# How can set child of cloud variable as list (chat app) **URL:** \ **Category:** Questions about Thunkable X\ **Created:** [July 3, 2020, 4:59am UTC](https://community.thunkable.com/t/how-can-set-child-of-cloud-variable-as-list-chat-app/652727 "2020-07-03T04:59:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![saramdl.gaunde021](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ea5d25/32.png) [@saramdl.gaunde021](https://community.thunkable.com/u/saramdl.gaunde021)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2020, 4:59am UTC](https://community.thunkable.com/t/how-can-set-child-of-cloud-variable-as-list-chat-app/652727/1 "2020-07-03T04:59:00Z")
hi. im making an chat app. i know making simple cloud variable. and i can make it as list with multiple objects. but here’s the problem. i want to make a list for its child (not parent cloud variable) what i want to do is look like this: ![image](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/uploads/thunkable/original/3X/c/0/c0fdae1b558b8b2bfb5865aa365e41d586f461c9.png) (chat\_list is parent and name1-name2 is child) and i think these block can make it ![image](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/uploads/thunkable/original/3X/b/d/bddbf07b24ab20a97e4a7fc7146e56f51f2717f8.png) (FYI, id1-id2 is made by sorting, so each conversation will be identical. So the first conversation is by name1 and name2. and if there are new conversations, it should be populated a new child from chat\_list. but it was not happen. i want to know why and how to do it correctly. is it about “initializing or something?” i made other whole code but this one bothers me so much. please help ---
**Author:** ![gobassky](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/community.thunkable.com/gobassky/32/77019_2.png) [@gobassky](https://community.thunkable.com/u/gobassky)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2020, 6:02am UTC](https://community.thunkable.com/t/how-can-set-child-of-cloud-variable-as-list-chat-app/652727/2 "2020-07-03T06:02:16Z")
I had this problem before but have not got it solved. I ended up using the local variable 1) “download” the cloud variable as “app” type And 2) append all the child, sub-child I wanted, then 3) “upload” the entire parent variable to the cloud variable. Inefficient, but it worked for my purpose. ---
**Author:** ![saramdl.gaunde021](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ea5d25/32.png) [@saramdl.gaunde021](https://community.thunkable.com/u/saramdl.gaunde021)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2020, 6:17am UTC](https://community.thunkable.com/t/how-can-set-child-of-cloud-variable-as-list-chat-app/652727/3 "2020-07-03T06:17:32Z")
oh thanks. i gotta try in that way. and i think it makes sense. ---
**Author:** ![saramdl.gaunde021](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ea5d25/32.png) [@saramdl.gaunde021](https://community.thunkable.com/u/saramdl.gaunde021)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2020, 6:36am UTC](https://community.thunkable.com/t/how-can-set-child-of-cloud-variable-as-list-chat-app/652727/4 "2020-07-03T06:36:41Z")
can you explain to me more specific…? cuz i tried to do, but only succeed to make @parent/@child variable as a empty list. i want it to make a new item and object to it but it failed. ---
**Author:** ![gobassky](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/community.thunkable.com/gobassky/32/77019_2.png) [@gobassky](https://community.thunkable.com/u/gobassky)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2020, 6:51am UTC](https://community.thunkable.com/t/how-can-set-child-of-cloud-variable-as-list-chat-app/652727/5 "2020-07-03T06:51:19Z")
Hi, I assume that the firebase is set up properly. What I meant is something like this: ![Clipboard01](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/uploads/thunkable/original/3X/d/1/d1f4180d12fadeb178efb5b90c9324a0bf50d616.jpeg) ---
**Author:** ![ioannis](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/community.thunkable.com/ioannis/32/146956_2.png) [@ioannis](https://community.thunkable.com/u/ioannis)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2024, 11:25am UTC](https://community.thunkable.com/t/how-can-set-child-of-cloud-variable-as-list-chat-app/652727/6 "2024-11-08T11:25:11Z")