Add XMP standard-namespace policy and transfer gate

Introduce XmpExistingStandardNamespacePolicy to control how existing standard portable XMP properties are reconciled (PreserveAll vs CanonicalizeManaged). Thread the new policy through XMP dumping and metadata transfer codepaths, Python bindings, CLI options, and the public C++/Python API. Implement logic to identify managed standard portable properties and optionally canonicalize (drop) them so EXIF/IPTC projections can be used instead. Add unit tests covering canonicalization behavior and update many Python/C++ wrappers to accept the new option. Also add a named transfer release gate (CMake target and tests/transfer_release_gate.cmake) to run core transfer-focused tests and optional Python smoke tests, update docs to describe the gate, and add a project logo image.

Author: ssh4net

CMakeLists.txt

@@ -638,6 +638,50 @@ if(OPENMETA_BUILD_TESTS)
 
   add_test(NAME openmeta_tests COMMAND openmeta_tests)
 
+  if(TARGET metatransfer AND TARGET openmeta_python)
+    add_custom_target(openmeta_gate_transfer_release
+      DEPENDS openmeta_tests metatransfer openmeta_python
+      COMMAND ${CMAKE_COMMAND}
+        "-DOPENMETA_TESTS_BIN=$<TARGET_FILE:openmeta_tests>"
+        "-DMETATRANSFER_BIN=$<TARGET_FILE:metatransfer>"
+        "-DWORK_DIR=${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/_transfer_release_gate"
+        "-DOPENMETA_PYTHON_EXECUTABLE=${Python_EXECUTABLE}"
+        "-DOPENMETA_PYTHONPATH=${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/python"
+        -P "${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/tests/transfer_release_gate.cmake"
+      COMMENT "Running transfer release gate"
+      VERBATIM
+    )
+    add_test(
+      NAME openmeta_transfer_release_gate
+      COMMAND ${CMAKE_COMMAND}
+        "-DOPENMETA_TESTS_BIN=$<TARGET_FILE:openmeta_tests>"
+        "-DMETATRANSFER_BIN=$<TARGET_FILE:metatransfer>"
+        "-DWORK_DIR=${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/_transfer_release_gate"
+        "-DOPENMETA_PYTHON_EXECUTABLE=${Python_EXECUTABLE}"
+        "-DOPENMETA_PYTHONPATH=${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/python"
+        -P "${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/tests/transfer_release_gate.cmake"
+    )
+  elseif(TARGET metatransfer)
+    add_custom_target(openmeta_gate_transfer_release
+      DEPENDS openmeta_tests metatransfer
+      COMMAND ${CMAKE_COMMAND}
+        "-DOPENMETA_TESTS_BIN=$<TARGET_FILE:openmeta_tests>"
+        "-DMETATRANSFER_BIN=$<TARGET_FILE:metatransfer>"
+        "-DWORK_DIR=${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/_transfer_release_gate"
+        -P "${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/tests/transfer_release_gate.cmake"
+      COMMENT "Running transfer release gate"
+      VERBATIM
+    )
+    add_test(
+      NAME openmeta_transfer_release_gate
+      COMMAND ${CMAKE_COMMAND}
+        "-DOPENMETA_TESTS_BIN=$<TARGET_FILE:openmeta_tests>"
+        "-DMETATRANSFER_BIN=$<TARGET_FILE:metatransfer>"
+        "-DWORK_DIR=${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/_transfer_release_gate"
+        -P "${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/tests/transfer_release_gate.cmake"
+    )
+  endif()
+
   if(TARGET metadump AND TARGET thumdump)
     add_test(
       NAME openmeta_cli_preview_index

