feat: STDSEED engine-neutral (G2) + root repo.meta.json (Phase B item 1)

AGENTS.md

@@ -169,12 +169,14 @@ make doctest         # → tests/STD<MOD>DOCTST.m for every module with Pattern-
 make frontmatter     # re-syncs YAML frontmatter on docs/modules/std*.md
 ```
 
-The Phase 0 `repo.meta.json` (`dist/repo.meta.json`) is hand-edited —
-not regenerated — and is covered by `make check-manifest` (see below).
+The root `repo.meta.json` is hand-edited — not regenerated — and is
+covered by `make check-manifest` (see below). It lives at the repo ROOT
+(the standardized "one meta artifact, one location"); `m arch check`
+reads it root-first and validates its shape.
 
 ## Verify
 
-These commands match `dist/repo.meta.json`'s `verification_commands`
+These commands match `repo.meta.json`'s `verification_commands`
 and are what an agent should run to confirm a change in this repo:
 
 ```bash
@@ -189,10 +191,10 @@ make check-manifest    # drift gate: dist/ matches src/ AND repo.meta.json is co
   `dist/skill/`, or `tests/STD*DOCTST.m`.** They are regenerated from
   `src/STD*.m` doc-comments by `make manifest`, `make skill`, and
   `make doctest`. CI's drift gates will reject any direct edit.
-- **`dist/repo.meta.json` is the one file under `dist/` that is
-  hand-edited.** Bump `verified_on` to today's date whenever you
-  touch it; `make check-manifest` asserts that `dist/` (including
-  `repo.meta.json`) is committed and clean.
+- **The root `repo.meta.json` is the hand-edited meta artifact** (the
+  rest of `dist/` is generated). Bump `verified_on` to today's date
+  whenever you touch it; `make check-manifest` asserts it is committed
+  and clean.
 - **Do not introduce GT.M support.** AGPL-3.0 YottaDB and IRIS only —
   GT.M is deliberately out of scope.
 - **Do not duplicate utilities into m-cli.** m-stdlib has architectural
@@ -209,8 +211,9 @@ elsewhere — m-stdlib's top-level layout:
 
 | Path | Contents |
 |---|---|
+| `repo.meta.json` (root) | Hand-edited repo meta (id/layer/language/verification_commands); `m arch check` reads it root-first |
 | `docs/` | Tracking (changelog, module tracker, discoveries, parallel tracks), per-module API reference (`modules/`), plans, guides, testing writeups |
-| `dist/` | Phase 0 `repo.meta.json` + `stdlib-manifest.json` / `errors.json` / `skill/` (drift gates) |
+| `dist/` | Generated drift-gated artifacts — `stdlib-manifest.json` / `errors.json` / `skill/` |
 | `examples/` | Demo M source (e.g. `stdargs-demo.m`) |
 | `templates/` | Project scaffolds (e.g. `m-vista-test-suite/`) |
 | `scripts/` | Shell helpers |

Makefile

@@ -155,16 +155,16 @@ manifest-check: manifest
 		|| { echo "ERROR: dist/errors.json out of date — run 'make manifest' and commit."; exit 1; }
 	@echo "manifest: clean"
 
-# `check-manifest` is the Phase 0 tier-1 drift gate. It composes the
-# existing manifest-check (generated payloads) with an assertion that
-# the hand-edited dist/repo.meta.json is tracked and clean. The org
-# catalog generator fetches dist/repo.meta.json by raw URL — a missing
-# or stale file would break Phase 0's smoke test in .github.
+# `check-manifest` is the tier-1 drift gate. It composes the existing
+# manifest-check (generated payloads) with an assertion that the hand-edited
+# repo.meta.json is tracked and clean. The meta lives at the repo ROOT (the
+# standardized "one meta artifact, one location"); `m arch check` reads it
+# root-first and validates its shape (id/layer/language/verification_commands).
 check-manifest: manifest-check
-	@git ls-files --error-unmatch dist/repo.meta.json >/dev/null 2>&1 \
-		|| { echo "ERROR: dist/repo.meta.json is not tracked — 'git add dist/repo.meta.json' and commit."; exit 1; }
-	@git diff --exit-code -- dist/repo.meta.json \
-		|| { echo "ERROR: dist/repo.meta.json has uncommitted changes — review and commit."; exit 1; }
+	@git ls-files --error-unmatch repo.meta.json >/dev/null 2>&1 \
+		|| { echo "ERROR: repo.meta.json is not tracked — 'git add repo.meta.json' and commit."; exit 1; }
+	@git diff --exit-code -- repo.meta.json \
+		|| { echo "ERROR: repo.meta.json has uncommitted changes — review and commit."; exit 1; }
 	@echo "check-manifest: clean"
 
