = new Set(boxes.map((b) => b.name));
+    // Case-insensitive: the backend lowercases entity names, so 'Hero'/'hero'
+    // collide to one mask — match that here so names stay unambiguous.
+    const have = new Set(boxes.map((b) => b.name.toLowerCase()));
     while (have.has("region" + n)) n++;
     return "region" + n;
   }
@@ -541,7 +543,9 @@ function setupRegionBox(node) {
     if (i < 0) return;
     const next = sanitize(raw);
     if (!next || next === boxes[i].name) { renderList(); return; }
-    if (boxes.some((b, j) => j !== i && b.name === next)) { renderList(); return; } // keep unique
+    // Case-insensitive uniqueness — the backend lowercases names, so 'Hero' and
+    // 'hero' would otherwise pass here then collide to one mask row.
+    if (boxes.some((b, j) => j !== i && b.name.toLowerCase() === next.toLowerCase())) { renderList(); return; }
     const old = boxes[i].name;
     boxes[i].name = next;
     persist();
diff --git a/nodes/attention_couple.py b/nodes/attention_couple.py
index 6bed0c0..696a5f0 100644
--- a/nodes/attention_couple.py
+++ b/nodes/attention_couple.py
@@ -71,15 +71,17 @@ def patch_model_regional(model, base_cond, regions, base_weight: float):
     weights = torch.stack(weight_maps, dim=0)        # [num_conds, 1, H, W]
     weights = weights / weights.sum(dim=0, keepdim=True)  # per-pixel sum == 1
 
-    state = {"device": None}
+    state = {"device": None, "dtype": None}
 
     def _to(device, dtype):
-        if state["device"] == device:
+        if state["device"] == device and state["dtype"] == dtype:
             return
         state["conds"] = [c.to(device, dtype=dtype) for c in cond_embeds]
         # collapse the singleton channel so the mask is [num_conds, H, W]
         state["weights"] = weights.squeeze(1).to(device, dtype=dtype)
         state["device"] = device
+        state["dtype"] = dtype
+        state["region_kv_lcm"] = None  # invalidate cached region K/V (rebuilt below)
 
     def attn2_patch(q, k, v, extra_options):
         _to(q.device, q.dtype)
@@ -105,11 +107,16 @@ def patch_model_regional(model, base_cond, regions, base_weight: float):
                 full_lcm = full_lcm * t // math.gcd(full_lcm, t)
 
         # text-embedding stack for one image: each region prompt repeated along
-        # the token axis to the common LCM length, then over the batch.
-        region_kv = torch.cat(
-            [c.repeat(1, full_lcm // token_counts[i], 1) for i, c in enumerate(conds)],
-            dim=0,
-        )  # [num_conds, full_lcm, ctx]
+        # the token axis to the common LCM length. Constant across every
+        # attention layer and step of a render, so build once per (device, dtype,
+        # lcm) and reuse — only the per-batch interleave below varies.
+        if state.get("region_kv_lcm") != full_lcm:
+            state["region_kv"] = torch.cat(
+                [c.repeat(1, full_lcm // token_counts[i], 1) for i, c in enumerate(conds)],
+                dim=0,
+            )  # [num_conds, full_lcm, ctx]
+            state["region_kv_lcm"] = full_lcm
+        region_kv = state["region_kv"]
 
         out_q, out_kv = [], []
         for i, kind in enumerate(chunk_kinds):
@@ -241,10 +248,17 @@ class AttentionCoupleNode(io.ComfyNode):
         for n, (r, idx) in enumerate(zip(region_list, region_figure_indices(region_list, pose))):
             if orphans[n]:
                 continue
+            # Empty $block → fall back to the global prompt inside that figure
+            # (matches RegionalConditioning / ZImageRegionalCouple). Otherwise the
+            # empty CLIP encode competes with the global at weight 1.0 and starves
+            # the figure of ~2/3 of its guidance.
+            text = (r.get("text") or "").strip()
+            if not text:
+                continue
             idx = min(max(idx, 0), num_masks - 1)
             mask = _dilate(masks[idx:idx + 1], mask_dilation)
             regions_for_patch.append(
-                {"cond": encode(r.get("text", "")), "mask": mask, "weight": 1.0})
+                {"cond": encode(text), "mask": mask, "weight": 1.0})
 
         # Every region was an orphan -> no regional split; just the global cond.
         if not regions_for_patch:
diff --git a/nodes/attention_couple_zimage.py b/nodes/attention_couple_zimage.py
index f704c73..79debe8 100644
--- a/nodes/attention_couple_zimage.py
+++ b/nodes/attention_couple_zimage.py
@@ -279,8 +279,8 @@ class ZImageRegionalCoupleNode(io.ComfyNode):
     @classmethod
     def execute(cls, model, clip, regions: str = "", masks: torch.Tensor = None,
                 base_weight: float = 1.0, mask_dilation: int = 22,
-                region_strength: float = 8.0, figure_isolation: float = 6.0,
-                end_percent: float = 0.55, pose: str = "") -> io.NodeOutput:
+                region_strength: float = 1.0, figure_isolation: float = 4.0,
+                end_percent: float = 0.7, pose: str = "") -> io.NodeOutput:
 
         def encode_raw(text):
             tokens = clip.tokenize(text or "")
diff --git a/nodes/ideogram_caption.py b/nodes/ideogram_caption.py
index 2c20ba7..505644a 100644
--- a/nodes/ideogram_caption.py
+++ b/nodes/ideogram_caption.py
@@ -9,53 +9,121 @@ from comfy_api.latest import io
 logger = logging.getLogger("promptchain.ideogram_caption")
 
 
+# Non-photographic media. If the prompt names one, the style_description must use
+# the art_style path (aesthetics,lighting,medium,art_style) instead of the photo
+# path (aesthetics,lighting,photo,medium) — Ideogram's caption verifier requires
+# exactly one of photo|art_style.
+# Most specific first so e.g. "watercolor illustration" resolves to "watercolor",
+# not the generic "illustration"/"render" which sit last as catch-alls.
+_ART_MEDIA = ("watercolor", "oil painting", "3d render", "concept art", "pixel art",
+              "line art", "cel shaded", "digital art", "gouache", "acrylic",
+              "woodcut", "lithograph", "manga", "anime", "comic", "cartoon",
+              "painting", "drawing", "sketch", "vector", "illustration", "render")
+
+
+def _medium_word(text: str) -> str:
+    """The rendering medium named in the prompt, or 'photograph' by default."""
+    t = (text or "").lower()
+    return next((m for m in _ART_MEDIA if m in t), "photograph")
+
+
+def _clean(text: str) -> str:
+    """Tidy the lazily-joined global prompt: a region/line join can leave 'focus., x'
+    or doubled commas/spaces. Cosmetic, but it lands verbatim in background/aesthetics."""
+    t = re.sub(r"\s*\.\s*,", ", ", text or "")
+    t = re.sub(r"\s*,\s*,", ", ", t)
+    return re.sub(r"\s+", " ", t).strip(" ,")
+
+
+def _first_clause(text: str, max_words: int) -> str:
+    """First sentence/line of `text`, word-capped — for a terse style/summary line."""
+    t = (text or "").strip()
+    for sep in (". ", ".\n", "\n"):
+        if sep in t:
+            t = t.split(sep, 1)[0]
+            break
+    words = t.strip().rstrip(".").split()
+    return " ".join(words[:max_words])
+
+
+def _short_subject(desc: str) -> str:
+    """A subject's first comma-clause, word-capped — its brief mention in the HLD
+    (the full description still lives in the element's `desc`)."""
+    first = (desc or "").strip().split(",")[0].strip()
+    return " ".join(first.split()[:8])
+
+
+def _human_join(items: list[str]) -> str:
+    items = [i for i in items if i]
+    if len(items) <= 1:
+        return items[0] if items else ""
+    if len(items) == 2:
+        return f"{items[0]} and {items[1]}"
+    return ", ".join(items[:-1]) + f", and {items[-1]}"
+
+
+def _style_block(text: str) -> dict:
+    """An Ideogram `style_description` object in the verifier's strict key order.
+
+    Photographic by default; switches to the art_style path when the prompt names
+    a non-photo medium. Omitting style_description samples outside the model's
+    training distribution and (per Ideogram) raises the safety false-positive
+    rate, so we always emit a conforming one; its shared aesthetics/lighting also
+    bind multiple regions into a single coherent scene instead of a collage."""
+    medium = _medium_word(text)
+    aesthetics = _first_clause(text, 16) or "natural and true to life"
+    if medium != "photograph":
+        return {"aesthetics": aesthetics, "lighting": "soft, even lighting",
+                "medium": "digital art", "art_style": medium}
+    return {"aesthetics": aesthetics, "lighting": "natural light",
+            "photo": "sharp focus, realistic detail", "medium": "photograph"}
+
+
 def _caption(text: str) -> str:
-    """Wrap a plain PromptChain prompt in a COMPLETE Ideogram JSON caption.
+    """Wrap a plain (region-less) PromptChain prompt in a COMPLETE Ideogram caption.
 