docs/development.md

@@ -782,6 +782,23 @@ cmake --build build-tests --target openmeta_gate_python_metatransfer_edit_smoke
 ctest --test-dir build-tests -R openmeta_python_metatransfer_edit_smoke --output-on-failure
 ```
 
+Stronger transfer release gate:
+- in a non-Python test tree it runs:
+  - `MetadataTransferApi.*`
+  - `XmpDump.*`
+  - `ExrAdapter.*`
+  - `DngSdkAdapter.*`
+  - `openmeta_cli_metatransfer_smoke`
+- in a Python-enabled test tree it also runs:
+  - `openmeta_python_transfer_probe_smoke`
+  - `openmeta_python_metatransfer_edit_smoke`
+
+Build + run:
+```bash
+cmake --build build-tests --target openmeta_gate_transfer_release
+ctest --test-dir build-tests -R openmeta_transfer_release_gate --output-on-failure
+```
+
 Coverage note:
 - Public tree tests focus on deterministic unit/fuzz/smoke behavior.
 - Corpus-scale compare/baseline workflows are external to the public tree and

docs/images/OpenMeta_Logo.png

@@ -112,6 +112,21 @@ That does not make all targets equally mature, but it does mean the transfer
 core has real roundtrip regression gates across the primary supported export
 families.
 
+There is now also a named in-tree transfer release gate:
+- `openmeta_gate_transfer_release`
+- `openmeta_transfer_release_gate`
+
+In a non-Python test tree it runs:
+- `MetadataTransferApi.*`
+- `XmpDump.*`
+- `ExrAdapter.*`
+- `DngSdkAdapter.*`
+- `openmeta_cli_metatransfer_smoke`
+
+In a Python-enabled test tree it also runs:
+- `openmeta_python_transfer_probe_smoke`
+- `openmeta_python_metatransfer_edit_smoke`
+
 ## Per-Target Notes
 
 ### JPEG

docs/metadata_transfer_plan.md

@@ -84,6 +84,30 @@ These gates provide fast regression checks for safe-output and validation
 behavior. Corpus-scale compare/baseline gates are expected to run in project CI
 or release validation workflows.
 
+Transfer release gate
+---------------------
+
+The stronger transfer release gate rolls up the main transfer-focused unit
+suite and the public transfer smoke coverage into one named check.
+
+- In a non-Python test tree it runs:
+
+  - ``MetadataTransferApi.*``
+  - ``XmpDump.*``
+  - ``ExrAdapter.*``
+  - ``DngSdkAdapter.*``
+  - ``openmeta_cli_metatransfer_smoke``
+
+- In a Python-enabled test tree it also runs:
+
+  - ``openmeta_python_transfer_probe_smoke``
+  - ``openmeta_python_metatransfer_edit_smoke``
+
+.. code-block:: bash
+
+   cmake --build build-tests --target openmeta_gate_transfer_release
+   ctest --test-dir build-tests -R openmeta_transfer_release_gate --output-on-failure
+
 Interop adapter tests
 ---------------------
 

docs/sphinx/testing.rst

@@ -429,6 +429,9 @@ struct PrepareTransferRequest final {
     bool xmp_include_existing           = true;
     XmpExistingNamespacePolicy xmp_existing_namespace_policy
         = XmpExistingNamespacePolicy::KnownPortableOnly;
+    XmpExistingStandardNamespacePolicy
+        xmp_existing_standard_namespace_policy
+        = XmpExistingStandardNamespacePolicy::PreserveAll;
     XmpConflictPolicy xmp_conflict_policy
         = XmpConflictPolicy::CurrentBehavior;
     bool xmp_exiftool_gpsdatetime_alias = false;

src/include/openmeta/metadata_transfer.h

@@ -38,6 +38,15 @@ enum class XmpExistingNamespacePolicy : uint8_t {
     PreserveCustom,
 };
 
+/// Existing standard portable-namespace reconciliation policy.
+enum class XmpExistingStandardNamespacePolicy : uint8_t {
+    /// Preserve existing standard portable namespaces subject to conflict order.
+    PreserveAll,
+    /// Drop OpenMeta-managed standard portable properties and regenerate them
+    /// canonically from EXIF/IPTC mappings when available.
+    CanonicalizeManaged,
+};
+
 /// XMP dump result status.
 enum class XmpDumpStatus : uint8_t {
     Ok,
@@ -79,6 +88,9 @@ struct XmpPortableOptions final {
     /// Existing XMP namespace writeback policy for portable output.
     XmpExistingNamespacePolicy existing_namespace_policy
         = XmpExistingNamespacePolicy::KnownPortableOnly;
+    /// Existing standard portable-namespace reconciliation policy.
+    XmpExistingStandardNamespacePolicy existing_standard_namespace_policy
+        = XmpExistingStandardNamespacePolicy::PreserveAll;
     /// Conflict policy between existing decoded XMP and generated portable
     /// EXIF/IPTC mappings.
     XmpConflictPolicy conflict_policy = XmpConflictPolicy::CurrentBehavior;
@@ -118,6 +130,8 @@ struct XmpSidecarRequest final {
     bool include_existing_xmp                = false;
     XmpExistingNamespacePolicy portable_existing_namespace_policy
         = XmpExistingNamespacePolicy::KnownPortableOnly;
+    XmpExistingStandardNamespacePolicy portable_existing_standard_namespace_policy
+        = XmpExistingStandardNamespacePolicy::PreserveAll;
     XmpConflictPolicy portable_conflict_policy
         = XmpConflictPolicy::CurrentBehavior;