 # `make frontmatter` re-syncs YAML frontmatter on every docs/modules/std*.md

dist/errors.json

@@ -319,5 +319,12 @@
       "loadJson"
     ],
     "module": "STDSEED"
+  },
+  "U-STDSEED-NO-FILER": {
+    "labels": [
+      "load",
+      "loadJson"
+    ],
+    "module": "STDSEED"
   }
 }

dist/skill/SKILL.md

@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ module + label, the canonical-idiom library, and the full U-STD* error
 surface, all rendered for AI / agent context loading.
 
 **Catalogue:** 33 modules, 290 public labels,
-43 error codes.
+44 error codes.
 
 ## When to use this skill
 

dist/skill/error-codes.md

@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 # m-stdlib — error codes
 
-m-stdlib v0.5.0; 43 error codes across 14 modules.
+m-stdlib v0.5.0; 44 error codes across 14 modules.
 
 Inverted index over the manifest's `@raises` arrays. Every
 `,U-STDxxx-NAME,` code an m-stdlib label sets via `set $ecode=`
@@ -91,4 +91,5 @@ that needs to disambiguate sources, this is the lookup table.
 - **`U-STDSEED-INVALID-MANIFEST`** — raised by: `loadJson`
 - **`U-STDSEED-MISSING-FIELD`** — raised by: `load`, `validate`
 - **`U-STDSEED-MISSING-FILE`** — raised by: `load`, `validate`, `loadJson`
+- **`U-STDSEED-NO-FILER`** — raised by: `load`, `loadJson`
 

dist/skill/manifest-index.md

@@ -385,12 +385,12 @@ _raises: `U-STDREGEX-BAD-PATTERN`, `U-STDREGEX-NO-MATCH`, `U-STDREGEX-UNSUPPORTE
 declarative test data loader (v0.1.3).
 
 - `do clear^STDSEED(path)` — Drop bookkeeping for `path`. Idempotent.
-- `do load^STDSEED(path, filer)` — Load manifest at `path` via `filer` (default FILE^DIE).
-- `do loadJson^STDSEED(jsonText, filer)` — Load JSON-array manifest via `filer`.
+- `do load^STDSEED(path, filer)` — Load manifest at `path` via the required `filer`.
+- `do loadJson^STDSEED(jsonText, filer)` — Load JSON-array manifest via the required `filer`.
 - `$$loaded^STDSEED(path)` — Predicate — 1 iff `path` is currently loaded.
 - `$$validate^STDSEED(path)` — Parse-only check — return 1 on success; raise on syntax error.
 
-_raises: `U-STDSEED-FILE-NOT-FOUND`, `U-STDSEED-FILER-ERROR`, `U-STDSEED-INVALID-JSON`, `U-STDSEED-INVALID-MANIFEST`, `U-STDSEED-MISSING-FIELD`, `U-STDSEED-MISSING-FILE`_
+_raises: `U-STDSEED-FILE-NOT-FOUND`, `U-STDSEED-FILER-ERROR`, `U-STDSEED-INVALID-JSON`, `U-STDSEED-INVALID-MANIFEST`, `U-STDSEED-MISSING-FIELD`, `U-STDSEED-MISSING-FILE`, `U-STDSEED-NO-FILER`_
 
