---
title: Points
sidebar_position: 30
---
Developing a pattern with FreeSewing is similar to doing it on paper.
But instead of using a pencil and paper, you'll be writing code.
Before we can draw any line, we need to know where it starts from, and where it ends.
That's why we have **points**. They are the most basic building block of a
FreeSewing pattern, and their role is to store coordinates.
Each point must have:
- A **X-coordinate**
- A **Y-coordinate**
Together, these coordinates determine the location of the point in the 2-dimensional plane we're drawing on.
:::note
Points are unlikely to confuse you. The only gotcha is [the
coordinate system](/guides/prerequisites#coordinate-system) which has a Y-axis that is inverted to what you
may intuitively expect.
:::
<Example caption="A schematic overview of where points are kept inside a FreeSewing pattern">
```mjs
({ Point, points, Path, paths, options, part }) => {
// Draws a w*h box, returns a Path object
const box = (name, origin, width, height, classes='fabric') => {
let base = height
if (width < height) base = width
let t = base
points[name + 'TopLeft'] = new Point(origin.x, origin.y)
points[name + 'BottomLeft'] = new Point(origin.x, origin.y + height)
points[name + 'BottomRight'] = new Point(
origin.x + width,
origin.y + height
)
points[name + 'TopRight'] = new Point(origin.x + width, origin.y)
points[name + 'Mid'] = points[name + 'TopLeft'].shiftFractionTowards(
points[name + 'BottomRight'],
0.5
)
points[name + 'Mid'].y += 3
return new Path()
.move(points[name + 'TopLeft'])
.line(points[name + 'BottomLeft'])
.line(points[name + 'BottomRight'])
.line(points[name + 'TopRight'])
.line(points[name + 'TopLeft'])
.close()
.addClass(classes)
}
// Draws a box and handled text placement
const drawBox = (name, x, y, width, height, text=true, classes, textClasses='') => {
points[name + 'Origin'] = new Point(x, y)
paths[name] = box(name, points[name + 'Origin'], width, height, classes)
if (text === 'b') {
paths[name+'_label'] = new Path()
.move(points[name+'BottomLeft'])
.line(points[name+'BottomRight'])
.addClass('hidden')
.addText(name, 'center ' + textClasses)
.attr('data-text-dy', -1)
}
else if (text) points[name + 'Mid'].addText(name, 'center')
}
// Parts set 0
drawBox('Part A (set 0)', -27, -27, 44, 70, 'b', 'note', 'bold')
drawBox('points', -24, -24, 38, 12, true, 'note fill-note')
paths['points'].attr('fill-opacity', 0.2)
drawBox('paths', -24, -9, 38, 12, true, 'note')
drawBox('snippets', -24, 6, 38, 12, true, 'note')
drawBox('Part B (set 0)', 26, -27, 44, 70, 'b', 'note', 'bold')
drawBox(' points ', 29, -24, 38, 12, true, 'fill-note note')
paths[' points '].attr('fill-opacity', 0.2)
drawBox(' paths ', 29, -9, 38, 12, true, 'note')
drawBox(' snippets ', 29, 6, 38, 12, true, 'note')
drawBox('Part C (set 0)', 79, -27, 44, 70, 'b', 'note', 'bold')
drawBox(' points ', 82, -24, 38, 12, true, 'note fill-note')
paths[' points '].attr('fill-opacity', 0.2)
drawBox(' paths ', 82, -9, 38, 12, true, 'note')
drawBox(' snippets ', 82, 6, 38, 12, true, 'note')
drawBox('setStore 0', -24, 21, 144, 12, true, 'lining dashed')
paths['setStore 0'].attr('fill-opacity', 0.2)
// Pattern
drawBox('Pattern Store', -30, -45, 155, 15, true, 'lining')
paths['Pattern Store'].attr('fill-opacity', 0.2)
drawBox('Pattern', -34, -49, 163, 106, 'b', 'fabric stroke-lg', 'text-lg bold')
return part
}
```
</Example>
:::tip
Our example image (which, if you hadn't realized was created with FreeSewing) has a lot of
points in it. The corners of the boxes, the location where the text goes, and so on.
Click the **X-Ray** tab to reveal them.
:::
ab3204f9f1