     Ideogram 4 was trained on structured JSON captions and its built-in safety
-    *false-positive* rate is far higher for non-conforming prompts (official:
-    "false positive rates ... higher for non-json like prompts"). Empirically,
-    on flagged content (e.g. a swimsuit/rear-pose character): plain text AND a
-    JSON wrapper with an EMPTY `elements` array both block ~100% across seeds,
-    while a COMPLETE caption — high_level_description + background + at least one
-    real `element` — passes ~100% regardless of where the content sits (HLD,
-    background, or element). So the whole prompt goes into one element's `desc`
-    under a benign summary: that completeness is what makes the model read it as
-    a conforming caption rather than falling back to the non-JSON safety path.
-    """
-    t = (text or "").strip()
-    # The element bbox must be an INSET subregion: empirically a full-frame
-    # [0,0,1000,1000] bbox AND omitting bbox both block ~100% on flagged content,
-    # while an inset region passes (the model reads it as "an object placed in a
-    # scene" rather than "the whole image IS this object"). Centred, with margins
-    # on all sides; the desc still drives the full composition.
+    *false-positive* rate is higher for non-conforming prompts (official:
+    "false positive rates ... higher for non-json like prompts"). The single
+    documented lever to reduce refusals is a conforming caption, so we emit all
+    three top-level keys (high_level_description, style_description,
+    compositional_deconstruction) with one bbox'd element — a boxless element
+    re-trips the safety gray screen (ideogram4 issue #13)."""
+    t = _clean(text)
+    hld = (_first_clause(t, 40) or "A high-quality, detailed image.").rstrip(".") + "."
     return json.dumps({
-        "high_level_description": "A high-quality, detailed image.",
+        "high_level_description": hld,
+        "style_description": _style_block(t),
         "compositional_deconstruction": {
-            "background": "a fitting background that suits the subject",
-            "elements": [{"type": "obj", "bbox": [60, 250, 990, 770], "desc": t}],
+            "background": "a setting that suits the subject",
+            "elements": [{"type": "obj", "bbox": list(_FULL_FRAME_INSET),
+                          "desc": t or "the subject"}],
         },
     }, separators=(",", ":"), ensure_ascii=False)
 
 
-# Ideogram bbox is [y_min, x_min, y_max, x_max] on a 0-1000 grid, top-left origin.
-_FULL_FRAME_INSET = [60, 250, 990, 770]  # the proven single-element box
+# Ideogram bbox is [y_min, x_min, y_max, x_max] on a 0-1000 grid, top-left origin
+# (verified against ideogram4's shipped caption_verifier.py). Used as the fallback
+# box for a region the user gave no Region Box — an element with NO bbox re-trips
+# the safety gray screen (ideogram4 issue #13), so every element gets one.
+_FULL_FRAME_INSET = [60, 250, 990, 770]
 
 
-def _inset_bbox(bbox) -> list[int]:
-    """Clamp a box to 0-1000 and guarantee it is an INSET (never full-frame).
+def _clamp_bbox(bbox) -> list[int]:
+    """Clamp a user-drawn box to the 0-1000 grid (y-first, y0<y1 / x0<x1).
 
-    A full-frame element re-trips the safety false-positive (the model reads it
-    as "the whole image IS this object"). A user-drawn box is normally inset
-    already; this only rescues an edge-to-edge box."""
+    A drawn box is kept AS DRAWN — Ideogram bboxes are soft placement hints that
+    are meant to overlap and nest (the canonical multi-subject examples do), so
+    forcing a large box to a fixed inset only mis-places the subject. Only a
+    degenerate (zero-area) box falls back to the centred box, purely to keep the
+    safety-required bbox presence."""
     try:
         y0, x0, y1, x1 = (int(round(v)) for v in bbox)
     except (TypeError, ValueError):
         return list(_FULL_FRAME_INSET)
     y0, y1 = sorted((max(0, min(1000, y0)), max(0, min(1000, y1))))
     x0, x1 = sorted((max(0, min(1000, x0)), max(0, min(1000, x1))))
-    # Degenerate or effectively full-frame -> fall back to the proven inset.
-    if x1 - x0 < 10 or y1 - y0 < 10 or (x1 - x0 >= 990 and y1 - y0 >= 990):
+    if x1 - x0 < 10 or y1 - y0 < 10:
         return list(_FULL_FRAME_INSET)
     return [y0, x0, y1, x1]
 
@@ -74,14 +142,17 @@ def _load(obj):
 # A leading quoted literal ('...' or "...") in a `$name{}` region's BODY marks a
 # TEXT element — Ideogram renders that exact string (its headline feature). This
 # is a property of a real scope (the region body), never of a comment.
-_LITERAL_RE = re.compile(r"""^\s*['"](.+?)['"]\s*(.*)$""", re.DOTALL)
+# The closing quote must be the SAME character that opened (\1 backreference),
+# so a double-quoted literal containing an apostrophe ("Mom's Diner") isn't
+# truncated at the apostrophe.
+_LITERAL_RE = re.compile(r"""^\s*(['"])(.+?)\1\s*(.*)$""", re.DOTALL)
 
 
 def _split_literal(s: str):
     """('LITERAL', rest-as-desc) if s starts with a quoted literal, else (None, s)."""
     m = _LITERAL_RE.match(s or "")
     if m:
-        return m.group(1).strip(), m.group(2).strip()
+        return m.group(2).strip(), m.group(3).strip()
     return None, (s or "").strip()
 
 
@@ -104,36 +175,33 @@ def _mk_text(e: dict) -> dict:
     return o
 
 
-def _pos_word(bbox) -> str:
-    """A rough placement word from a 0-1000 [y0,x0,y1,x1] box, for the HLD."""
-    if not (isinstance(bbox, (list, tuple)) and len(bbox) == 4):
-        return ""
-    xc = (bbox[1] + bbox[3]) / 2.0
-    yc = (bbox[0] + bbox[2]) / 2.0
-    h = "left" if xc < 400 else "right" if xc > 600 else ""
-    v = "top" if yc < 350 else "bottom" if yc > 650 else ""
-    if h and v:
-        return f"{v} {h}"
-    return h or v or "centre"
-
-
 def _build_caption(prompt_text: str, region_list: list, box_by_name: dict,
                    background_text: str = "") -> str | None:
     """Build a conforming Ideogram caption from the prompt text + `$name{}` regions.
 
     Comments are NOT parsed — `prompt_text` is the already comment-stripped prompt
-    (minus the regions). Structure comes ONLY from real scopes: the reserved
-    `$background{ ... }` region -> the `background` field; each other `$name{}`
-    region -> one element placed at its drawn box (bbox optional, matched by name);
-    a region whose body starts with a quoted literal `"..."` -> a `type:"text"`
-    element (Ideogram renders that exact string). The remaining prompt text ->
-    high_level_description. A complete caption (HLD + background + >=1 INSET-bbox
-    element) keeps the safety bypass, so we anchor one element (preferring a
-    subject) with the proven inset when no drawn box supplied one. Returns None
-    when there's nothing to build.
+    (minus the regions). Structure maps onto Ideogram's real schema (three keys in
+    order: high_level_description, style_description, compositional_deconstruction):
+
+      - each non-reserved `$name{}` region -> ONE element placed at its drawn box
+        (kept as drawn; bbox optional, matched by name). A region body that starts
+        with a quoted literal `"..."` -> a `type:"text"` element.
+      - the SCENE goes in `background`: the reserved `$background{ ... }` region if
+        present, else the leftover global prompt. Ideogram composes the subjects
+        INTO the background — without a real one it stages them as separate framed
+        photos (the collage failure), so we never emit a vague placeholder.
+      - `high_level_description` is a TERSE summary that names the subjects in prose
+        (the per-subject detail stays in each element's `desc`, not duplicated into
+        the HLD — over-stuffing the HLD over-weights the dominant subject and
+        invites a duplicate in the other box).
+      - `style_description` is always emitted; its shared style binds the regions
+        into one image and lowers the safety false-positive rate.
+
+    Returns None when there's nothing to build.
     """
     raw_obj: list[dict] = []
     raw_text: list[dict] = []
+    subjects: list[str] = []
     for r in region_list:
         name = str(r.get("name", "")).lower()
         box = box_by_name.get(name)
@@ -142,51 +210,46 @@ def _build_caption(prompt_text: str, region_list: list, box_by_name: dict,
             if box is None:
                 continue                        # nothing to place; the HLD covers it
             d = name or "subject"               # box drawn but no text: keep the placement
-        bbox = _inset_bbox(box) if box is not None else None
+        bbox = _clamp_bbox(box) if box is not None else None
         lit, rest = _split_literal(d)
-        e = {"text": lit, "desc": rest} if lit is not None else {"desc": d}
+        if lit is not None:
+            e = {"text": lit, "desc": rest}
+            subjects.append(f'a sign reading "{lit}"')
+            target = raw_text
+        else:
+            e = {"desc": d}
+            subjects.append(_short_subject(d))
+            target = raw_obj
         if bbox is not None:
             e["bbox"] = bbox
-        (raw_text if lit is not None else raw_obj).append(e)
+        target.append(e)
 