 ## `STDSEMVER`
 

dist/stdlib-manifest.json

@@ -8920,8 +8920,9 @@
     },
     "STDSEED": {
       "synopsis": "m-stdlib — declarative test data loader (v0.1.3).",
-      "description": "Public API:\n  load^STDSEED(path,filer)         ; load TSV manifest via `filer`\n                                     (default: fileViaDie -> FILE^DIE)\n  $$loaded^STDSEED(path)           ; 1 iff path is currently tracked\n  clear^STDSEED(path)              ; drop bookkeeping for path\n  $$validate^STDSEED(path)         ; 1 if manifest parses; raises on syntax\n  loadJson^STDSEED(jsonText,filer) ; load JSON-array manifest via `filer`\n                                     (each element: {\"file\":..,\"fields\":{..}})\n\nManifest format (TSV, one row per record):\n  <file>\\t<field>=<value>\\t<field>=<value>...\nLines beginning with '#' are comments. Whitespace-only lines skip.\n\nFiler hook: the optional `filer` argument is a \"tag^routine\"\nreference invoked once per row as\n  do @filer@(file,.fda,.iens)\nwith fda(file,\"+1,\",field)=value and `iens` an output IEN. The\ndefault — when filer is empty — calls FILE^DIE; that path\nassumes FileMan is loaded in the runtime environment.\n\nState per loaded path lives under ^STDLIB($job,\"stdseed\",path,...).\nclear() drops it. STDSEED does NOT open its own transaction;\ncallers wanting rollback semantics wrap in STDFIX (v0.1.1+).\n\nErrors set $ECODE to one of:\n  ,U-STDSEED-FILE-NOT-FOUND,\n  ,U-STDSEED-MISSING-FILE,\n  ,U-STDSEED-MISSING-FIELD,\n  ,U-STDSEED-FILER-ERROR,\n  ,U-STDSEED-INVALID-JSON,\n  ,U-STDSEED-INVALID-MANIFEST,",
+      "description": "Public API:\n  load^STDSEED(path,filer)         ; load TSV manifest via `filer`\n  $$loaded^STDSEED(path)           ; 1 iff path is currently tracked\n  clear^STDSEED(path)              ; drop bookkeeping for path\n  $$validate^STDSEED(path)         ; 1 if manifest parses; raises on syntax\n  loadJson^STDSEED(jsonText,filer) ; load JSON-array manifest via `filer`\n                                     (each element: {\"file\":..,\"fields\":{..}})\n\nManifest format (TSV, one row per record):\n  <file>\\t<field>=<value>\\t<field>=<value>...\nLines beginning with '#' are comments. Whitespace-only lines skip.\n\nFiler hook: the `filer` argument is REQUIRED — a \"tag^routine\"\nreference invoked once per row as\n  do @filer@(file,.fda,.iens)\nwith fda(file,\"+1,\",field)=value and `iens` an output IEN. STDSEED is\nengine-neutral (m layer, the m/v waterline) and ships no FileMan\ndefault; a missing filer raises U-STDSEED-NO-FILER. A VistA caller\ninjects a FileMan-backed filer from the v layer (v-stdlib).\n\nState per loaded path lives under ^STDLIB($job,\"stdseed\",path,...).\nclear() drops it. STDSEED does NOT open its own transaction;\ncallers wanting rollback semantics wrap in STDFIX (v0.1.1+).\n\nErrors set $ECODE to one of:\n  ,U-STDSEED-NO-FILER,\n  ,U-STDSEED-FILE-NOT-FOUND,\n  ,U-STDSEED-MISSING-FILE,\n  ,U-STDSEED-MISSING-FIELD,\n  ,U-STDSEED-FILER-ERROR,\n  ,U-STDSEED-INVALID-JSON,\n  ,U-STDSEED-INVALID-MANIFEST,",
       "errors": [
+        "U-STDSEED-NO-FILER",
         "U-STDSEED-FILE-NOT-FOUND",
         "U-STDSEED-MISSING-FILE",
         "U-STDSEED-MISSING-FIELD",
@@ -8933,7 +8934,7 @@
         "load": {
           "form": "procedure",
           "signature": "do load^STDSEED(path, filer)",
-          "synopsis": "Load manifest at `path` via `filer` (default FILE^DIE).",
+          "synopsis": "Load manifest at `path` via the required `filer`.",
           "params": [
             {
               "name": "path",
@@ -8943,11 +8944,15 @@
             {
               "name": "filer",
               "type": "string",
-              "doc": "M call-site \"label^routine\" (default fileViaDie^STDSEED)"
+              "doc": "REQUIRED M call-site \"label^routine\" filer"
             }
           ],
           "returns": null,
