# Questions about making buildings in json
**URL:** https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/questions-about-making-buildings-in-json/17952
**Category:** The Toolbox
**Created:** [December 16, 2018, 7:00am UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/questions-about-making-buildings-in-json/17952 "2018-12-16T07:00:29Z")
**Posts on this page:** 3
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@redxlaser15](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/redxlaser15)
#### Post date: [December 16, 2018, 7:00am UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/questions-about-making-buildings-in-json/17952/1 "2018-12-16T07:00:29Z")
I’m rather confused about the x and y coordinates in the json. I’m probably just being stupid, but I keep having issues with figuring out how exactly it works. More to the point: _Where is the point of origin on those 24x24 grids you make in the json?_
I’m using fire\_station.json as a reference and certain items are obviously meant to spawn in certain places:
_{
“item”: “fireman\_gear”,
“x”: [20, 20],
“y”: [21, 21],
“chance”: 70
}_
So there is a 70% chance that an item with the flag ‘fireman\_gear’ will spawn at the coordinates for x: [20,20] y: [21,21], correct?
I understand that inside the [] each number defines a range of where something will be. So if it was [10, 20] then something could be between the coordinate 10 and the coordinate 20. Check.
## Now I just need to make it so stuff will spawn _inside_ of lockers, which means that I need make specify that with the ‘x’ and ‘y’ coordinates.
Secondly, there is this weird thing happening with _one_ of the mechanical winches.
When I 'a’ctivate the winch to close the ‘garage’ doors (after opening them in the first place) it will spawn these three extra ones. When I activate it again to open the garage, they go away.
Does it have to do with the wall I added? It isn’t necessary but I’d like if I could keep it.
---
### Author:  [@mlangsdorf](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/mlangsdorf)
#### Post date: [December 16, 2018, 1:15pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/questions-about-making-buildings-in-json/17952/2 "2018-12-16T13:15:37Z")
In general in CDDA, [0,0] is the upper left hand corner of the screen, and the X axis increases to the right and the Y axis increases toward the bottom of the screen.
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### Author:  [@TheMurderUnicorn](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/TheMurderUnicorn)
#### Post date: [December 16, 2018, 1:17pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/questions-about-making-buildings-in-json/17952/3 "2018-12-16T13:17:54Z")
I don’t know what I’m looking at in your screenshot because I don’t use that tileset. However, I do know that winches are finicky. There’s a post . . . Bah, couldn’t find it.
The ones I’ve used (t\_gates\_mech\_control) requires that you place it next to a t\_wall or it doesn’t work. And that t\_wall has to be attached to the locked metal door. My guess is that they’re all pretty sensitive and I wouldn’t mess with them unless you’re patient and good at puzzling things out. Best I can say is to look at the default layout and work backwards, but you probably know that.
EDIT:
And yes, if a coordinate is represented by multiple numbers the object will spawn in one of those locations. So, an item at coordinate x: [21, 23], y: [7, 7] has a chance to spawn at 21,7 22,7 or 23, 7.
Also, y: [7, 7] is the same as y: 7. It’s written both ways throughout the game files and although the brackets make it look nicer I don’t think that’s a hard rule.