# Item Lists not working?

**URL:** <https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/item-lists-not-working/11563>\
**Category:** The Toolbox\
**Created:** [March 13, 2016, 10:00pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/item-lists-not-working/11563 "2016-03-13T22:00:35Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![pisskop](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/discourse.cataclysmdda.org/pisskop/32/1327_2.png) [@pisskop](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/pisskop)\
**Post date:** [March 13, 2016, 10:00pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/item-lists-not-working/11563/1 "2016-03-13T22:00:35Z")

</div>

```auto
[
{
        "type": "vehicle_group",
        "id": "VETS",
        "vehicles": [
            ["car", 300],
            ["pickup", 100],
            ["suv", 50]
        ]
    },{
        "type": "item_group",
        "id": "vet_softdrug",
        "items": [
            ["bandages", 50],
            ["1st_aid", 10],
            ["saline", 20],
            ["gummy_vitamins", 15],
            ["nyquil", 5],
            ["disinfectant", 15],
            ["vaccine_shot", 10],
            ["protein_powder", 30],
            ["smoxygen_tank", 20],
            ["elec_hairtrimmer", 15],
            ["survnote", 5],
            ["mask_dust", 65],
            ["glasses_safety", 10],
            ["towel", 50],
            ["scissors", 50],
            ["fungicide", 10],
            ["soap", 20],
            ["chem_hydrogen_peroxide", 10],
            ["canister_empty", 5],
            ["stethoscope", 5],
            ["scalpel", 55],
            ["gloves_medical", 50],
            ["medical_gauze", 25],
            ["quikclot", 10],
            ["hacksaw", 5],
            ["gloves_rubber", 25],
            ["rag_bloody", 10],
            ["bag_plastic", 20],
            ["string_6", 5]
        ]
    },{
        "type": "item_group",
        "id": "vet_utility",
        "items": [
            ["dog_whistle", 10],
            ["pet_carrier", 30],
            ["dogfood", 30],
            ["catfood", 30],
            ["towel", 20],
            ["soap", 10],
            ["gloves_medical", 20],
            ["rag", 15],
            ["rag_bloody", 2],
            ["bag_plastic", 20],
            ["jerky", 40]
        ]
    },{
        "type": "item_group",
        "id": "vet_hardrug",
        "items": [
            ["syringe", 10],
            ["diazepam", 10],
            ["antifungal", 30],
            ["antiparasitic", 30],
            ["antibiotics", 20],
            ["thorazine", 7],
            ["morphine", 10],
            ["codeine", 15],
            ["saline", 15],
            ["smoxygen_tank", 10],
            ["1st_aid", 30],
            ["medical_tape", 35],
            ["blood", 5],
            ["vaccine_shot", 15]
        ]
    },{
        "type": "monstergroup",
        "name": "GROUP_VETS",
        "default": "mon_null",
        "monsters": [
            { "monster": "mon_zombie_dog", "freq": 15, "cost_multiplier": 1 },
            { "monster": "mon_dog_zombie_rot", "freq": 15, "cost_multiplier": 3 },
            { "monster": "mon_squirrel", "freq": 1, "cost_multiplier": 0 },
            { "monster": "mon_cat", "freq": 10, "cost_multiplier": 0 },
            { "monster": "mon_dog", "freq": 10, "cost_multiplier": 0 }
        ]
    },{
        "type" : "overmap_terrain",
        "id" : "veterinarian",
        "name" : "veterinarian clinic",
        "rotate" : true,
        "sym" : [94, 62, 118, 60],
        "color" : "i_pink",
        "see_cost" : 5,
        "extras" : "build",
        "mondensity" : 2,
        "sidewalk" : true,
    "mapgen": [ {
        "weight": 400,
        "method": "json",
        "object": {
            "fill_ter": "t_floor",
            "rows": [
                " ",
                " ",
                " ",
                " ",
                " ",
                " ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~",
                " *--OO--OO--::--------* ",
                " *-TccccccTy..#%.c-#R-* ",
                " *-...........#c.d-sl-* ",
                " *-.ccccccT...--+---+-* ",
                " *-...........-E.#...-* ",
                " *--+---+---..-E...T.-* ",
                " *-ll-y....-..+....T.-* ",
                " *-sl-.ddd.-++---i----* ",
                " *-lt-].c..+..-rr..==-* ",
                " *----------..-#...^l-* ",
                " ** ~~~~~~~~ ;..-#...==-* ",
                " ~-..i....^l-* ",
                " ~-i--#...==-* ",
                " D-.r-d...^l-* ",
                " *-.$-]]%.==-* ",
                " *-----------* ",
                " *************",
                " "
            ],
            "terrain": {
                ".": "t_floor",
                "*": "t_shrub",
                "-": "t_wall",
                "+": "t_door_c",
                ";": "t_door_locked",
                "i": ["t_door_locked_interior", "t_door_locked_interior", "t_door_c"],
                ":": "t_door_glass_c",
                "O": "t_window",
                "=": "t_chainfence_h",
                "^": "t_chaingate_c",
                "%": "t_console_broken",
                " ": "t_pavement",
                ",": "t_pavement_y",
                "~": "t_sidewalk",
                "l": "t_linoleum_white"
            },
            "furniture": {
                "#": "f_counter",
                "c": "f_chair",
                "T": "f_table",
                "R": "f_locker",
                "r": "f_rack",
                "$": "f_safe_l",
                "d": "f_desk",
                "]": "f_bookcase",
                "s": "f_sink",
                "E": "f_cupboard",
                "y": "f_indoor_plant",
                "D": "f_trashcan"
            },
            "toilets": {
                "t": { }
            },
            "place_vehicles": [
                { "x": 6, "y": 19, "vehicle": "VETS", "chance": 20 },
                { "x": 7, "y": 2, "vehicle": "VETS", "rotation": [2, 3], "chance": 15 },
                { "x": 15, "y": 2, "vehicle": "VETS", "rotation": [2, 3], "chance": 15 },
                { "x": 23, "y": 2, "vehicle": "VETS", "rotation": [2, 3], "chance": 15 }
            ],
            "place_monsters": [
                { "x": 20, "y": 19, "monster": "GROUP_VETS", "chance": 10 },
                { "x": 20, "y": 17, "monster": "GROUP_VETS", "chance": 10 },
                { "x": 20, "y": 15, "monster": "GROUP_VETS", "chance": 10 }
            ],
            "place_items": [ 
                { "item": "trash", "chance": 1, "x": 10, "y": 19, "repeat": [1,3] },
                { "item": "vet_softdrug", "chance": 1, "x": 17, "y": 10, "repeat": [2,5] },
                { "item": "vet_softdrug", "chance": 1, "x": 15, "y": [10, 11], "repeat": [1,2] },
                { "item": "vet_softdrug", "chance": 1, "x": 20, "y": 8, "repeat": [1,3] },
                { "item": "vet_softdrug", "chance": 1, "x": [16, 17], "y": 15, "repeat": [1,3] },
                { "item": "vet_hardrug", "chance": 1, "x": 13, "y": 20, "repeat": [2,5] },
                { "item": "waitingroom", "chance": 1, "x": 10, "y": 7, "repeat": [1,3] },
                { "item": "waitingroom", "chance": 1, "x": 10, "y": 9, "repeat": [1,3] },
                { "item": "waitingroom", "chance": 1, "x": 3, "y": 7, "repeat": [2,3] },
                { "item": "cleaning", "chance": 1, "x": 20, "y": 7, "repeat": [1,2] },
                { "item": "cleaning", "chance": 1, "x": 13, "y": 19, "repeat": [1,3] },
                { "item": "vet_utility", "chance": 1, "x": 3, "y": 7, "repeat": [2,3] },
                { "item": "vet_utility", "chance": 1, "x": 15, "y": [15, 16], "repeat": [2,5] },
                { "item": "vet_utility", "chance": 1, "x": 15, "y": 18, "repeat": [2,5] },
                { "item": "office", "chance": 1, "x": [15, 16], "y": 20, "repeat": [1,2] },
                { "item": "office", "chance": 1, "x": 17, "y": 8, "repeat": [1,2] },
                { "item": "office", "chance": 1, "x": [8, 10], "y": 13, "repeat": [2,5] },
                { "item": "doctors_books", "chance": 1, "x": 5, "y": 14, "repeat": [1,3] }
            ]
        }
    }
    ]
}
]
```

