# ...selectedItem.children() returns an error. why?

**URL:** <https://forum.kirupa.com/t/selecteditem-children-returns-an-error-why/275227>\
**Category:** flash\
**Created:** [November 11, 2008, 1:22pm UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/selecteditem-children-returns-an-error-why/275227 "2008-11-11T13:22:50Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![sylvec](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a5b964/32.png) [@sylvec](https://forum.kirupa.com/u/sylvec)\
**Post date:** [November 11, 2008, 1:22pm UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/selecteditem-children-returns-an-error-why/275227/1 "2008-11-11T13:22:50Z")

</div>

hi,

I have a Tree komponent which structure is created from an xml file. I want to display/save in XMLList all children nodes and their attributes whenever parent node is selected. I’m trying to use selectedItem with children() but it doesnt work and I get an error value is not a function.

```auto
myTree.addEventListener(Event.CHANGE, itemChange);

function itemChange(e:Event):void
{
    
    //var myList:XMLList = e.target.selectedItem.children();
    trace(e.target.selectedItem.children());
    

```