-    prompt_text = (prompt_text or "").strip()
-    if raw_obj or raw_text:
-        # Ideogram leans HARD on the high_level_description; a STYLE-ONLY HLD lets
-        # it free-compose (e.g. a whole wedding party instead of one woman + one
-        # man). Weave the subjects + their box positions into the summary so the
-        # count and placement actually stick.
-        phrases = []
-        for e in raw_obj + raw_text:
-            d = (e.get("desc") or e.get("text") or "").strip()
-            if not d:
-                continue
-            pos = _pos_word(e.get("bbox"))
-            phrases.append(f"{d} on the {pos}" if pos else d)
-        summary = ", and ".join(phrases)
-        if summary and prompt_text:
-            hld = f"{prompt_text.rstrip(' .')}, showing {summary}."
-        elif summary:
-            hld = summary[:1].upper() + summary[1:] + "."
-        else:
-            hld = prompt_text or "A high-quality, detailed image."
-    else:
+    prompt_text = _clean(prompt_text)
+    if not (raw_obj or raw_text):
         if not prompt_text:
             return None
         raw_obj = [{"desc": prompt_text}]      # no regions: the prompt is the subject
-        hld = "A high-quality, detailed image."
+        subjects = []
 
-    # safety: guarantee >=1 element carries an inset bbox (a boxless / full-frame
-    # caption re-trips the safety false-positive). Prefer anchoring a subject.
+    # >=1 element must carry a bbox — a boxless caption re-trips the safety gray
+    # screen (ideogram4 issue #13). Anchor a subject with the centred fallback.
     if not any("bbox" in e for e in raw_obj + raw_text):
         (raw_obj[0] if raw_obj else raw_text[0])["bbox"] = list(_FULL_FRAME_INSET)
 
-    elements = [_mk_obj(o) for o in raw_obj] + [_mk_text(t) for t in raw_text]
-    background = (background_text or "").strip() or "a fitting background that suits the subject"
+    if subjects:
+        medium = _medium_word(prompt_text)
+        lead = "An" if medium[:1].lower() in "aeiou" else "A"
+        hld = f"{lead} {medium} of {_human_join(subjects)}."
+    else:
+        hld = (prompt_text or "A high-quality, detailed image.").rstrip(".") + "."
+
+    background = (background_text or "").strip() or prompt_text or "a fitting scene"
     cap = {
         "high_level_description": hld,
+        "style_description": _style_block(prompt_text),
         "compositional_deconstruction": {
             "background": background,
-            "elements": elements,
+            "elements": [_mk_obj(o) for o in raw_obj] + [_mk_text(t) for t in raw_text],
         },
     }
     return json.dumps(cap, separators=(",", ":"), ensure_ascii=False)
@@ -278,8 +341,8 @@ class IdeogramCaptionNode(io.ComfyNode):
         # Caption from the prompt text + $name{} region scopes only. Comments are
         # never parsed for structure — they are stripped by the compiler.
         caption = _build_caption(prompt_text, subjects, box_by_name, background_text)
-        if caption:
-            return io.NodeOutput(caption)
-        if not s:
-            return io.NodeOutput(text)
-        return io.NodeOutput(_caption(text))
+        if not caption:
+            caption = _caption(text) if s else text
+        # Ground truth for diagnosing renders: the exact JSON the model receives.
+        logger.info("[IdeogramCaption] %s", caption)
+        return io.NodeOutput(caption)
diff --git a/nodes/ideogram_sampler.py b/nodes/ideogram_sampler.py
index 9306e08..d4b31ab 100644
--- a/nodes/ideogram_sampler.py
+++ b/nodes/ideogram_sampler.py
@@ -13,6 +13,24 @@ from comfy_api.latest import io
 logger = logging.getLogger("promptchain.ideogram_sampler")
 
 
+def _refusal_stats(image):
+    """(std, dominant-color fraction, per-channel means) of the first decoded frame.
+
+    A refusal is a near-uniform gray screen with the words 'Image blocked by safety
+    filter' painted on it. A std-only test misses it — the rendered text lifts the
+    pixel std past a flat-frame threshold — but such a frame is still ONE near-
+    identical color over almost the whole canvas, so the fraction of pixels within
+    a tight epsilon of the median color stays very high. A real image has a low
+    dominant fraction, so the pair separates refusals from content."""
+    img = image[0] if image.dim() == 4 else image
+    flat = img.reshape(-1, img.shape[-1]).float()
+    std = float(flat.std().item())
+    median = flat.median(dim=0).values
+    dom = float(((flat - median).abs().amax(dim=-1) < 0.04).float().mean().item())
+    means = [round(float(m), 3) for m in flat.mean(dim=0)]
+    return std, dom, means
+
+
 class IdeogramSamplerNode(io.ComfyNode):
     """Ideogram 4 sampler with automatic retry past the model's stochastic
     'Image blocked by safety filter' refusal.
@@ -21,10 +39,11 @@ class IdeogramSamplerNode(io.ComfyNode):
     fraction of seeds — an officially-acknowledged false-positive (higher for
     non-JSON prompts), baked into the weights and not disableable. It's
     seed-dependent, so re-rolling the noise seed escapes it. This node samples,
-    VAE-decodes, and if the decoded image is a near-flat refusal frame (pixel
-    std below `block_std`), it re-samples with the next seed up to `max_retries`
-    times. Measured separation: refusal frames ~0.04 std, real images ~0.15-0.33
-    (0-1 scale), so the default 0.08 sits cleanly between.
+    VAE-decodes, and re-samples with the next seed up to `max_retries` times when
+    the decoded frame reads as a refusal: either a near-flat frame (pixel std below
+    `block_std`; refusal ~0.04 std vs real images ~0.15-0.33 on a 0-1 scale) OR a
+    gray screen with the refusal TEXT painted on — the text lifts std past the flat
+    threshold, so that variant is caught by a high dominant-color fraction instead.
 
     Drop-in replacement for SamplerCustomAdvanced + VAEDecode (returns IMAGE).
     """
@@ -84,10 +103,13 @@ class IdeogramSamplerNode(io.ComfyNode):
                 image = image.reshape(-1, image.shape[-3], image.shape[-2], image.shape[-1])
             last_image = image
 
-            std = float(image.float().std().item())
-            blocked = std < block_std
-            logger.info("[IdeogramSampler] attempt %d/%d seed=%d std=%.4f -> %s",
-                        attempt, max_retries, seed, std,
+            std, dom, means = _refusal_stats(image)
+            # The flat-gray case (std < block_std) plus the gray-screen-WITH-text
+            # case (a very high dominant-color fraction), the latter gated on low-ish
+            # std so a busy real image is never flagged.
+            blocked = std < block_std or (std < 0.13 and dom > 0.70)
+            logger.info("[IdeogramSampler] attempt %d/%d seed=%d std=%.4f dom=%.2f rgb_mean=%s -> %s",
+                        attempt, max_retries, seed, std, dom, means,
                         "BLOCKED (retry)" if blocked else "ok")
             if not blocked:
                 return io.NodeOutput(image)
diff --git a/nodes/pose_studio.py b/nodes/pose_studio.py
index 9eb70f4..8b603e0 100644
--- a/nodes/pose_studio.py
+++ b/nodes/pose_studio.py
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ _HASHED_BASE_RE = re.compile(r"^promptchain_pose_[0-9a-f]{12}$")
 
 
 class PoseStudioNode(io.ComfyNode):
-    """Posable 3D figure -> control map (depth / openpose).
+    """Posable 3D figure -> control map (clay render / white pose-anchor / depth).
 
