# ERROR: Only questions and regular group are allowed in 'field-list'. Bad node **URL:** \ **Category:** Support\ **Created:** [October 5, 2020, 6:01am UTC](https://forum.getodk.org/t/error-only-questions-and-regular-group-are-allowed-in-field-list-bad-node/30390 "2020-10-05T06:01:09Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Makino](https://getodk.b-cdn.net/user_avatar/forum.getodk.org/makino/32/13213_2.png) [@Makino](https://forum.getodk.org/u/Makino)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2020, 6:01am UTC](https://forum.getodk.org/t/error-only-questions-and-regular-group-are-allowed-in-field-list-bad-node/30390/1 "2020-10-05T06:01:09Z")
I am getting an error when running it on ODK Collect App. What seems to be the problem? ![image](https://getodk.b-cdn.net/uploads/default/original/2X/5/5b77613db9c0144294dc17886f30dc3e8e4d32a4.png) Thank you for your help. ---
**Author:** ![Grzesiek2010](https://getodk.b-cdn.net/user_avatar/forum.getodk.org/grzesiek2010/32/2881_2.png) [@Grzesiek2010](https://forum.getodk.org/u/Grzesiek2010)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2020, 6:22am UTC](https://forum.getodk.org/t/error-only-questions-and-regular-group-are-allowed-in-field-list-bad-node/30390/2 "2020-10-05T06:22:23Z")
Hi @Makino the problem is that you are using repeatable groups inside a group that is displayed on one screen (field-list appearance). We don't support such a case. Repeatable groups can't be displayed on one screen. Probably you expect having a button to add new groups and expanding the page every time a new group is added? ---
**Author:** ![Makino](https://getodk.b-cdn.net/user_avatar/forum.getodk.org/makino/32/13213_2.png) [@Makino](https://forum.getodk.org/u/Makino)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2020, 6:25am UTC](https://forum.getodk.org/t/error-only-questions-and-regular-group-are-allowed-in-field-list-bad-node/30390/3 "2020-10-05T06:25:18Z")
Yes, but how can I group them on one screen? ---
**Author:** ![Grzesiek2010](https://getodk.b-cdn.net/user_avatar/forum.getodk.org/grzesiek2010/32/2881_2.png) [@Grzesiek2010](https://forum.getodk.org/u/Grzesiek2010)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2020, 6:28am UTC](https://forum.getodk.org/t/error-only-questions-and-regular-group-are-allowed-in-field-list-bad-node/30390/4 "2020-10-05T06:28:22Z")
It's not possible to display all repeated groups on one screen. If it's something you find useful please create a topic in [Features](https://forum.getodk.org/c/features/9) and describe your case. ---
**Author:** ![Bornok](https://getodk.b-cdn.net/user_avatar/forum.getodk.org/bornok/32/1790_2.png) [@Bornok](https://forum.getodk.org/u/Bornok)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2020, 12:04am UTC](https://forum.getodk.org/t/error-only-questions-and-regular-group-are-allowed-in-field-list-bad-node/30390/5 "2020-10-07T00:04:20Z")
@Makino, you can share your full xls form here so other can do testing on it. ---
**Author:** ![ARIF\_AZAD\_KHAN](https://getodk.b-cdn.net/user_avatar/forum.getodk.org/arif_azad_khan/32/2921_2.png) [@ARIF\_AZAD\_KHAN](https://forum.getodk.org/u/ARIF_AZAD_KHAN)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2020, 8:31am UTC](https://forum.getodk.org/t/error-only-questions-and-regular-group-are-allowed-in-field-list-bad-node/30390/6 "2020-10-07T08:31:04Z")
If repeat is definite then it might be a good feature to have all repeat questions in one screen. Case1: Screen 1: Number of Household Member (Say 3) Screen 2: Creates 3 repeat on the same screen to input household member's information. Additional Feature: In case member is more than 3 and user does not want repeat questions in one screen then it might be helpful control appearance "field-list" for example making field-list action "false". Case2: Screen1: Number of Household Member (Say 3) and creates 3 repeats in the same screen to input household member information. ---
**Author:** ![Grzesiek2010](https://getodk.b-cdn.net/user_avatar/forum.getodk.org/grzesiek2010/32/2881_2.png) [@Grzesiek2010](https://forum.getodk.org/u/Grzesiek2010)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2020, 9:05am UTC](https://forum.getodk.org/t/error-only-questions-and-regular-group-are-allowed-in-field-list-bad-node/30390/7 "2020-10-07T09:05:00Z")
Yes I understand it might be useful in some cases. In the future we might want to implement something like I described in [Building a table or matrix for a set of questions on XLSForm](https://forum.getodk.org/t/building-a-table-or-matrix-for-a-set-of-questions-on-xlsform/12313) but we don't have specific plans yet. ---
**Author:** ![wroos](https://getodk.b-cdn.net/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/w/77aa72/32.png) [@wroos](https://forum.getodk.org/u/wroos)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2020, 8:44pm UTC](https://forum.getodk.org/t/error-only-questions-and-regular-group-are-allowed-in-field-list-bad-node/30390/8 "2020-10-08T20:44:09Z")
Hello, [Grzesiek2010, post:2, topic:30390"] "Repeatable groups can't be displayed on one screen." May I propose to put this restriction in the ODK documentation. Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![Grzesiek2010](https://getodk.b-cdn.net/user_avatar/forum.getodk.org/grzesiek2010/32/2881_2.png) [@Grzesiek2010](https://forum.getodk.org/u/Grzesiek2010)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2020, 12:57pm UTC](https://forum.getodk.org/t/error-only-questions-and-regular-group-are-allowed-in-field-list-bad-node/30390/9 "2020-10-09T12:57:22Z")