           "raises": [
+            {
+              "code": "U-STDSEED-NO-FILER",
+              "doc": "filer argument was empty"
+            },
             {
               "code": "U-STDSEED-FILE-NOT-FOUND",
               "doc": "could not open `path`"
@@ -8965,9 +8970,11 @@
               "doc": "filer raised; propagated as a STDSEED code"
             }
           ],
-          "raised_in_body": [],
+          "raised_in_body": [
+            "U-STDSEED-NO-FILER"
+          ],
           "examples": [
-            "do load^STDSEED(\"/etc/seed.tsv\")"
+            "do load^STDSEED(\"/etc/seed.tsv\",\"myFiler^MYAPP\")"
           ],
           "since": "v0.1.3",
           "stable": "stable",
@@ -8977,10 +8984,10 @@
             "do clear^STDSEED"
           ],
           "deprecated": "",
-          "description": "Each parsed row is dispatched once.",
+          "description": "Each parsed row is dispatched once. `filer` is required —\nSTDSEED is engine-neutral and ships no FileMan default.",
           "source": {
             "file": "src/STDSEED.m",
-            "line": 39
+            "line": 40
           }
         },
         "loaded": {
@@ -9013,7 +9020,7 @@
           "description": "",
           "source": {
             "file": "src/STDSEED.m",
-            "line": 57
+            "line": 60
           }
         },
         "clear": {
@@ -9043,7 +9050,7 @@
           "description": "Best-effort — does not delete already-filed records (caller's\nresponsibility, typically via STDFIX rollback).",
           "source": {
             "file": "src/STDSEED.m",
-            "line": 66
+            "line": 69
           }
         },
         "validate": {
@@ -9088,13 +9095,13 @@
           "description": "Never invokes the filer. Use as a pre-flight before load().",
           "source": {
             "file": "src/STDSEED.m",
-            "line": 77
+            "line": 80
           }
         },
         "loadJson": {
           "form": "procedure",
           "signature": "do loadJson^STDSEED(jsonText, filer)",
-          "synopsis": "Load JSON-array manifest via `filer`.",
+          "synopsis": "Load JSON-array manifest via the required `filer`.",
           "params": [
             {
               "name": "jsonText",
@@ -9104,11 +9111,15 @@
             {
               "name": "filer",
               "type": "string",
-              "doc": "M call-site \"label^routine\" (default fileViaDie^STDSEED)"
+              "doc": "REQUIRED M call-site \"label^routine\" filer"
             }
           ],
           "returns": null,
           "raises": [
+            {
+              "code": "U-STDSEED-NO-FILER",
+              "doc": "filer argument was empty"
+            },
             {
               "code": "U-STDSEED-INVALID-JSON",
               "doc": "jsonText does not parse as JSON"
@@ -9127,11 +9138,12 @@
             }
           ],
           "raised_in_body": [
+            "U-STDSEED-NO-FILER",
             "U-STDSEED-INVALID-JSON",
             "U-STDSEED-INVALID-MANIFEST"
           ],
           "examples": [
-            "do loadJson^STDSEED(\"[{\"\"file\"\":\"\"PATIENT\"\",\"\"fields\"\":{\"\".01\"\":\"\"Smith\"\"}}]\")"
+            "do loadJson^STDSEED(\"[{\"\"file\"\":\"\"PATIENT\"\",\"\"fields\"\":{\"\".01\"\":\"\"Smith\"\"}}]\",\"myFiler^MYAPP\")"
           ],
           "since": "v0.2.0",
           "stable": "stable",
@@ -9143,7 +9155,7 @@
           "description": "",
           "source": {
             "file": "src/STDSEED.m",
-            "line": 91
+            "line": 94
           }
         }
       },
@@ -11631,6 +11643,13 @@
         "groups"
       ]
     },
+    "U-STDSEED-NO-FILER": {
+      "module": "STDSEED",
+      "labels": [
+        "load",
+        "loadJson"
+      ]
+    },
     "U-STDSEED-FILE-NOT-FOUND": {
       "module": "STDSEED",
       "labels": [