     The figure is posed in a Three.js viewport rendered in the node body.
     On every pose change the viewport renders the chosen control map, uploads
@@ -85,11 +85,17 @@ class PoseStudioNode(io.ComfyNode):
         # silhouette intersection. Content-addressed sets upload masks right
         # after their map and can't go stale, so they pass this untouched.
         if paths and control_map_path and os.path.exists(control_map_path):
-            map_mtime = os.path.getmtime(control_map_path)
-            if max(os.path.getmtime(p) for p in paths) < map_mtime - 5:
-                print(f"[PoseStudio] ignoring {len(paths)} stale mask file(s) "
-                      "(older than the control map — different scene)")
-                paths = []
+            try:
+                map_mtime = os.path.getmtime(control_map_path)
+                if max(os.path.getmtime(p) for p in paths) < map_mtime - 5:
+                    print(f"[PoseStudio] ignoring {len(paths)} stale mask file(s) "
+                          "(older than the control map — different scene)")
+                    paths = []
+            except OSError:
+                # A concurrent delete/overwrite (legacy in-place set) between the
+                # glob and these stats — skip the staleness check rather than 500;
+                # the per-file read loop below already tolerates missing files.
+                pass
 
         def mask_index(p):
             m = re.search(r"_mask(\d+)\.png$", p)
@@ -186,10 +192,15 @@ class PoseStudioNode(io.ComfyNode):
         if control_map and control_map.strip():
             path = folder_paths.get_annotated_filepath(control_map)
             if os.path.exists(path):
-                m = hashlib.sha256()
-                with open(path, "rb") as f:
-                    m.update(f.read())
-                m.update(pose_state.encode("utf-8"))
-                m.update(dims.encode("utf-8"))
-                return m.digest().hex()
+                try:
+                    m = hashlib.sha256()
+                    with open(path, "rb") as f:
+                        m.update(f.read())
+                    m.update(pose_state.encode("utf-8"))
+                    m.update(dims.encode("utf-8"))
+                    return m.digest().hex()
+                except OSError:
+                    # File vanished between exists() and open (re-pose / GC race) —
+                    # fall through to the no-file fingerprint rather than crashing.
+                    pass
         return pose_state + dims
diff --git a/nodes/regional_detailer.py b/nodes/regional_detailer.py
index 9b572f7..f5a4cb2 100644
--- a/nodes/regional_detailer.py
+++ b/nodes/regional_detailer.py
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ from comfy_api.latest import io
 
 from ..core.compiler import (figure_entity_names, region_figure_count,
                              region_figure_indices, region_orphans)
+from ..core.crop_windows import crop_hint_to_window as _crop_hint_to_window
 
 log = logging.getLogger("promptchain.regional_detailer")
 
@@ -203,17 +204,6 @@ def _crop_noise_mask(crop_h: int, crop_w: int, face_rect, feather: int,
     return box * m.view(crop_h, crop_w)
 
 
-def _crop_hint_to_window(t, win, img_h, img_w, sh, sw):
-    """Resize a (...,H,W) hint to canvas, crop the detail window, resize to the
-    sampled crop dims — the per-crop remap the tiled upscaler does."""
-    cx1, cy1, cx2, cy2 = win
-    t = t.float()
-    if t.shape[-2:] != (img_h, img_w):
-        t = F.interpolate(t, size=(img_h, img_w), mode="bilinear", align_corners=False)
-    t = t[..., cy1:cy2, cx1:cx2]
-    return F.interpolate(t, size=(sh, sw), mode="bilinear", align_corners=False)
-
-
 def _crop_cond_to_window(cond, mask_win, ctrl_win, img_h: int, img_w: int, sh: int, sw: int):
     """Crop every region mask AND ControlNet hint in a conditioning to the
     detail window and rescale to the sampled crop dims, so RegionalConditioning's
@@ -245,24 +235,31 @@ def _crop_cond_to_window(cond, mask_win, ctrl_win, img_h: int, img_w: int, sh: i
             mm = m.float()
             if mm.dim() == 2:
                 mm = mm.unsqueeze(0)
-            new_meta["mask"] = _crop_hint_to_window(mm.unsqueeze(1), mask_win, img_h, img_w, sh, sw).squeeze(1)
+            new_meta["mask"] = _crop_hint_to_window(
+                mm.unsqueeze(1), mask_win, img_h, img_w, sh, sw, mode="nearest-exact").squeeze(1)
         if ctrl is not None:
-            # Walk the ControlNet chain, cropping each hint — mirrors the
-            # tiled upscaler's crop_controlnet. Best-effort: a control object
-            # whose internals differ just keeps its (misaligned) hint rather
-            # than 500ing the whole inpaint, so depth degrades, never breaks.
+            # Walk the ControlNet chain, cropping each hint — mirrors the tiled
+            # upscaler's crop_controlnet. Per-link best-effort: a link with no
+            # hint (or an odd internal layout) is left as-is so it degrades only
+            # itself, instead of one bad link reverting the WHOLE chain to the
+            # uncropped/misaligned hint. The outer guard keeps a catastrophic
+            # copy failure from 500ing the inpaint — depth degrades, never breaks.
             try:
                 new_ctrl = ctrl.copy()
                 new_meta["control"] = new_ctrl
                 c, nc = ctrl, new_ctrl
                 while c is not None:
-                    nc.cond_hint_original = _crop_hint_to_window(
-                        nc.cond_hint_original, ctrl_win, img_h, img_w, sh, sw)
+                    try:
+                        if nc.cond_hint_original is not None:
+                            nc.cond_hint_original = _crop_hint_to_window(
+                                nc.cond_hint_original, ctrl_win, img_h, img_w, sh, sw)
+                    except Exception as e:  # noqa: BLE001 — one link only
+                        log.warning("control-hint crop failed for one link (%s); leaving it uncropped", e)
                     c = c.previous_controlnet
                     nc.set_previous_controlnet(c.copy() if c is not None else None)
                     nc = nc.previous_controlnet
-            except Exception as e:  # noqa: BLE001 — diagnostic, never fatal
-                log.warning("control-hint crop failed (%s); leaving hint uncropped", e)
+            except Exception as e:  # noqa: BLE001 — chain copy failed; never fatal
+                log.warning("control-hint chain copy failed (%s); leaving hint uncropped", e)
                 new_meta["control"] = ctrl
         out.append([emb, new_meta])
     return out
diff --git a/pyproject.toml b/pyproject.toml
index 675c868..b6534a5 100644
--- a/pyproject.toml
+++ b/pyproject.toml
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@
 
