TIL a repeating group has a data source AND a list

This might help someone else later. If you have a repeating group with a data source it will put that data into its list and pass the data down to its cells.

However, if you use an action to “display data” in the repeating group, it will override the repeating group’s data source and change the repeating group’s list.

The way I found this out is I had an old action returning a search for a totally different thing that still managed to override the repeating group’s data source. I filed a bug on that.

In this screenshot you can see the difference between the data source (blue text) and the actual list (custom states and other values). The latter is what will be passed down to the cells. So if the list doesn’t match the data source something else is overriding the data source.

Hello,

A display data will always overwrite the data source, until you reset the repeating group.

And if you’re not expecting anything to override a group’s data there’s nothing in the inspector to point out it’s happening.
The bug I just filed is about how, in the case that led me to learn the distinction, the inspector is wrong about the type of data it’s trying to display. So that didn’t help in troubleshooting.
But even in a case where it’s all the right data, the inspector doesn’t tell you that the list has a source other than the group’s data source.

As you noticed you had some issues in your app. The rule is, always have no issue if you see something strange. That’s what the issue checker is for.

Right, but this TIL is about understanding what the inspector is showing you.

Even in a case with no issues, a list can be overriden, and it might help someone later to better understand how to figure that out if they’re not expecting it.

We unfortunately cannot easily add the source of the data but it’s an interesting idea.