---
title: "How to add rows in a table from external multiple dropdown list?"
url: "https://openforis.support/questions/3454/how-to-add-rows-in-a-table-from-external-multiple-dropdown-list"
tags: ["collect"]
status: "answered"
score: 0
answer_count: 1
asked: "2022-10-20T22:20:06"
last_activity: "2022-10-24T14:12:30"
source: "Open Foris Support - Q&A Forum"
license: "Copyright Open Foris, 2026. Some rights reserved under creative commons license."
---

# How to add rows in a table from external multiple dropdown list?

Asked by MagnunStalin on 2022-10-20

Hello, could you help me with this little problem?

I have a multiple seleccion dropdown list and a table in my survey, then I like to create many rows as selected items from the dropdown list and past the values as well as past the values the corresponding values in each row.

Is that possible? Let me know if it's.

Thaks a lot.


## Answer (score 1, by Stefano (OF) on 2022-10-24)

Link: https://openforis.support/questions/3454/how-to-add-rows-in-a-table-from-external-multiple-dropdown-list/3455

Dear user,  
The solution is a bit tricky but it's an interesting case to discuss here.  
One thing that you could use is the option `Auto generate minimum items` that you have in the multiple entity definition editor in the Survey Designer; this option works only the first time an entity (or a form containing that) becomes `relevant`, so you will have to have some condition that will be triggered when all the values of your multiple selection dropdown list are filled.  
Also, in the multiple entity you will have to specify the minimum number of items.  
Suppose that your multiple attribute is called `mult_attr`, the expression in Min count will be: `count(mult_attr)`.  
Then, you have to define a calculated attribute inside the multiple entity, or an attribute with a default value specified, that takes one of the values of `mult_attr` as value.  
The expression in that calculated attribute will be: `parent()/mult_attr[idm:position($context)]`  
That expression takes a value from `mult_attr`, using the position of the current row in the multiple entity with the expression `idm:position($context)`.  
Here you can find a [simple survey with an example of a table with predefined rows][1]    

Let us know, many thanks.  
Open Foris Team


  [1]: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1cVVt_y6wOvjL85JugXgybfnc36lsCRk1/view?usp=sharing