 [project]
 name = "comfyui-promptchain"
-version = "0.1.9"
+version = "0.1.10"
 description = "Prompt-authoring and image-iteration suite for ComfyUI: structured prompts, 3D posing, model awareness, regional control, and layered editing."
 license = { file = "LICENSE" }
 requires-python = ">=3.10"
diff --git a/scripts/port_v1_characters_to_v2.py b/scripts/port_v1_characters_to_v2.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..3f235e2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scripts/port_v1_characters_to_v2.py
@@ -0,0 +1,272 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env python
+"""
+Port v1 characters into v2 tag-builder chip format.
+
+Restructures each character's OWN base_tags + base_natlang paragraph into:
+  - appearance_chip_tags  (JSON array of appearance_items.item_tag that slot)
+  - base_extras           (tokens with no matching chip, ride alongside)
+  - character_chip_overrides  (per-chip rich natlang carved from the paragraph)
+  - natlang_status = 'normalized'  (so the v2 picker shows them)
+  - base_tags recomposed from the above (the cached flat projection)
+
+The LLM call is RESTRUCTURING provided text — it needs no knowledge of the
+character, so accuracy does not depend on how obscure the character is.
+
+Runs on the Anthropic API (your usage credits), independent of any Claude Code
+session limit. Safe by default: --dry-run prints intended writes and changes
+nothing. Resumable: only touches characters still natlang_status='unprocessed'.
+
+  export ANTHROPIC_API_KEY=sk-ant-...
+  python port_v1_to_v2.py --dry-run --limit 5      # preview
+  python port_v1_to_v2.py --limit 50               # port 50 for real
+  python port_v1_to_v2.py                           # port all remaining
+"""
+import argparse, json, os, re, sys, sqlite3, time
+
+DB_PATH = r"C:/comfyui/comfyui/custom_nodes/ComfyUI-PromptChain/data/tag-builder/tag-builder.db"
+MODEL = "claude-sonnet-4-5"
+PALETTE_GROUPS = ["modifiers", "hair_color", "hair_length", "hair_style", "hair_accessories",
+                  "eye_color", "eyes", "skin", "body_type", "breast_size", "ass_size",
+                  "body_marks", "fantasy"]
+
+# Near-synonym tokens that should map onto an existing palette chip instead of
+# falling to base_extras. Keeps common danbooru variants slottable.
+VOCAB_ALIASES = {
+    "silver_hair": "white_hair",
+    "platinum_blonde_hair": "blonde_hair",
+    "dark_green_eyes": "green_eyes",
+    "light_brown_hair": "brown_hair",
+}
+
+PORT_TOOL = {
+    "name": "emit_port",
+    "description": "Return the v2 port for each character.",
+    "input_schema": {
+        "type": "object",
+        "properties": {
+            "results": {
+                "type": "array",
+                "items": {
+                    "type": "object",
+                    "properties": {
+                        "tag": {"type": "string"},
+                        "chip_tags": {"type": "array", "items": {"type": "string"},
+                                      "description": "base_tags tokens that are verbatim palette keys"},
+                        "base_extras": {"type": "string", "description": "comma-joined non-palette tokens"},
+                        "overrides": {"type": "array", "items": {"type": "object", "properties": {
+                            "chip_tag": {"type": "string"}, "natlang": {"type": "string"}},
+                            "required": ["chip_tag", "natlang"]},
+                            "description": "per-chip rich natlang carved ONLY from the paragraph"},
+                        "terse_natlang": {"type": "string"},
+                    },
+                    "required": ["tag", "chip_tags", "base_extras", "overrides", "terse_natlang"],
+                },
+            }
+        },
+        "required": ["results"],
+    },
+}
+
+SYSTEM_RULES = (
+    "You PORT v1 characters into the v2 tag-builder chip format. This is pure RESTRUCTURING "
+    "of each character's OWN provided data. NEVER add an appearance fact not present in that "
+    "character's base_tags or base_natlang. You need no outside knowledge of who they are.\n"
+    "For each character:\n"
+    "1. chip_tags: every base_tags token (weights stripped, identity lead and the character's own "
+    "tag excluded) that is a VERBATIM key in the palette below.\n"
+    "2. base_extras: comma-joined base_tags tokens that are NOT palette keys.\n"
+    "3. overrides: for each chip the paragraph describes more specifically than its generic phrase, "
+    "a short natlang using ONLY paragraph wording. Never invent; never restate the generic; omit "
+    "chips the paragraph does not elaborate.\n"
+    "4. terse_natlang: one line, display name + series only.\n"
+    "Call emit_port with one result per character."
+)
+
+
+def strip_weight(tok):
+    # Greedy inner capture so a character tag that itself contains parens
+    # (e.g. "(artoria_pendragon_(fate):1.1)") strips to its bare form, not a
+    # truncated fragment that would leak into base_extras.
+    tok = tok.strip()
+    m = re.match(r"^\((.+):[0-9.]+\)$", tok)
+    if m:
+        return m.group(1)
+    return tok
+
+
+def load_palette(conn):
+    palette = {}
+    for g in PALETTE_GROUPS:
+        palette[g] = {r["item_tag"]: (r["base_natlang"] or "")
+                      for r in conn.execute(
+                          "SELECT item_tag, base_natlang FROM appearance_items "
+                          "WHERE item_group=? ORDER BY sort_order, item_tag", (g,))}
+    return palette
+
+
+def palette_keys(palette):
+    keys = set()
+    for g in palette.values():
+        keys.update(g.keys())
+    return keys
+
+
+def select_pending(conn, limit):
+    q = ("SELECT tag, display, series, base_tags, base_natlang FROM characters "
+         "WHERE natlang_status='unprocessed' AND base_tags IS NOT NULL AND base_tags!=''")
+    if limit:
+        q += f" ORDER BY post_count DESC LIMIT {int(limit)}"
+    return conn.execute(q).fetchall()
+
+
+def compose_base_tags(tag, base_extras, chip_tags):
+    parts = [f"({tag}:1.1)"]
+    if base_extras.strip():
+        parts.append(base_extras.strip())
+    parts.extend(chip_tags)
+    return ", ".join(p for p in parts if p)
+
+
+def reconcile(conn, char, result, valid_keys):
+    """Trust the source base_tags, not the model, for which tokens exist.
+    Re-derive chips/extras mechanically from base_tags so a model slip cannot
+    invent or drop a token; keep only the model's overrides (the real value-add)
+    after confirming each targets a real chip."""
+    tag = char["tag"]
+    tokens = [strip_weight(t) for t in (char["base_tags"] or "").split(",") if t.strip()]
+    chips, extras = [], []
+    for tok in tokens:
+        if tok == tag:
+            continue
+        key = VOCAB_ALIASES.get(tok, tok)
+        if key in valid_keys and key not in chips:
+            chips.append(key)
+        elif key not in valid_keys:
+            extras.append(tok)
+    chip_set = set(chips)
+    overrides = [o for o in result.get("overrides", [])
+                 if o.get("chip_tag") in chip_set and (o.get("natlang") or "").strip()]
+    return {
+        "tag": tag,
+        "chip_tags": chips,
+        "base_extras": ", ".join(extras),
+        "overrides": overrides,
+        "terse_natlang": (result.get("terse_natlang") or f"{char['display']}.").strip(),
+    }
+
+
+def ensure_backup_column(conn):
+    # base_natlang is reduced to a terse identity line on port; preserve the
+    # original rich paragraph so the change is reversible and the dropped
+    # details (skin/height/build) stay available for later enrichment.
+    try:
+        conn.execute("ALTER TABLE characters ADD COLUMN base_natlang_orig TEXT")
+        conn.commit()
+    except sqlite3.OperationalError:
+        pass  # already exists
+
+
+def write_port(conn, port):
+    tag = port["tag"]
+    conn.execute(
+        "UPDATE characters SET base_natlang_orig = COALESCE(base_natlang_orig, base_natlang) WHERE tag=?",
+        (tag,))
+    conn.execute(
+        "UPDATE characters SET appearance_chip_tags=?, base_extras=?, base_natlang=?, "
+        "base_tags=?, natlang_status='normalized' WHERE tag=?",
+        (json.dumps(port["chip_tags"]), port["base_extras"], port["terse_natlang"],
+         compose_base_tags(tag, port["base_extras"], port["chip_tags"]), tag),
+    )
+    conn.execute("DELETE FROM character_chip_overrides WHERE character_tag=?", (tag,))
+    for o in port["overrides"]:
+        conn.execute(
+            "INSERT INTO character_chip_overrides (character_tag, chip_tag, natlang, status) "
+            "VALUES (?,?,?, 'normalized')", (tag, o["chip_tag"], o["natlang"]))
+
+
+def call_api(client, palette, batch):
+    palette_text = json.dumps(palette, ensure_ascii=False)
+    chars = [{"tag": r["tag"], "display": r["display"], "series": r["series"],
+              "base_tags": r["base_tags"], "base_natlang": r["base_natlang"]} for r in batch]
+    msg = client.messages.create(
+        model=MODEL, max_tokens=4096,
+        system=[
+            {"type": "text", "text": SYSTEM_RULES},
+            # cache_control keeps the (large, identical) palette cheap across calls
+            {"type": "text", "text": "PALETTE (group -> {item_tag: generic_natlang}):\n" + palette_text,
+             "cache_control": {"type": "ephemeral"}},
+        ],
+        tools=[PORT_TOOL], tool_choice={"type": "tool", "name": "emit_port"},
+        messages=[{"role": "user", "content":
+                   "Port these characters:\n" + json.dumps(chars, ensure_ascii=False)}],
+    )
+    for block in msg.content:
+        if block.type == "tool_use":
+            return block.input.get("results", [])
+    return []
+
+
+def main():
+    ap = argparse.ArgumentParser()
+    ap.add_argument("--dry-run", action="store_true", help="print intended writes, change nothing")
+    ap.add_argument("--limit", type=int, default=0, help="only the N most popular pending chars")
