# Key-value pairs as exposed state? **URL:** \ **Category:** Plugin builders\ **Created:** [March 24, 2019, 7:00am UTC](https://forum.bubble.io/t/key-value-pairs-as-exposed-state/52643 "2019-03-24T07:00:52Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![sudsy](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/bubble/user_avatar/forum.bubble.io/sudsy/32/114637_2.png) [@sudsy](https://forum.bubble.io/u/sudsy)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2019, 7:00am UTC](https://forum.bubble.io/t/key-value-pairs-as-exposed-state/52643/1 "2019-03-24T07:00:52Z")
Is it possible to expose a state that’s a list/collection of key-value pairs? I’m thinking along the lines of a simple flat JS object with property names and values which the Bubble programmer would access like a “thing” - e.g. “exposed state’s prop1’s value” or some such. Nothing in the plugin builder or docs seems to suggest this is possible, but I want to make sure I’m not missing something. These key/value pairs would not be configured in the property editor, but rather generated internally within the plugin. Any ideas? ---
**Author:** ![sudsy](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/bubble/user_avatar/forum.bubble.io/sudsy/32/114637_2.png) [@sudsy](https://forum.bubble.io/u/sudsy)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2019, 5:45pm UTC](https://forum.bubble.io/t/key-value-pairs-as-exposed-state/52643/2 "2019-04-16T17:45:49Z")
I feel like I’m missing something here. There must be a way to expose a series of named values, no? ---
**Author:** ![zelus\_pudding](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/bubble/user_avatar/forum.bubble.io/zelus_pudding/32/68250_2.png) [@zelus\_pudding](https://forum.bubble.io/u/zelus_pudding)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2022, 3:33pm UTC](https://forum.bubble.io/t/key-value-pairs-as-exposed-state/52643/3 "2022-06-15T15:33:01Z")
Unfortunately, I do not believe this is possible even here in 2022. Of course, you can always expose a string of text that is JSON, but actually defining named keys that you can work with in the editor is a no go ☹ Wish it was. Would really like to see the ability to define an array of keys for visual elements. This is possible for Plugin actions but not for visual elements 😢 Or am I wrong @cal ? ---
**Author:** ![sudsy](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/bubble/user_avatar/forum.bubble.io/sudsy/32/114637_2.png) [@sudsy](https://forum.bubble.io/u/sudsy)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2022, 5:06pm UTC](https://forum.bubble.io/t/key-value-pairs-as-exposed-state/52643/4 "2022-06-15T17:06:31Z")
> [@zelus\_pudding](#): > > I do not believe this is possible even here in 2022. Strictly speaking, that is true AFAIK. However, a couple solutions have come to light in the 3+ years since this thread was started. - If there are a known limited number of keys, then a [custom Bubble type](http://forum.bubble.io/t/output-an-object-for-server-side-client-side/59419) (that’s not tied to the DB) can be defined. This results in the best Bubble developer experience. I’ve used this approach in published plug-ins. - If the key names or number of key/value pairs can vary, a simple “cheater” approach is to publish a list of delimited strings as an exposed state (the 2nd option [described here](http://forum.bubble.io/t/output-an-object-for-server-side-client-side/59419/90)). It makes use of the `:split by` operator (which wasn’t available at the time this thread was created). It’s super simple and flexible, but it’s not the most elegant approach if you plan to distribute the plugin. ---
**Author:** ![dannyliu](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/bubble/user_avatar/forum.bubble.io/dannyliu/32/123904_2.png) [@dannyliu](https://forum.bubble.io/u/dannyliu)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2022, 8:26pm UTC](https://forum.bubble.io/t/key-value-pairs-as-exposed-state/52643/5 "2022-06-15T20:26:46Z")
> [@sudsy](#): > > I’m thinking along the lines of a simple flat JS object with property names and values which the Bubble programmer would access like a “thing” - e.g. “exposed state’s prop1’s value” or some such. > > Nothing in the plugin builder or docs seems to suggest this is possible, but I want to make sure I’m not missing something. > > These key/value pairs would not be configured in the property editor, but rather generated internally within the plugin. > > Any ideas? ah I’ve always solved this problem by importing the JSON as a string into bubble and then JSON.parse() it into a JS object. Every key-value pair is available from there. Some JS is needed to take each item’s key-value pair and save it onto a custom state, which can then be transferred to the bubble database. ---
**Author:** ![sudsy](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/bubble/user_avatar/forum.bubble.io/sudsy/32/114637_2.png) [@sudsy](https://forum.bubble.io/u/sudsy)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2022, 9:18pm UTC](https://forum.bubble.io/t/key-value-pairs-as-exposed-state/52643/6 "2022-06-15T21:18:52Z")
> [@dannyliu](#): > > Some JS is needed to take each item’s key-value pair and save it onto a custom state, Yes, I’ve seen that technique mentioned elsewhere. However, I’m a bit of a “purist” and don’t like “polluting” my Bubble environment with JS. The only JS in my apps resides inside plug-ins; but that’s just my personal philosophy. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![zelus\_pudding](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/bubble/user_avatar/forum.bubble.io/zelus_pudding/32/68250_2.png) [@zelus\_pudding](https://forum.bubble.io/u/zelus_pudding)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2022, 3:59pm UTC](https://forum.bubble.io/t/key-value-pairs-as-exposed-state/52643/7 "2022-06-16T15:59:54Z")
Unfortunately the intention was to make a distributable plugin 😢 Does seem a bit odd that plugin actions offer this but visual elements do not.