     bool portable_exiftool_gpsdatetime_alias = false;

src/include/openmeta/xmp_dump.h

@@ -10000,6 +10000,8 @@ prepare_metadata_for_target_impl(const MetaStore& store,
         xmp_req.include_existing_xmp = request.xmp_include_existing;
         xmp_req.portable_existing_namespace_policy
             = request.xmp_existing_namespace_policy;
+        xmp_req.portable_existing_standard_namespace_policy
+            = request.xmp_existing_standard_namespace_policy;
         xmp_req.portable_conflict_policy = request.xmp_conflict_policy;
         xmp_req.portable_exiftool_gpsdatetime_alias
             = request.xmp_exiftool_gpsdatetime_alias;
@@ -10373,6 +10375,8 @@ prepare_metadata_for_target_impl(const MetaStore& store,
                 xmp_req.include_existing_xmp = false;
                 xmp_req.portable_existing_namespace_policy
                     = request.xmp_existing_namespace_policy;
+                xmp_req.portable_existing_standard_namespace_policy
+                    = request.xmp_existing_standard_namespace_policy;
                 xmp_req.portable_conflict_policy
                     = request.xmp_conflict_policy;
 

src/openmeta/metadata_transfer.cc

@@ -1370,6 +1370,37 @@ namespace {
         return canonical_portable_property_name(prefix, name);
     }
 
+    static bool existing_standard_portable_property_is_managed(
+        std::string_view prefix, std::string_view name) noexcept
+    {
+        if (prefix == "tiff" || prefix == "exif") {
+            return !name.empty();
+        }
+
+        if (prefix == "dc") {
+            return name == "title" || name == "subject"
+                   || name == "creator" || name == "rights"
+                   || name == "description";
+        }
+
+        if (prefix == "photoshop") {
+            return name == "Category"
+                   || name == "SupplementalCategories"
+                   || name == "Instructions"
+                   || name == "AuthorsPosition" || name == "City"
+                   || name == "State" || name == "Country"
+                   || name == "TransmissionReference"
+                   || name == "Headline" || name == "Credit"
+                   || name == "Source" || name == "CaptionWriter";
+        }
+
+        if (prefix == "Iptc4xmpCore") {
+            return name == "Location" || name == "CountryCode";
+        }
+
+        return false;
+    }
+
 
     static bool parse_indexed_xmp_property_name(std::string_view path,
                                                 std::string_view* out_base,
@@ -3222,7 +3253,8 @@ namespace {
 
     static bool process_portable_existing_xmp_entry(
         const ByteArena& arena, std::span<const PortableCustomNsDecl> decls,
-        const Entry& e, uint32_t order, SpanWriter* w,
+        const XmpPortableOptions& options, const Entry& e, uint32_t order,
+        SpanWriter* w,
         PortablePropertyOwnerMap* claims,
         std::vector<PortableIndexedProperty>* indexed) noexcept
     {
@@ -3247,6 +3279,12 @@ namespace {
                 || xmp_property_is_nonportable_blob(prefix, portable_name)) {
                 return false;
             }
+            if (options.existing_standard_namespace_policy
+                    == XmpExistingStandardNamespacePolicy::CanonicalizeManaged
+                && existing_standard_portable_property_is_managed(
+                    prefix, portable_name)) {
+                return false;
+            }
             bool new_claim = false;
             if (!claim_portable_property_key(claims, prefix, portable_name,
                                              PortablePropertyOwner::ExistingXmp,
@@ -3270,6 +3308,12 @@ namespace {
             || xmp_property_is_nonportable_blob(prefix, portable_base)) {
             return false;
         }
+        if (options.existing_standard_namespace_policy
+                == XmpExistingStandardNamespacePolicy::CanonicalizeManaged
+            && existing_standard_portable_property_is_managed(prefix,
+                                                              portable_base)) {
+            return false;
+        }
 
         bool new_claim = false;
         if (!claim_portable_property_key(claims, prefix, portable_base,
@@ -3753,8 +3797,8 @@ namespace {
                     continue;
                 }
                 if (process_portable_existing_xmp_entry(
-                        arena, custom_decls, e, static_cast<uint32_t>(i), w,
-                        claims,
+                        arena, custom_decls, options, e,
+                        static_cast<uint32_t>(i), w, claims,
                         indexed)) {
                     *emitted += 1U;
                 }
@@ -3960,6 +4004,8 @@ make_xmp_sidecar_options(const XmpSidecarRequest& request) noexcept