+    ap.add_argument("--batch", type=int, default=8, help="characters per API call")
+    ap.add_argument("--db", default=DB_PATH)
+    args = ap.parse_args()
+
+    conn = sqlite3.connect(args.db)
+    conn.row_factory = sqlite3.Row
+    conn.text_factory = lambda x: x.decode("utf-8", "replace")  # some rows have bad bytes
+    if not args.dry_run:
+        ensure_backup_column(conn)
+    palette = load_palette(conn)
+    valid_keys = palette_keys(palette)
+    pending = select_pending(conn, args.limit)
+    print(f"{len(pending)} characters to port (dry_run={args.dry_run}, batch={args.batch})")
+    if not pending:
+        return
+
+    client = None
+    if not args.dry_run:
+        from anthropic import Anthropic  # pip install anthropic
+        client = Anthropic()  # reads ANTHROPIC_API_KEY
+
+    done = 0
+    for i in range(0, len(pending), args.batch):
+        batch = pending[i:i + args.batch]
+        by_tag = {r["tag"]: r for r in batch}
+        if args.dry_run:
+            # No API spend: derive chips/extras mechanically, skip override text.
+            results = [{"tag": r["tag"], "overrides": [], "terse_natlang": f"{r['display']}."} for r in batch]
+        else:
+            for attempt in range(3):
+                try:
+                    results = call_api(client, palette, batch)
+                    break
+                except Exception as e:
+                    print(f"  API error ({e}); retry {attempt+1}/3", file=sys.stderr)
+                    time.sleep(2 * (attempt + 1))
+            else:
+                print("  batch failed after retries; skipping", file=sys.stderr)
+                continue
+
+        for res in results:
+            char = by_tag.get(res.get("tag"))
+            if not char:
+                continue
+            port = reconcile(conn, char, res, valid_keys)
+            if args.dry_run:
+                print(f"  {port['tag']:40} chips={len(port['chip_tags'])} "
+                      f"extras=[{port['base_extras']}] overrides={len(port['overrides'])}")
+            else:
+                write_port(conn, port)
+                done += 1
+        if not args.dry_run:
+            conn.commit()
+            print(f"  committed {done}/{len(pending)}")
+
+    print("done." if not args.dry_run else "dry-run complete (no changes written).")
+
+
+if __name__ == "__main__":
+    main()
diff --git a/scripts/test_crop_windows.py b/scripts/test_crop_windows.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..88a33ab
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scripts/test_crop_windows.py
@@ -0,0 +1,94 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env python3
+"""Unit tests for the crop-window remap (core/crop_windows.py).
+
+Locks the invariants of the most-regressed geometry in the codebase: output
+dims, the nearest-vs-bilinear mask choice (the confirmed region-edge bleed fix),
+full-canvas identity, and that distinct windows select distinct source regions
+(the mask_win != ctrl_win moved-content mechanism). torch-only; run anywhere.
+"""
+
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+import importlib.util
+import os
+import sys
+
+import torch
+
+_HERE = os.path.dirname(os.path.dirname(os.path.abspath(__file__)))
+_spec = importlib.util.spec_from_file_location(
+    "crop_windows", os.path.join(_HERE, "core", "crop_windows.py"))
+_cw = importlib.util.module_from_spec(_spec)
+_spec.loader.exec_module(_cw)
+crop = _cw.crop_hint_to_window
+
+_failures = []
+
+
+def check(name, cond):
+    print(f"  {'PASS' if cond else 'FAIL'}  {name}")
+    if not cond:
+        _failures.append(name)
+
+
+def main() -> int:
+    H, W = 120, 80  # non-square canvas (portrait), the case aspect bugs hide in
+
+    # 1. Output dims are always (sh, sw) regardless of input size or window.
+    src = torch.rand(1, 1, 64, 48)
+    out = crop(src, (10, 20, 70, 100), H, W, 32, 24)
+    check("output dims == (sh, sw)", tuple(out.shape[-2:]) == (32, 24))
+
+    # 2. nearest-exact keeps a binary mask binary (no soft bleed band).
+    mask = torch.zeros(1, 1, H, W)
+    mask[..., 40:80, 20:60] = 1.0
+    out_n = crop(mask, (0, 0, W, H), H, W, 60, 40, mode="nearest-exact")
+    uniq = set(torch.unique(out_n).tolist())
+    check("nearest mask stays binary {0,1}", uniq.issubset({0.0, 1.0}))
+
+    # 3. bilinear DOES introduce an intermediate edge value — proves the mode
+    #    actually changes behaviour (so the mask fix is meaningful, not a no-op).
+    #    Upscale a hard edge so it must ramp (an exact-2x downsample with the edge
+    #    on an even boundary would sample exactly 0/1 and hide the difference).
+    small = torch.zeros(1, 1, 8, 8)
+    small[..., 4:, :] = 1.0
+    up_b = crop(small, (0, 0, 8, 8), 8, 8, 32, 32, mode="bilinear")
+    up_n = crop(small, (0, 0, 8, 8), 8, 8, 32, 32, mode="nearest-exact")
+    check("bilinear softens the edge (mode matters)",
+          bool(((up_b > 0.01) & (up_b < 0.99)).any()))
+    check("nearest stays hard on the same upscale",
+          set(torch.unique(up_n).tolist()).issubset({0.0, 1.0}))
+
+    # 4. Full-canvas window is identity-ish: a uniform field stays uniform.
+    flat = torch.full((1, 1, H, W), 0.5)
+    out_f = crop(flat, (0, 0, W, H), H, W, H, W)
+    check("full-canvas uniform field preserved", torch.allclose(out_f, flat, atol=1e-5))
+
+    # 5. A window over an all-ones sub-region returns ~all-ones; a disjoint
+    #    window returns ~all-zeros. This is what makes a tile sample the right
+    #    region — and the basis of mask_win != ctrl_win moved-content selection.
+    field = torch.zeros(1, 1, H, W)
+    field[..., 0:40, 0:40] = 1.0  # top-left block is the "content"
+    inside = crop(field, (0, 0, 40, 40), H, W, 16, 16, mode="nearest-exact")
+    outside = crop(field, (40, 60, 80, 120), H, W, 16, 16, mode="nearest-exact")
+    check("window over content -> all ones", bool((inside > 0.5).all()))
+    check("disjoint window -> all zeros", bool((outside < 0.5).all()))
+
+    # 6. Distinct windows select DISTINCT regions of the same source (the
+    #    mask_win vs ctrl_win divergence relies on this).
+    grad = torch.linspace(0, 1, W).view(1, 1, 1, W).expand(1, 1, H, W).contiguous()
+    left = crop(grad, (0, 0, 20, H), H, W, 8, 8)
+    right = crop(grad, (60, 0, 80, H), H, W, 8, 8)
+    check("distinct windows -> distinct content", float(left.mean()) < float(right.mean()))
+
+    # 7. Input already at canvas size skips the upscale but still crops+resizes.
+    at_canvas = torch.rand(1, 1, H, W)
+    out_ac = crop(at_canvas, (10, 10, 50, 50), H, W, 20, 20)
+    check("pre-sized input crops to (sh,sw)", tuple(out_ac.shape[-2:]) == (20, 20))
+
+    print(f"\n{'ALL PASS' if not _failures else str(len(_failures)) + ' FAILURE(S)'}")
+    return 1 if _failures else 0
+
+
+if __name__ == "__main__":
+    sys.exit(main())
diff --git a/scripts/test_regions.py b/scripts/test_regions.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..1f90410
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scripts/test_regions.py
@@ -0,0 +1,124 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env python3
+"""Regression tests for regional prompt extraction + figure binding (core/compiler.py).
+
+Locks the two confirmed correctness fixes:
+  - $block bodies are extracted by brace DEPTH, so a wildcard ({a|b}) inside a
+    region no longer truncates it or leaks the remainder into the global prompt.
+  - a non-object pose JSON (scalar/array/null) degrades gracefully instead of
+    crashing the single-source-of-truth entity resolver.
+Plus sanity coverage of the name -> id -> order binding ladder and orphan drop.
+torch-free; run anywhere.
+"""
+
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+import importlib.util
+import os
+import sys
+
+_HERE = os.path.dirname(os.path.dirname(os.path.abspath(__file__)))
+_spec = importlib.util.spec_from_file_location(
+    "pc_compiler", os.path.join(_HERE, "core", "compiler.py"))
+_c = importlib.util.module_from_spec(_spec)
+_spec.loader.exec_module(_c)
+
+_failures = []
+
+
+def check(name, cond):
+    print(f"  {'PASS' if cond else 'FAIL'}  {name}")
+    if not cond:
+        _failures.append(name)
+
+
+def main() -> int:
+    # ── brace-depth extraction (the HIGH fix) ────────────────────────────────
+    spans = list(_c._iter_region_spans("$mannequin1 { {red|blue} dress }"))
+    check("wildcard brace kept inside region body",
+          len(spans) == 1 and "{red|blue}" in spans[0][1] and "dress" in spans[0][1])
+
+    # global must NOT receive the truncated remainder
+    glob = _c._remove_region_spans("$m1{ {a|b} dress } and a tree",
+                                   list(_c._iter_region_spans("$m1{ {a|b} dress } and a tree")))
+    check("global free of region body leak", "dress" not in glob and "and a tree" in glob)
+
+    # nested parens + wildcard
+    sp2 = list(_c._iter_region_spans("$hero { (a|{red|blue}) } tail"))
+    check("nested braces fully captured",
+          len(sp2) == 1 and sp2[0][1].strip() == "(a|{red|blue})")
+
+    # adjacent regions still split correctly
+    sp3 = list(_c._iter_region_spans("$a{ x } $b{ y }"))
+    check("adjacent regions both extracted",
+          [s[0] for s in sp3] == ["a", "b"])
+
+    # strip_region_markers keeps nested body inline (flat/non-regional path)
+    flat = _c.strip_region_markers("$m1{ hair {a|b} } scene")
+    check("strip keeps nested body inline",
+          "{a|b}" in flat and "$m1" not in flat and "scene" in flat)
+
+    # unbalanced brace degrades without hanging
+    sp4 = list(_c._iter_region_spans("$x{ no close here"))
+    check("unbalanced region handled", len(sp4) == 1 and "no close" in sp4[0][1])
+
+    # compile_regions end-to-end: region text non-empty, global clean
+    obj = _c.compile_regions("a cat $m1{ red {hat|cap} } in a park")
+    body_ok = obj["regions"] and obj["regions"][0]["text"]
