Template:TissueDB Material Layout
This is the Materials Layout template documentation for TissueDB. It is part of the TissueDB project.
New Pages Should Use Material Layout
[edit source]New materials pages should use {{TissueDB Material Layout}}. This template provides the standard structure for all material pages in TissueDB.
References
[edit source]references is a real, declared parameter of this Layout. It defaults to <references />, so the reference list renders correctly whether or not a page passes it.
| Parameter | Description | Source |
|---|---|---|
| references | The reference list for the page. Optional. Defaults to <references />. Pass | references = <references /> to keep the page out of the hidden tracking category described below. |
Convention |
Why a page might pass it even though the default is identical. MediaWiki's Cite extension populates the hidden category Category:Pages with references but no references tag by scanning the page's own wikitext, before templates are expanded. A tag that comes from a template body — including this template's default — is invisible to that scan. So a page carrying <ref> tags but not passing this parameter renders perfectly and still appears in that category. Passing the literal tag is what removes it. An empty | references = does not work; the literal tag must be the value.
Both choices are valid and neither is a defect. Material pages generally pass it (38 of 100, per goal G-106). Tissue and Structure pages generally do not, and goal G-111 verified that their listing in the category is a false positive: each renders exactly one reference list with zero cite errors.
⚠ Do not delete this parameter from a page that has it. In May 2026 an editor removed it from TissueDB/Materials/Plastic Film with the summary "not a Material Layout param; dropped by template". That was true at the time — the parameter was undeclared and discarded. It is now declared, so removing it silently returns the page to the tracking category.
History (goal G-117). Until 20 July 2026 this parameter was undeclared on the Material, Tissue and Structure Layouts: the templates emitted <references /> from their own body and threw any passed value away. That made the same construct required on Material pages and forbidden on Tissue pages. Declaring it with the tag as its default removed the contradiction without changing any page's rendering — A/B verified on three cases (passes and cited, omits and cited, omits and uncited): byte-identical output.
Parameters
[edit source]Required
[edit source]| Parameter | Description | Source |
|---|---|---|
| lead_paragraph | Introductory paragraph describing the material and its clinical relevance. Falls back to description if unset. |
Playbook (Jan 2026) |
| tissues_rows | HTML table rows (<tr><td>...</td></tr>). Columns: Tissue, Visual, Tactile, Simulator, Notes. Tissue column must link to TissueDB/Tissues/. Visual and Tactile use only Yes / Partial / No. |
Playbook (Jan 2026) |
Hero Image
[edit source]| Parameter | Description | Source |
|---|---|---|
| hero_image | Filename only, no "File:" prefix (e.g., Agar_powder_simulation.jpg) |
Platform (Sophivorus) |
| hero_image_size | Display width (default: 350px) | Platform (Sophivorus) |
| hero_image_caption | Caption text below image | Convention |
Licence and alt text are NOT page parameters. The template reads both from the File page itself, using {{#show:File:...|?File license}} and {{#show:File:...|?File alternative text}}. See Not parameters below — this is deliberate and must not be changed.
Content Sections
[edit source]| Parameter | Description | Source |
|---|---|---|
| description | Short page description. Used as the lead paragraph when lead_paragraph is not set. |
Convention |
| simulation_requirements | 4-domain fidelity description (Visual, Tactile, Functional, Feedback). Only Visual and Tactile are actively scored; Functional and Feedback are placeholders for future use. | Dr. Mohr / Playbook (Jan 2026) |
| troubleshooting | Common problems and solutions when working with this material | Playbook (Jan 2026) |
| clinical_context | Explanation of why this material matters for simulation training | Playbook (Jan 2026) |
| overview | Brief material description for the "At a Glance" collapsed section | Playbook (Jan 2026) |
| synonyms_text | Alternative names and trade names for the material | Playbook (Jan 2026) |
| processing | How to prepare the material for use in simulation | Playbook (Jan 2026) |
| safety | Safety warnings and handling precautions | Playbook (Jan 2026) |
| related_materials | Links and descriptions of related TissueDB materials | Convention |
Table Row Parameters
[edit source]These parameters accept HTML table rows (<tr><td>...</td></tr> format).
| Parameter | Columns | Source |
|---|---|---|
| alternatives_rows | Alternative, Best For, Trade-offs | Playbook (Jan 2026) |
| used_in_simulators_rows | Simulator, Purpose, Notes | Convention |
| shelf_life_rows | Temp Range, Humidity, Surface Reuse, Shelf Life, Spoilage | Playbook (Jan 2026) |
| recipe_column | Set to a non-empty value to add the optional Recipe column to the Tissues table (DM-TABLE-01). Leave unset for the standard 5-column table. | Dr. Mohr |
| license_plate_rows | Halal, Kosher, Vegan, Cold chain, Altitude, Cost, Shelf storage | Convention |
| license_plate_notes | Prose notes explaining conditional entries in the License Plate table | Convention |
Not parameters
[edit source]These appear on live pages but the template never reads them. Counts are from a full-corpus scan of all 100 pages transcluding this template, 19 July 2026. Nothing here renders — do not add them to new pages, and do not assume a page is broken because it has one.
| Name | On pages | Why it is here | What to do |
|---|---|---|---|
| keywords | 58 | Read by an earlier version of this template (still visible at Template:TissueDB Material Layout/sandbox). Search keywords now live in the separate {{Page data}} block at the foot of the page. |
Harmless. Leave in place; do not add to new pages. |
| hero_image_license | 38 | Read by the earlier template version. The current template derives the licence from the File page instead. | Leave alone — do not wire this in. Reading the licence from the File page is a deliberate anti-fabrication control: a page's wikitext can be innocent while a licence is fabricated at render time, so the File page's stored property must stay the authority. |
| hero_image_alt | 34 | Read by the earlier template version. Alt text now comes from the File page's File alternative text property. | Leave in place. A page-level value has no effect today. |
| cost | 4 | Cost belongs in the License Plate table, not as a top-level field. | Harmless leftover. |
| alternative_names | 2 | Belongs in synonyms_text. |
Harmless leftover. |
| material_type, material_name, general_info, hero_image_author, hero_image_source | 1 each | One-off authoring mistakes, each on a single page. | Not worth a campaign; drop them if you are already editing the page. |
Content Rules for This Template
[edit source]- Material names are generic, not brand-specific. Use "Silicone Rubber" not "Dow Corning Silicone." Brand information belongs in the page body only.
- All table rows must use HTML format. Use
<tr><td>...</td></tr>, not wikitext pipe syntax. Wiki links work inside<td>cells without escaping. - Tips/Notes column uses the Dr. Mohr pattern: "[What to do] because [why it matters clinically]." Example: "Store in airtight container because exposure to air causes crystallization, which blocks simulation accuracy."
- Visual/Tactile columns use only three values: Yes, Partial, No. Do not create rating scales or numeric scores. Explain partial matches in the Notes column.
- Hero image should show the material in clinical simulation context. Images must carry a licence recorded on the File page itself. Wikimedia Commons is the preferred source.
- Materials pages are demand-driven: create only when referenced by a simulator page. Do not create stub materials pages without a simulator needing them.
- No internal codes on published pages. Remove all codes before publishing. Write rules in plain English.
- The References section is emitted by the template; the
referencesparameter is optional. Place<ref>tags inline within any text parameter. The template renders the heading and the reference list automatically — Passing| references = <references />additionally keeps the page out of the Cite tracking category. See the References section above. - Simulation Requirements uses prose format. Describe Visual and Tactile fidelity characteristics. Do not use rating scales or numeric scores. Leave empty if not yet assessed by Dr. Mohr.