Definitely, I was sure such a note exists in the docs but can't find it now. I filled an issue [https://github.com/getodk/docs/issues/1267](https://github.com/getodk/docs/issues/1267) ---
**Author:** ![Makino](https://getodk.b-cdn.net/user_avatar/forum.getodk.org/makino/32/13213_2.png) [@Makino](https://forum.getodk.org/u/Makino)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2020, 2:55am UTC](https://forum.getodk.org/t/error-only-questions-and-regular-group-are-allowed-in-field-list-bad-node/30390/10 "2020-10-12T02:55:42Z")
Thank you for the information. Sorry for the late revert as I am away from keyboard. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Makino](https://getodk.b-cdn.net/user_avatar/forum.getodk.org/makino/32/13213_2.png) [@Makino](https://forum.getodk.org/u/Makino)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2021, 5:36am UTC](https://forum.getodk.org/t/error-only-questions-and-regular-group-are-allowed-in-field-list-bad-node/30390/11 "2021-03-12T05:36:13Z")
Just a follow up question, REPEAT GROUPS can now be viewed in one screen using field-list appearance? I just tried it today! 🙂 ![image](https://getodk.b-cdn.net/uploads/default/original/2X/e/e62763d2cd7d693273342dfd9868b82237d459e8.png) ![158616344_121899056543768_2323649370119002287_n](https://getodk.b-cdn.net/uploads/default/original/2X/d/d9c94ec33f1fa96b84a3c7d9dbd9cac2549bde30.jpeg) ---
**Author:** ![Grzesiek2010](https://getodk.b-cdn.net/user_avatar/forum.getodk.org/grzesiek2010/32/2881_2.png) [@Grzesiek2010](https://forum.getodk.org/u/Grzesiek2010)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2021, 9:20am UTC](https://forum.getodk.org/t/error-only-questions-and-regular-group-are-allowed-in-field-list-bad-node/30390/12 "2021-03-12T09:20:22Z")
It has been always doable to display a repeatable group on one screen using field-list appearance. What is not possible is to add a normal group with field-list appearance and put a repeatable group inside. Then it throws an error because if it was possible you could for example put more than one repeatable group in a group that is displayed on one screen what would be difficult to handle from the perspective of UI. ---
**Author:** ![Xiphware](https://getodk.b-cdn.net/user_avatar/forum.getodk.org/xiphware/32/2587_2.png) [@Xiphware](https://forum.getodk.org/u/Xiphware)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2024, 6:40am UTC](https://forum.getodk.org/t/error-only-questions-and-regular-group-are-allowed-in-field-list-bad-node/30390/13 "2024-08-19T06:40:32Z")
> [@Grzesiek2010](#): > > What is not possible is to add a normal group with field-list appearance and put a repeatable group inside. So I ran across this today, and it struck me as a bit odd... Strictly speaking, it appears legitimate - at least in terms of XForms/XLSForm spec - to indeed have a _repeat group inside of a group with a field-list appearance_. Specifically, the [XLSForm spec](https://xlsform.org/en/#grouping-questions) says nothing about excluding such, merely... > In your form, you can use the **field-list** appearance on a group to display multiple questions on the same screen. That is to say, the **field-list** appearance is basically just a UI _preference_ to the XForm client to display everything on the same 'screen' [sic]. Indeed, the Enketo web client supports it quite happily; eg the following (XLSForm) form contains a field-list group with _two_ repeat groups inside it, and it is rendered in the web UI as: [RepeatFieldList.xlsx](https://forum.getodk.org/uploads/short-url/u0mM85B00SnRKlg1nU6PnnwoOVC.xlsx) (18.5 KB) ![Screenshot 2024-08-19 at 5.51.38 PM](https://getodk.b-cdn.net/uploads/default/original/3X/0/d/0d031526dc6a5b98ea03abff827a9793a646dd90.png) However, as noted previously, ODK Collect will throw a runtime warning if you attempt to use this form: ![Screenshot_20240819-175312_ODK Collect](https://getodk.b-cdn.net/uploads/default/original/3X/6/a/6a37a9d65ac37bcc88c783124aaf5a691b34132b.jpeg) Indeed, the docs specifically state this isnt permissable, with a [warning](https://docs.getodk.org/form-logic/#repeating-questions): > You can apply the field-list appearance to a repeat to make all of the repeated questions go on a single screen. _However, you can't have a repeat inside of another group with the field-list appearance_. However, strictly speaking, this is only the case for the Collect app (again, probably for the reasons @Grzesiek2010 alluded to). What's rather interesting is that if you do actually attempt to do this, as shown in the above Collect snapshot, Collect actually proceeds to happily present the _second_ nested repeat group's question(s) in the field list group (!?), completely skipping the first nested repeat group; that seems very odd indeed... I think if Collect cant reasonably support repeat groups within field-lists then ideally we probably shouldn't let the user even start the form, or preferably even throw an error when they try to download such a form. I dont think exhibiting odd behavior when Collect eventually hits a repeat group nested within a field-list is desirable. We should also probably relax the documentation to indicate this is Collect UI-specific behavior, which doesn't affetc Enketo web clients.