+    check("compile_regions: region body compiled non-empty", bool(body_ok))
+    check("compile_regions: global has outside text, not region body",
+          "cat" in obj["global"] and "park" in obj["global"] and "red" not in obj["global"])
+
+    # ── brace-internal newlines don't comma-pollute a wildcard ───────────────
+    # A wildcard split across lines is layout, not tag separators.
+    p, _, _ = _c.compile_prompt("a woman in a {\n  red|blue\n  } sundress")
+    check("multi-line wildcard: no mid-phrase comma before the option",
+          p in ("a woman in a red sundress", "a woman in a blue sundress"))
+    # nested wildcard across lines stays clean
+    p, _, _ = _c.compile_prompt("a {\n big | {tiny|small}\n} cat")
+    check("nested multi-line wildcard resolves clean", "," not in p and "cat" in p)
+    # but a top-level newline (lazy tag list) STILL comma-joins
+    p, _, _ = _c.compile_prompt("masterpiece\n{detailed|intricate}\nforest")
+    check("lazy multi-line tag list still comma-joins", p.count(",") == 2)
+    # a multi-line wildcard OPTION keeps internal commas (newline→comma), but no
+    # leading/trailing junk comma from the option edges
+    picks = {_c.compile_prompt("{\na\nb\n|\nc\nd\n}")[0] for _ in range(60)}
+    check("multi-line wildcard options -> 'a, b' / 'c, d'", picks == {"a, b", "c, d"})
+    picks = {_c.compile_prompt("{\nred\n|\nblue\n}")[0] for _ in range(60)}
+    check("split single-tag wildcard -> clean (no edge comma)", picks == {"red", "blue"})
+
+    # ── example $blocks inside // comments are NOT extracted as regions ───────
+    scaffolded = ("// help: $background{ a forest } and $alice{ red dress }, $bob{ blue suit }\n"
+                  "$region1 {\na cat\n}\n\n$region2 {\na dog\n}\n\na grassy field")
+    obj = _c.compile_regions(scaffolded)
+    check("comment-scaffold $blocks ignored (only real regions)",
+          [r["name"] for r in obj["regions"]] == ["region1", "region2"])
+    check("comment-scaffold global is the real global",
+          obj["global"] == "a grassy field")
+
+    # ── non-object pose JSON guard (the LOW fix) ─────────────────────────────
+    for payload in ("42", "[]", "null", '"x"', "3.14"):
+        try:
+            names, nfig = _c._pose_entity_index(payload)
+            ok = names == [] and nfig is None
+        except Exception:
+            ok = False
+        check(f"non-object pose {payload!r} degrades to ([],None)", ok)
+
+    # ── binding ladder sanity ────────────────────────────────────────────────
+    pose = '{"regionEntities":[{"kind":"figure","name":"alice"},{"kind":"figure","name":"bob"}]}'
+    regions = [{"id": 1, "name": "bob", "text": "x"}, {"id": 2, "name": "alice", "text": "y"}]
+    idx = _c.region_figure_indices(regions, pose)
+    check("name-match binds across order (bob->1, alice->0)", idx == [1, 0])
+
+    # orphan: a $block whose figure was deleted (name unknown, id past figures)
+    orphan_regions = [{"id": 1, "name": "alice", "text": "x"},
+                      {"id": 9, "name": "ghost", "text": "y"}]
+    orphans = _c.region_orphans(orphan_regions, pose)
+    check("deleted-figure block flagged orphan", orphans == [False, True])
+
+    print(f"\n{'ALL PASS' if not _failures else str(len(_failures)) + ' FAILURE(S)'}")
+    return 1 if _failures else 0
+
+
+if __name__ == "__main__":
+    sys.exit(main())
diff --git a/scripts/validate_templates.py b/scripts/validate_templates.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..236d129
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scripts/validate_templates.py
@@ -0,0 +1,154 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env python3
+"""Structural validator for PromptChain workflow templates.
+
+Templates are the contract surface between every model architecture and the
+regional/depth/pose nodes — a dangling link or bad slot index silently breaks a
+template in the picker. This catches those before they ship; run it on /deploy.
+
+It validates STRUCTURE, not render semantics (it can't tell a depth ControlNet
+is wired to the wrong stream — only a render does). Checks:
+  - valid JSON, required top-level fields
+  - scope.type is one of the known kinds, with the fields that kind needs
+  - every node has a string `type`
+  - every connection references existing node indices and non-negative slots
+  - anchorConnections reference existing nodes/slots
+  - template `id` is unique across the directory
+  - duplicate (name + scope) pairs are reported (two indistinguishable entries)
+
+Exit code 0 = clean, 1 = at least one error. Warnings never fail the build.
+"""
+
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+import json
+import os
+import sys
+from collections import defaultdict
+
+TEMPLATES_DIR = os.path.join(os.path.dirname(os.path.dirname(os.path.abspath(__file__))),
+                             "data", "templates")
+
+SCOPE_TYPES = {"architecture", "family", "version", "model"}
+SCOPE_REQUIRED = {
+    "architecture": ["architecture"],
+    "family": ["architecture", "family"],
+    "version": ["model_hash"],
+    "model": ["model_name"],  # display_name is accepted as an alias below
+}
+
+
+def _validate(path: str, errors: list, warnings: list, ids: dict, signatures: dict) -> None:
+    name = os.path.basename(path)
+    try:
+        with open(path, "r", encoding="utf-8") as f:
+            tpl = json.load(f)
+    except (OSError, json.JSONDecodeError) as e:
+        errors.append(f"{name}: not valid JSON — {e}")
+        return
+    if not isinstance(tpl, dict):
+        errors.append(f"{name}: top level must be an object")
+        return
+
+    if not tpl.get("name"):
+        errors.append(f"{name}: missing 'name'")
+    tid = tpl.get("id")
+    if not tid:
+        errors.append(f"{name}: missing 'id'")
+    elif tid in ids:
+        errors.append(f"{name}: duplicate id '{tid}' (also in {ids[tid]})")
+    else:
+        ids[tid] = name
+
+    scope = tpl.get("scope")
+    if not isinstance(scope, dict):
+        errors.append(f"{name}: missing/invalid 'scope'")
+    else:
+        st = scope.get("type", "architecture")
+        if st not in SCOPE_TYPES:
+            errors.append(f"{name}: scope.type '{st}' not one of {sorted(SCOPE_TYPES)}")
+        else:
+            req = SCOPE_REQUIRED.get(st, [])
+            for key in req:
+                if key == "model_name" and (scope.get("model_name") or scope.get("display_name")):
+                    continue
+                if not scope.get(key):
+                    errors.append(f"{name}: scope.type '{st}' requires '{key}'")
+
+    nodes = tpl.get("nodes")
+    if not isinstance(nodes, list) or not nodes:
+        errors.append(f"{name}: 'nodes' must be a non-empty array")
+        nodes = []
+    for i, node in enumerate(nodes):
+        if not isinstance(node, dict) or not isinstance(node.get("type"), str) or not node.get("type"):
+            errors.append(f"{name}: node[{i}] missing a string 'type'")
+
+    n = len(nodes)
+
+    def _check_link(label: str, link: dict, has_from: bool) -> None:
+        if not isinstance(link, dict):
+            errors.append(f"{name}: {label} is not an object")
+            return
+        if has_from:
+            fi = link.get("from_node_idx")
+            if not isinstance(fi, int) or not (0 <= fi < n):
+                errors.append(f"{name}: {label} from_node_idx {fi} out of range (0..{n - 1})")
+        for slot_key in ("from_slot", "to_slot"):
+            sv = link.get(slot_key)
+            if not isinstance(sv, int) or sv < 0:
+                errors.append(f"{name}: {label} {slot_key} {sv!r} must be a non-negative int")
+        ti = link.get("to_node_idx")
+        if not isinstance(ti, int) or not (0 <= ti < n):
+            errors.append(f"{name}: {label} to_node_idx {ti} out of range (0..{n - 1})")
+
+    conns = tpl.get("connections", [])
+    if not isinstance(conns, list):
+        errors.append(f"{name}: 'connections' must be an array")
+    else:
+        for j, link in enumerate(conns):
+            _check_link(f"connections[{j}]", link, has_from=True)
+
+    anchors = tpl.get("anchorConnections", [])
+    if isinstance(anchors, list):
+        for j, link in enumerate(anchors):
+            _check_link(f"anchorConnections[{j}]", link, has_from=False)
+
+    # Two templates the matcher can't tell apart (same name + identical scope)
+    # both surface for the same model — usually an authoring mistake.
+    if isinstance(scope, dict) and tpl.get("name"):
+        sig = (tpl.get("name"), json.dumps(scope, sort_keys=True))
+        signatures[sig].append(name)
+
+
+def main() -> int:
+    if not os.path.isdir(TEMPLATES_DIR):
+        print(f"templates dir not found: {TEMPLATES_DIR}")
+        return 1
+    errors: list = []
+    warnings: list = []
+    ids: dict = {}
+    signatures: dict = defaultdict(list)
+
+    files = sorted(f for f in os.listdir(TEMPLATES_DIR)
+                   if f.endswith(".json") and not f.startswith("_"))
+    for f in files:
+        _validate(os.path.join(TEMPLATES_DIR, f), errors, warnings, ids, signatures)
+
+    for sig, names in signatures.items():
+        if len(names) > 1:
+            warnings.append(f"same name+scope on {len(names)} templates: {', '.join(names)} "
+                            f"(name={sig[0]!r})")
+
+    print(f"validated {len(files)} templates")
+    for w in warnings:
+        print(f"  WARN  {w}")
+    for e in errors:
+        print(f"  ERROR {e}")
+    if errors:
+        print(f"\n{len(errors)} error(s)")
+        return 1
+    print("OK — no structural errors" + (f" ({len(warnings)} warning(s))" if warnings else ""))
+    return 0
+
+
+if __name__ == "__main__":
+    sys.exit(main())
diff --git a/svelte-src/components/node/OutputPanel.svelte b/svelte-src/components/node/OutputPanel.svelte
index ab4ba52..d06a1ba 100644
--- a/svelte-src/components/node/OutputPanel.svelte
+++ b/svelte-src/components/node/OutputPanel.svelte
@@ -330,7 +330,7 @@
 
