# List of lists external collection **URL:** \ **Category:** External Collections, Custom Actions & Collections\ **Created:** [May 29, 2021, 6:31am UTC](https://forum.adalo.com/t/list-of-lists-external-collection/13144 "2021-05-29T06:31:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Lukasz](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex020/user_avatar/forum.adalo.com/lukasz/32/12207_2.png) [@Lukasz](https://forum.adalo.com/u/Lukasz)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2021, 6:31am UTC](https://forum.adalo.com/t/list-of-lists-external-collection/13144/1 "2021-05-29T06:31:14Z")
Hello Guys, i am trying to build a list of lists (actually list of lists of lists) by using external collections. I integrated the collections, all seems to work fine. However when I want to filter the end list by “current” magic text from previous list element the filter does not work. The values are available in the magic text so Adalo seems to understand them however when I input them the filters is totally off. I am using @xano and checked both regular filtering by inputs and external - using json in Adalo but nothing seems to work. My API works fine when I use hardcoded values to input for testing in Adalo (both for input filtering and JSON approach) however magic text that passes a value of current list element does not work (all elements are displayed like a filter would be empty) Would you guys be able to help? ---
**Author:** ![Lukasz](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex020/user_avatar/forum.adalo.com/lukasz/32/12207_2.png) [@Lukasz](https://forum.adalo.com/u/Lukasz)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2021, 8:48am UTC](https://forum.adalo.com/t/list-of-lists-external-collection/13144/2 "2021-05-29T08:48:28Z")
I was trying to debug it and it seems that sub-list receives right data from the overriding list (red text is basically the same) however if list receives the same magic text as filter value (both for Json / or simple filtering) it is not able to use them. if the data however are passed as magic text from the previous screen and used as a filter, in this case list is also filtered properly. I am trying to understand what makes this use case different but for now it seems that Adalo cannot create list of lists from external collection which of course is super limiting for building any type of apps. Sub list receives proper date in magic text (current element) - how is not able to filter by it) ![Screen Shot 2021-05-29 at 12.41.09 PM](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex020/uploads/adalo/original/2X/4/4ec8d046b3e9f1d64945a98185084f11f7751db2.png) ---
**Author:** ![Lukasz](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex020/user_avatar/forum.adalo.com/lukasz/32/12207_2.png) [@Lukasz](https://forum.adalo.com/u/Lukasz)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2021, 3:06pm UTC](https://forum.adalo.com/t/list-of-lists-external-collection/13144/3 "2021-05-30T15:06:27Z")
Any idea how to solve it anyone? ---
**Author:** ![Victor](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex020/user_avatar/forum.adalo.com/victor/32/2054_2.png) [@Victor](https://forum.adalo.com/u/Victor)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2021, 10:48am UTC](https://forum.adalo.com/t/list-of-lists-external-collection/13144/4 "2021-05-31T10:48:54Z")
Hi @Lukasz, Your issue seem similar to this one: [Nested List Query parameter don't work with magic words](https://forum.adalo.com/t/nested-list-query-parameter-dont-work-with-magic-words/11984) Not sure there is a solution available ☹ Best, Victor. ---
**Author:** ![Nicolas](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex020/user_avatar/forum.adalo.com/nicolas/32/7491_2.png) [@Nicolas](https://forum.adalo.com/u/Nicolas)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2021, 11:32am UTC](https://forum.adalo.com/t/list-of-lists-external-collection/13144/5 "2021-05-31T11:32:49Z")
Hi. If you realy need this specific fonctionality, you should use Adalo’s API to create and update a copied table of your data and use it inside your main list. With this solution your nested list will be inside adalo’s storage and will be filtered with adalo system and you can update it externaly with your own API (using adalo’s api request to update the table inside adalo’s storage.) Link of documentation : [Collections - Adalo Resources](https://help.adalo.com/integrations/the-adalo-api/collections) If you don’t want to do that, just change your navigation system to do not show multiples lists of external collection on one page. ---
