tools/templates Workflows

Use this skill when scaffolding new notes, creating pytextgen sections, or using pre-built templates for knowledge base content.

What tools/templates contains

The tools/templates/ directory contains scripts for scaffolding new content:

1. •new wiki page.py: Generate YAML frontmatter + Wikipedia link template for encyclopedia notes
2. •pytextgen generate *.md: Templates for common pytextgen fence patterns

When to use

• •Creating new encyclopedia notes with proper frontmatter
• •Scaffolding pytextgen sections (flashcards, code blocks, data exports)
• •Ensuring consistent YAML structure across notes
• •Quick-starting new knowledge base entries

Workflows

Scaffold a new wiki-sourced note

Purpose: Create a new encyclopedia note with pre-filled frontmatter and Wikipedia attribution.

Command: python -m "templates.new wiki page"

Workflow:

1. •

   Script prompts for article name (or reads from argument)

2. •

   Generates YAML frontmatter template:

   yaml

   ---
   aliases: []
   tags: [flashcard/active, language/in/English]
   ---
   

3. •

   Adds Wikipedia source link comment:

   markdown

   <!-- Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Article_Name -->
   

4. •

   Copies template to clipboard

5. •

   User pastes into new file in general/ (or special/ if specialized)

Next steps:

• •Use python -m "convert wiki" to ingest Wikipedia HTML below the template
• •Add content manually or from other sources
• •Update aliases and tags as needed

Create pytextgen flashcard section

Template: tools/templates/pytextgen generate flashcards.md

Purpose: Scaffold a new flashcard generation section in an existing note.

Content (example):

## Flashcards

<!--pytextgen generate section="flashcards-main" format="cloze"-->
<!--/pytextgen-->

Usage:

1. •Copy template content from tools/templates/pytextgen generate flashcards.md
2. •Paste into target note
3. •Update section ID (flashcards-main → unique identifier)
4. •Add cloze markup to note content: {@{ hidden text }@}, ::@::, :@:
5. •Run python -m init generate <file> to populate flashcards

Create pytextgen code block section

Template: tools/templates/pytextgen generate code.md

Purpose: Scaffold a Python code block that generates Markdown content.

Content (example):

```python
# pytextgen generate module="data.courses" function="generate_course_list"

def generate_course_list():
    courses = [...]
    return export_seq(courses)
```

Usage:

1. •Copy template from tools/templates/pytextgen generate code.md
2. •Paste into target note
3. •Update module/function references
4. •Implement generation logic
5. •Run python -m init generate <file> to execute and insert output

Other templates

Additional templates may exist for:

• •Data export fences (JSON/CSV → Markdown tables)
• •Cross-reference generators (link indexes, backreferences)
• •Structured list generators (course lists, bibliography)

Check tools/templates/ directory for all available templates.

Template conventions

YAML frontmatter

Standard fields:

• •aliases: Alternative names for the note (list)
• •tags: Categories and metadata (list)
  • •flashcard/active: Enable flashcard generation
  • •language/in/English: Note language (or language/in/Korean, etc.)
  • •Semester tags: 2023-fall, 2024-spring
  • •Subject tags: coursework, tutorial, business

Example:

---
aliases: [GDP, Gross Domestic Product]
tags: [flashcard/active, language/in/English, economics]
---

pytextgen fence templates

Critical rules (inherited from pytextgen conventions):

• •Do NOT modify # pytextgen generate ... comment lines in templates
• •Do NOT change fence delimiters (triple backticks + language)
• •Preserve section IDs in HTML comments (<!--pytextgen generate section="id"-->)
• •Keep return export_seq(...) signatures intact

Placeholder protection:

• •Templates may use {{placeholder}} or <REPLACE_ME> for user-editable parts
• •Replace placeholders before running generation
• •Never commit templates with unresolved placeholders into content notes

Integration with other workflows

wiki-ingestion workflow

1. •Run python -m "templates.new wiki page" to create frontmatter
2. •Paste template into new file general/Article Name.md
3. •Run python -m "convert wiki" to ingest Wikipedia HTML
4. •Content is appended below frontmatter
5. •Run python -m init generate <file> to create flashcards from cloze markup

Academic coursework workflow

1. •Use LMS converters (tools-special skill) to generate course YAML
2. •Use templates to scaffold course index.md with sections
3. •Add pytextgen fences for assignment lists, grade tables
4. •Regenerate with python -m init generate

Custom content generation

1. •Copy appropriate pytextgen template
2. •Implement Python function or reference existing module
3. •Update fence comment with correct module/function path
4. •Test generation with python -m init generate <file>
5. •Debug any errors (see pytextgen skill for troubleshooting)

Best practices

• •Consistent frontmatter: Use templates to ensure YAML structure matches conventions
• •Template versioning: If templates change, update existing notes gradually
• •Section IDs: Use descriptive, unique IDs for pytextgen sections (e.g., flashcards-chapter-1)
• •Template testing: Test new templates on dummy files before using in production notes
• •Documentation: Comment template files with usage instructions

When to ask for help

• •If template placeholders are unclear, ask user for guidance
• •If new template patterns are needed, discuss requirements with user
• •If pytextgen fence syntax is complex, refer to pytextgen skill

Common issues

1. •Placeholder leakage: Forgot to replace {{placeholder}} before generation
2. •Section ID collisions: Multiple pytextgen sections with same ID in one file
3. •Fence syntax errors: Broken fence delimiters or comment lines
4. •Module import errors: Python module paths incorrect in fence comments

Editing guidelines for tools/templates/**

When editing files in tools/templates/:

• •Preserve placeholder tokens: Keep tokens like (name), (Wikipedia name), (tag name) intact; do not hardcode example values
• •Maintain clipboard-copy behavior: Python templates like new wiki page.py should keep clipboard copying and normalization/replacement maps intact unless fixing bugs
• •Keep pytextgen fence syntax: Never modify template fences/comments (# pytextgen generate ..., <!--pytextgen generate section="..."-->)
• •Avoid filename changes: Downstream scripts expect specific file names and extensions; changing them may break workflows
• •Use UTF-8 encoding: Keep newline handling as-is and avoid rewrapping markdown bodies in templates
• •Document changes: If template structure changes, note impact on existing notes and update documentation