     <!-- prompt output tab -->
     {#if activeTab === "prompt"}
-      <PromptOutput compiledOutput={shared.compiledOutput} compiledNegOutput={shared.compiledNegOutput} />
+      <PromptOutput compiledOutput={shared.compiledOutput} compiledNegOutput={shared.compiledNegOutput} compiledRegions={shared.compiledRegions} />
     {/if}
 
     <!-- console log tab — kept mounted to preserve log history across tab switches -->
diff --git a/svelte-src/components/node/PromptOutput.svelte b/svelte-src/components/node/PromptOutput.svelte
index 6090e4f..dac38b0 100644
--- a/svelte-src/components/node/PromptOutput.svelte
+++ b/svelte-src/components/node/PromptOutput.svelte
@@ -1,9 +1,12 @@
 <script>
-  // Compiled prompt text display — positive + negative sections.
+  // Compiled prompt text display. For a regional prompt ($name{} blocks) it shows
+  // the Global + per-figure breakdown the flat positive line can't represent;
+  // otherwise the plain positive + negative sections.
 
   let {
     compiledOutput = "",
     compiledNegOutput = "",
+    compiledRegions = "",  // JSON {global, regions:[{name,text}], negative} sent with the compile
   } = $props();
 
   const _HTML_ESCAPES = { "&": "&amp;", "<": "&lt;", ">": "&gt;", '"': "&quot;", "'": "&#39;" };
@@ -11,10 +14,34 @@
     return String(text).replace(/[&<>"']/g, c => _HTML_ESCAPES[c]);
   }
 
+  // A non-empty regions list means the prompt is regional — show the per-figure
+  // split. Empty list / parse failure falls back to the flat positive.
+  let regional = $derived.by(() => {
+    if (!compiledRegions) return null;
+    try {
+      const o = JSON.parse(compiledRegions);
+      return o && Array.isArray(o.regions) && o.regions.length ? o : null;
+    } catch { return null; }
+  });
+
   let html = $derived.by(() => {
-    if (!compiledOutput && !compiledNegOutput) {
+    if (!compiledOutput && !compiledNegOutput && !regional) {
       return '<span class="pcr-output-panel-placeholder">Queue workflow to see prompt output</span>';
     }
+    if (regional) {
+      // Regions first, Global last — matches the image viewer's order.
+      const regEmpty = '<span class="pcr-output-panel-placeholder">(empty → uses global)</span>';
+      let result = "";
+      for (const reg of regional.regions) {
+        const body = (reg.text || "").trim();
+        result += `<span class="pcr-output-panel-label-region">$${escapeHtml(reg.name || "")}</span>\n${body ? escapeHtml(body) : regEmpty}\n\n`;
+      }
+      const g = (regional.global || "").trim();
+      result += `<span class="pcr-output-panel-label-pos">Global:</span>\n${g ? escapeHtml(g) : '<span class="pcr-output-panel-placeholder">(none)</span>'}`;
+      const neg = regional.negative || compiledNegOutput;
+      if (neg) result += `\n\n<span class="pcr-output-panel-label-neg">Negative:</span>\n${escapeHtml(neg)}`;
+      return result;
+    }
     let result = `<span class="pcr-output-panel-label-pos">Positive:</span>\n${escapeHtml(compiledOutput)}`;
     if (compiledNegOutput) {
       result += `\n\n<span class="pcr-output-panel-label-neg">Negative:</span>\n${escapeHtml(compiledNegOutput)}`;
@@ -56,6 +83,7 @@
   /* {@html} content — needs :global */
   :global(.pcr-output-panel-label-pos) { color: #4fc3f7; font-weight: 600; }
   :global(.pcr-output-panel-label-neg) { color: #e74c3c; font-weight: 600; }
+  :global(.pcr-output-panel-label-region) { color: #ffb74d; font-weight: 600; }
   :global(.pcr-output-panel-placeholder) {
     color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.4);
     font-style: italic;
diff --git a/svelte-src/node-main.svelte.js b/svelte-src/node-main.svelte.js
index 8823e20..da57e67 100644
--- a/svelte-src/node-main.svelte.js
+++ b/svelte-src/node-main.svelte.js
@@ -39,6 +39,7 @@ export class SharedState {
   // execution output
   compiledOutput = $state("");
   compiledNegOutput = $state("");
+  compiledRegions = $state("");  // regions JSON for the region-aware output panel
 
   // image preview
   imageUrl = $state(null);
@@ -65,6 +66,7 @@ export class SharedState {
     this.regionPanelVisible = !!p.pcrRegionPanel;
     this.compiledOutput = p.pcrCompiledOutput || "";
     this.compiledNegOutput = p.pcrCompiledNegOutput || "";
+    this.compiledRegions = p.pcrCompiledRegions || "";
   }
 }
 
diff --git a/vendor/pcr_cnaux/depth_anything_v2/__init__.py b/vendor/pcr_cnaux/depth_anything_v2/__init__.py
index e80a490..44448ff 100644
--- a/vendor/pcr_cnaux/depth_anything_v2/__init__.py
+++ b/vendor/pcr_cnaux/depth_anything_v2/__init__.py
@@ -29,7 +29,9 @@ class DepthAnythingV2Detector:
             pretrained_model_or_path = DEPTH_ANYTHING_V2_MODEL_NAME_DICT[filename]
         model_path = custom_hf_download(pretrained_model_or_path, filename)
         model = DepthAnythingV2(**model_configs[filename])
-        model.load_state_dict(torch.load(model_path, map_location="cpu"))
+        # weights_only: these checkpoints are pure state_dicts, so refuse the
+        # legacy pickle path that can execute arbitrary code at load time.
+        model.load_state_dict(torch.load(model_path, map_location="cpu", weights_only=True))
         model = model.eval()
         return cls(model, filename)
 
diff --git a/vendor/pcr_cnaux/teed/__init__.py b/vendor/pcr_cnaux/teed/__init__.py
index e8ea403..48162db 100644
--- a/vendor/pcr_cnaux/teed/__init__.py
+++ b/vendor/pcr_cnaux/teed/__init__.py
@@ -24,7 +24,8 @@ class TEDDetector:
     def from_pretrained(cls, pretrained_model_or_path=BDS_MODEL_NAME, filename="7_model.pth", subfolder="Annotators"):
         model_path = custom_hf_download(pretrained_model_or_path, filename, subfolder=subfolder)
         model = TED()
-        model.load_state_dict(torch.load(model_path, map_location='cpu'))
+        # weights_only: pure state_dict — refuse the code-executing legacy pickle path.
+        model.load_state_dict(torch.load(model_path, map_location='cpu', weights_only=True))
         model.eval()
         return cls(model)