     options.portable.include_existing_xmp = request.include_existing_xmp;
     options.portable.existing_namespace_policy
         = request.portable_existing_namespace_policy;
+    options.portable.existing_standard_namespace_policy
+        = request.portable_existing_standard_namespace_policy;
     options.portable.conflict_policy      = request.portable_conflict_policy;
     options.portable.exiftool_gpsdatetime_alias
         = request.portable_exiftool_gpsdatetime_alias;

src/openmeta/xmp_dump.cc

@@ -199,6 +199,7 @@ def probe_exr_attribute_batch(
     include_iptc_app13: bool = True,
     xmp_include_existing: bool = False,
     xmp_existing_namespace_policy: object = openmeta.XmpExistingNamespacePolicy.KnownPortableOnly,
+    xmp_existing_standard_namespace_policy: object = openmeta.XmpExistingStandardNamespacePolicy.PreserveAll,
     xmp_exiftool_gpsdatetime_alias: bool = False,
     xmp_project_exif: bool = True,
     xmp_project_iptc: bool = True,
@@ -222,6 +223,7 @@ def probe_exr_attribute_batch(
         include_iptc_app13=include_iptc_app13,
         xmp_include_existing=xmp_include_existing,
         xmp_existing_namespace_policy=xmp_existing_namespace_policy,
+        xmp_existing_standard_namespace_policy=xmp_existing_standard_namespace_policy,
         xmp_exiftool_gpsdatetime_alias=xmp_exiftool_gpsdatetime_alias,
         xmp_project_exif=xmp_project_exif,
         xmp_project_iptc=xmp_project_iptc,
@@ -281,6 +283,7 @@ def update_dng_sdk_file(
     include_iptc_app13: bool = True,
     xmp_include_existing: bool = False,
     xmp_existing_namespace_policy: object = openmeta.XmpExistingNamespacePolicy.KnownPortableOnly,
+    xmp_existing_standard_namespace_policy: object = openmeta.XmpExistingStandardNamespacePolicy.PreserveAll,
     xmp_exiftool_gpsdatetime_alias: bool = False,
     xmp_project_exif: bool = True,
     xmp_project_iptc: bool = True,
@@ -310,6 +313,7 @@ def update_dng_sdk_file(
         include_iptc_app13=include_iptc_app13,
         xmp_include_existing=xmp_include_existing,
         xmp_existing_namespace_policy=xmp_existing_namespace_policy,
+        xmp_existing_standard_namespace_policy=xmp_existing_standard_namespace_policy,
         xmp_exiftool_gpsdatetime_alias=xmp_exiftool_gpsdatetime_alias,
         xmp_project_exif=xmp_project_exif,
         xmp_project_iptc=xmp_project_iptc,
@@ -336,6 +340,7 @@ def main(argv: list[str]) -> int:
     ap.add_argument("--lossless", action="store_true", help="alias for --format lossless")
     ap.add_argument("--xmp-include-existing", action="store_true", help="include existing decoded XMP in generated transfer XMP")
     ap.add_argument("--xmp-existing-namespace-policy", choices=["known_portable_only", "preserve_custom"], default="known_portable_only", help="existing XMP namespace writeback policy for generated portable XMP")
+    ap.add_argument("--xmp-existing-standard-namespace-policy", choices=["preserve_all", "canonicalize_managed"], default="preserve_all", help="reconcile existing managed standard portable XMP properties against canonical EXIF/IPTC mappings")
     ap.add_argument("--xmp-include-existing-sidecar", action="store_true", help="include an existing sibling .xmp sidecar from the output/edit target path in generated transfer XMP")
     ap.add_argument("--xmp-existing-sidecar-precedence", choices=["sidecar_wins", "source_wins"], default="sidecar_wins", help="conflict precedence between an existing output-side .xmp and source-embedded existing XMP")
     ap.add_argument("--xmp-include-existing-destination-embedded", action="store_true", help="include existing embedded XMP from the edit target in generated transfer XMP")
@@ -929,6 +934,13 @@ def main(argv: list[str]) -> int:
         xmp_existing_namespace_policy = (
             openmeta.XmpExistingNamespacePolicy.PreserveCustom
         )
+    xmp_existing_standard_namespace_policy = (
+        openmeta.XmpExistingStandardNamespacePolicy.PreserveAll
+    )
+    if args.xmp_existing_standard_namespace_policy == "canonicalize_managed":
+        xmp_existing_standard_namespace_policy = (
+            openmeta.XmpExistingStandardNamespacePolicy.CanonicalizeManaged
+        )
 
     xmp_writeback_mode = openmeta.XmpWritebackMode.EmbeddedOnly
     if args.xmp_writeback == "sidecar":
@@ -1023,6 +1035,7 @@ def main(argv: list[str]) -> int:
             xmp_project_iptc=not args.xmp_no_iptc_projection,
             xmp_include_existing=bool(args.xmp_include_existing),
             xmp_existing_namespace_policy=xmp_existing_namespace_policy,
+            xmp_existing_standard_namespace_policy=xmp_existing_standard_namespace_policy,
             xmp_conflict_policy=xmp_conflict_policy,
             xmp_exiftool_gpsdatetime_alias=bool(args.xmp_exiftool_gpsdatetime_alias),
             makernote_policy=makernote_policy,