Test a table cell through tableSite.isCell, and trace no row outside a table

hold.go

@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ type readValue struct {
 }
 
 // renderTrace is a test's view of the fields a render reads; nil outside a test.
-type renderTrace func(group, table string, row int, a arm)
+type renderTrace func(group string, row renderedRow, a arm)
 
 // holdSet is one render's reference draws: the unnamed draw group's, and each named one's; and a
 // test's trace of its reads.

node.go

@@ -71,6 +71,10 @@ type tableSite struct {
 
 const formatRow = -1
 
+func (s tableSite) isCell() bool {
+	return s.table != nil && s.row != formatRow
+}
+
 // templateLink is what a template resolves to in the assembled tree.
 type templateLink struct {
 	refs         map[string]refBinding // each reference the format reads -> what it resolves to

readsurvey.go

@@ -88,12 +88,12 @@ func (s *readSurvey) walk(n node, at surveyAt) {
 	}
 	for _, e := range renderEdges(n) {
 		to, isTemplate := e.to.(*template)
-		cell := tableSite{}
+		var cell tableSite
-		if isTemplate && to.site.row != formatRow {
+		if isTemplate {
 			cell = to.site
 		}
 		switch {
-		case cell.table == nil:
+		case !cell.isCell():
 			s.edge(n, e, at)
 		case cell.table == at.wholeTable:
 			in := at

reference.go

@@ -81,7 +81,7 @@ func linkRefs(root map[string]node) error {
 // linkTemplate resolves t's references in category, "" for an inline template, and
 // compiles its format against them.
 func linkTemplate(folder []string, path, category string, t *template, root map[string]node) error {
-	if t.site.table != nil && t.site.row != formatRow {
+	if t.site.isCell() {
 		path = fmt.Sprintf("%s, line %d", path, t.site.row+2)
 	}
 	link, err := t.resolveLink(folder, path, category, root)

render.go

@@ -203,15 +203,14 @@ func readHeld(s *session, t *template, held *hold, pins *pinSet, sc renderScope,
 }
 
 func traceRead(trace renderTrace, t *template, sc renderScope, a arm) {
-	var table string
+	var row renderedRow
-	row := t.site.row
+	switch {
-	if t.site.table != nil {
+	case t.site.isCell():
-		table = t.site.table.path
+		row = renderedRow{t.site.table, t.site.row}
+	case t.site.table != nil:
+		row = renderedRow{t.site.table, sc.rowOf(t.site.table)}
 	}
-	if row == formatRow {
+	trace(strings.Clone(sc.group), row, a)
-		row = sc.rowOf(t.site.table)
-	}
-	trace(strings.Clone(sc.group), strings.Clone(table), row, a)
 }
 
 // renderLeaf draws and renders what a read lands on: null on a null item, or on a column of one

todo.md

@@ -31,8 +31,6 @@ on 2026-09-29 a third time (Navigation 7.0, Locality 5.6, Shape 6.3, Self-suffic
 
 This round, in order:
 
-- Give `tableSite` one test for a cell, and have `traceRead` report no row outside a
-  table: the zero value reads as row 0, a real cell, so each reader tests `table` first.
 - Rename `ftoken` to `scanUnit`, beside `formatToken`, and `session` to
   `generatorState`: three seats confused the token types, and both architects read
   `session` as per-render state.