docs/memory/MEMORY.md

@@ -4,6 +4,8 @@ One line per memory file. Content lives in the files, not here.
 
 - [iris-native-backends](iris-native-backends.md) — PR #1: the 3 optional modules' IRIS dispatch arm uses the **inlined `$zversion["IRIS"` probe** (not a public engine helper — that part of the PR was dropped as superseded); dual-engine local-test runbook (**YDB needs `--chset m`**, rebuild `/tmp/m` for the flag); `m-test-iris` embedded-Python is non-functional so STDCOMPRESS-IRIS is unverifiable locally; how the stale PR was landed without merge/rebase/force-push (forward-commit-to-master-tree).
 - [dual-engine-validation-2026-06-14](dual-engine-validation-2026-06-14.md) — 2026-06-14 full sweep: YDB 49/49 (2585 assertions, 0 fail), IRIS 45/49 (crypto cluster hangs/aborts — B2 IRIS-backends PR unmerged on this branch). Durable IRIS-runner gotchas: no per-suite timeout; killing a hung iris docker-exec corrupts staging → false 0/0 until `docker restart`; stdout reports `ok:true` even on a failed run (trust shell exit / stderr). Coverage gate is aggregate, not per-module.
+- [stdseed-g2-engine-neutral](stdseed-g2-engine-neutral.md) — STDSEED made strictly engine-neutral for **G2** (Option B, 2026-06-14): FileMan default filer `fileViaDie` removed, `filer` now required (`U-STDSEED-NO-FILER`); G2 stays a pure deny-list (no exception pragma). Owed: re-home `fileViaDie^VSLSEED` in v-stdlib. Verified 37/37 both engines.
+- [meta-at-root](meta-at-root.md) — m-stdlib's repo meta moved `dist/repo.meta.json` → **root `repo.meta.json`** (Phase B item 1, 2026-06-15); `make check-manifest` checks root; the stale "catalog generator" comment removed (no such generator exists). Rides the `stdseed-engine-neutral-g2` branch.
 - [waterline-g1-gate](waterline-g1-gate.md) — the m/v waterline **G1 gate** (`m arch check` in m-cli) — dependency-direction (v→m only); how `layer` is declared (dist/ meta vs root `repo.meta.json` for m-cli's gitignored dist/), check-manifest doesn't schema-validate the meta, and the v-cli registry-regen `go mod tidy` dep. Built s12 (loose end C).
 - [t0b2-msl-kids-base](t0b2-msl-kids-base.md) — VSL T0b.2 (MSL KIDS-install-as-green): **YDB leg GREEN — 15/15 test-in-place** after the m-ydb gbldir (`e5dcf85`) + v-pkg streamed-install (`aa1991f`) fixes. **IRIS leg (s9):** `raises^STDASSERT` **now ported to IRIS** (try/catch `irisRaises` branch; YDB byte-identical) → STDFMT/STDARGS clean + STDASSERTTST 40/40 both engines + STDUUID P2 gone; remaining IRIS crashes are **non-raises**. **(s10):** file I/O made dual-engine — STDFS portable facade (`$$openRead/Write/Append`+`readLn`) + STDOS.env IRIS arm + 5 consumers migrated; **STDFSTST 50/50 both engines, YDB full 2098/0**. **But the consumer SUITES still don't go green on IRIS** — separate non-file blockers (STDJSON **byte-mode** parser, STDCSV **`@cb@` indirection**, **wide-char** descriptions). file-I/O ≠ green suites; see §s10. Full 15/15 needs byte-mode + callback-idiom + wide-char work (out of file-I/O scope). ≤8-char-name decision keeps STDASSERT/STDSEMVER as a rename follow-up.
 - [vsl-doc-gaps-v0.2](vsl-doc-gaps-v0.2.md) — how the VistA Standard Library architecture doc's §12 VDL gaps resolved at v0.2; the vdocs `XU:XU:UG` over-collapse defect that blocks gold-promotion of the Kernel feature guides.

docs/memory/meta-at-root.md

@@ -0,0 +1,23 @@
+---
+name: meta-at-root
+description: m-stdlib's repo meta moved from dist/repo.meta.json to root repo.meta.json (Phase B item 1)
+metadata:
+  type: project
+---
+
+The hand-edited repo meta moved **`dist/repo.meta.json` → root `repo.meta.json`**
+(Phase B item 1, 2026-06-15) — the standardized "one meta artifact, one
+location", now that `m arch check` reads the meta **root-first** and validates
+its shape (id/layer/language/verification_commands; `Gate:"META"`).
+
+- `make check-manifest` now asserts the **root** `repo.meta.json` is tracked +
+  clean (Makefile updated); the rest of `dist/` stays generated/drift-gated.
+- The "org catalog generator fetches `dist/repo.meta.json` by raw URL" note in
+  the old Makefile comment was **stale** — no catalog generator exists in the
+  `.github` repo (only `go-ci.yml` + `arch-waterline.yml`); the future scheduled
+  **meta-gate** reads root metas. Comment removed.
+- Landed on the `stdseed-engine-neutral-g2` branch (same m-stdlib Phase B PR as
+  the STDSEED G2 fix — keeps the branch fully waterline-clean). `verified_on`
+  stays today. Verified: `m arch check` 0 violations; `make check-manifest` clean.
+
+Supersedes the "dist/ meta" half of [[waterline-g1-gate]]. See [[stdseed-g2-engine-neutral]].