Im having trouble getting items to spawn in my own little creations. I havent noticed any changes that should affect my thingies, and its not just the above example. I dont really get why its not spawning items properly.

Ive set chance to 1 above, but that should be redundant way of saying ‘1 in 1’ chance of spawning the item. Was me messing around. There are supposed to be items spawning all over that building.

This problem persists in several buildings I have made, so perhaps it is my own fault somehow but Im not even seeing significant differences between whats in the game and what I am doing. Infact, some of what I am doing is literally in the game and was working when it was added.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![pisskop](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/discourse.cataclysmdda.org/pisskop/32/1327_2.png) [@pisskop](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/pisskop)\
**Post date:** [March 14, 2016, 12:08am UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/item-lists-not-working/11563/2 "2016-03-14T00:08:41Z")

</div>

so item chances refer to percentages whilst furniture and tereain uses that same varianble to mean ‘1 in n’.

neat. and totally confusing

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Genn\_Faol](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/discourse.cataclysmdda.org/genn_faol/32/8018_2.png) [@Genn\_Faol](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/Genn_Faol)\
**Post date:** [March 26, 2016, 2:48pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/item-lists-not-working/11563/3 "2016-03-26T14:48:46Z")

</div>

Thank you so much for this post. I was despairing here over the same thing. I knew that for terrain and furniture, chance meant 1 in x chance. Thought it worked the same for items, and was super-confused when that resulted in almost NOTHING spawning despite that there should be quite a bit.

Using the same variable twice and having it work completely different is really bad form in coding. I don’t know who’s responsible but man, they should feel ashamed.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![pisskop](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/discourse.cataclysmdda.org/pisskop/32/1327_2.png) [@pisskop](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/pisskop)\
**Post date:** [March 26, 2016, 4:04pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/item-lists-not-working/11563/4 "2016-03-26T16:04:21Z")

</div>

> <https://github.com/CleverRaven/Cataclysm-DDA/issues/15780>

^^ join me in grumbling