**Author:** ![Lukasz](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex020/user_avatar/forum.adalo.com/lukasz/32/12207_2.png) [@Lukasz](https://forum.adalo.com/u/Lukasz)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2021, 6:52am UTC](https://forum.adalo.com/t/list-of-lists-external-collection/13144/6 "2021-06-04T06:52:13Z")
Thanks Nicolas, it is actually super helpful. Amending UX does not really solve my issue - It is only about presenting things in clear way not about access directory. Using Adalo collection can actually work but only if I do temporary (populate when user lands on the page and then clear it) - did you try it? @anon78309838 any idea where you guys stand with this fix? ---
**Author:** ![emycarlan](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex020/user_avatar/forum.adalo.com/emycarlan/32/9818_2.png) [@emycarlan](https://forum.adalo.com/u/emycarlan)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2021, 10:32am UTC](https://forum.adalo.com/t/list-of-lists-external-collection/13144/7 "2021-07-18T10:32:39Z")
I’m also stuck with this, it’s a bummer I can’t show the order items in the list of orders, as the filter doesn’t pass the order\_id parameter. I noticed all API calls go out asynchronously, so it basically triggers the API call for the second list before it even receives the response for the first list. This looks to me like a bug, not lack of functionality. Please fix! ---
**Author:** ![Victor](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex020/user_avatar/forum.adalo.com/victor/32/2054_2.png) [@Victor](https://forum.adalo.com/u/Victor)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2021, 8:19am UTC](https://forum.adalo.com/t/list-of-lists-external-collection/13144/8 "2021-07-19T08:19:09Z")
Hi @emycarlan, Just for information - when I added timer in similar setup (trying to make sure the data is received), it didn’t help… so I guess the bug is more complex as it seems :-/ Best, Victor ---
**Author:** ![Lukasz](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex020/user_avatar/forum.adalo.com/lukasz/32/12207_2.png) [@Lukasz](https://forum.adalo.com/u/Lukasz)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2021, 3:09pm UTC](https://forum.adalo.com/t/list-of-lists-external-collection/13144/9 "2021-09-08T15:09:00Z")
@adalo @Ben Guys this is a bug that wasn’t fixed for quite a while now. I am raising it every time I receive your email on how to help - always promised that you look into this but our iteration never last more than two replies and than it is dropped again. ---
**Author:** ![renzetc](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex020/user_avatar/forum.adalo.com/renzetc/32/9680_2.png) [@renzetc](https://forum.adalo.com/u/renzetc)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2021, 1:59pm UTC](https://forum.adalo.com/t/list-of-lists-external-collection/13144/10 "2021-11-10T13:59:04Z")
Running into this issue right now. ---
**Author:** ![Mitch-Pragmaflow](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex020/user_avatar/forum.adalo.com/mitch-pragmaflow/32/23179_2.png) [@Mitch-Pragmaflow](https://forum.adalo.com/u/Mitch-Pragmaflow)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2021, 10:49pm UTC](https://forum.adalo.com/t/list-of-lists-external-collection/13144/11 "2021-11-16T22:49:44Z")
Yep still an issue, the other problem is that when I stry to query the parent along with a list of the children by extending the output, that causes another set of bugs. ---
**Author:** ![Shnate](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex020/user_avatar/forum.adalo.com/shnate/32/30276_2.png) [@Shnate](https://forum.adalo.com/u/Shnate)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2022, 6:18pm UTC](https://forum.adalo.com/t/list-of-lists-external-collection/13144/12 "2022-01-30T18:18:43Z")
This still seems to be an issue. Has anyone found a solution yet? ---
**Author:** ![TKOTC](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex020/user_avatar/forum.adalo.com/tkotc/32/6863_2.png) [@TKOTC](https://forum.adalo.com/u/TKOTC)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2022, 6:26pm UTC](https://forum.adalo.com/t/list-of-lists-external-collection/13144/13 "2022-01-30T18:26:22Z")
I think this is what you are looking for Go to [https://adalo.pragmaflowservers.com/how-to](https://adalo.pragmaflowservers.com/how-to) and watch the video labeled `Displaying nested arrays from an API`. I believe this is what people are trying to do. Skip to 15:50 in the video to see if this is the results you are looking for, if it is then you can watch the whole video. ---
**Author:** ![pataborda](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex020/user_avatar/forum.adalo.com/pataborda/32/24344_2.png) [@pataborda](https://forum.adalo.com/u/pataborda)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2022, 1:33am UTC](https://forum.adalo.com/t/list-of-lists-external-collection/13144/14 "2022-10-14T01:33:42Z")
Hello, currently I’ve the same issue/bug. Looking into the forum I’m very surprised that after so many months/year stills not solved. Even is mentioned in other discussions but Adalo’s support team fails fixing it or its solution isn’t well published. @Victor @Lukasz do you know why it has not been solved?