# Accessing MP3 tags with VB.NET code
**URL:** https://community.mp3tag.de/t/accessing-mp3-tags-with-vb-net-code/58894
**Category:** Support
**Created:** [October 26, 2022, 3:12pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/accessing-mp3-tags-with-vb-net-code/58894 "2022-10-26T15:12:09Z")
**Posts on this page:** 16
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@jerrybo](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/jerrybo)
#### Post date: [October 26, 2022, 3:12pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/accessing-mp3-tags-with-vb-net-code/58894/1 "2022-10-26T15:12:09Z")
Hi Florian
I cannot find a similar question, so I will start a new one.
I always thought all Tags went to the MP3 File. I just found out they don't. If a Tag's data is not in the file, I assume it is somewhere as it is displayed. Is there a file or something where the data can be extracted? How can one extract the data programmatically? Do I acess the track's properties independent of any TAG? Thanks for any answer.
Jerry B
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### Author:  [@LyricsLover](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/LyricsLover)
#### Post date: [October 26, 2022, 3:16pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/accessing-mp3-tags-with-vb-net-code/58894/2 "2022-10-26T15:16:37Z")
Could you please show us an example of such a tag?
You can press ALT + T on a mp3 file and create a [screenshot](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/hints-for-asking-support-requests/56190#use-screenshots-to-exemplify-the-issue-2).
Then please tell us which tag do you miss from this View -\> Extended Tags window.
Or how do you know that one or more tags are missing, if you don't see them in Mp3tag?
> [@jerrybo](#):
>
> Is there a file or something where the data can be extracted?
There is no additional or sidecar file. You save all the visible data in Mp3tag back into your file.
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### Author:  [@ohrenkino](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/ohrenkino)
#### Post date: [October 26, 2022, 3:26pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/accessing-mp3-tags-with-vb-net-code/58894/3 "2022-10-26T15:26:42Z")
> [@jerrybo](#):
>
> If a Tag's data is not in the file, I assume it is somewhere as it is displayed.
You would have to tell us where you see the data - and where you don't see it.
But as @LyricsLover said:
Please show us the screendump of the extended tags dialogue of a single file that does not show the right amount of tag data.
And if you see the word "APE" in the dialogue title, please show us also a dump of the settings in File\>Options\>Tags\>Mpeg.
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### Author:  [@jerrybo](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/jerrybo)
#### Post date: [October 26, 2022, 3:36pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/accessing-mp3-tags-with-vb-net-code/58894/4 "2022-10-26T15:36:09Z")
Hi LyricsLover
I don't see the following tags:
TIT1 ContentGroup (I name this 'Rhythtm' in the TAG Panel)
COMM Comment
TLEN Track Length
I may be looking at the wrong fields or tags. I looked at the ID3V2 specs and the expected fields seem to be right. If I am looking for the wrong TAGS (as used by MP3TAG) please let me know.
Thanks for your quick response.
Jerry B
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### Author:  [@LyricsLover](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/LyricsLover)
#### Post date: [October 26, 2022, 3:37pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/accessing-mp3-tags-with-vb-net-code/58894/5 "2022-10-26T15:37:53Z")
> [@jerrybo](#):
>
> I don't see the following tags:
Where exactly do you don't see it?
On the left side of Mp3tag in the Tag Panel?
Do you miss a column on the right side for TIT1, COMM or TLEN?
Are this tags available if you press ALT + T?
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### Author:  [@ohrenkino](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/ohrenkino)
#### Post date: [October 26, 2022, 3:39pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/accessing-mp3-tags-with-vb-net-code/58894/6 "2022-10-26T15:39:28Z")
> [@jerrybo](#):
>
> TLEN Track Length
See here for supported tag fields:
> **[Tag Field Mappings – Mp3tag Documentation](https://docs.mp3tag.de/mapping/)**
>
> Overview of all available tag fields, their names in Mp3tag, and how they are mapped to the internal structures of the different tag formats. Mp3tag is the universal Tag Editor.
TLEN does not get updated unless the audo editor does it.
But you can see %\_length% as a property written by the encoder.
The existence of the field LENGTH has no influence on whether the file works or not.
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### Author:  [@jerrybo](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/jerrybo)
#### Post date: [October 26, 2022, 3:49pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/accessing-mp3-tags-with-vb-net-code/58894/7 "2022-10-26T15:49:01Z")
Hi LyricsLover
With ALT T the only TAG I don't see is TLEN. CONTENTGROUP and Comment I see.
Jerry B
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### Author:  [@LyricsLover](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/LyricsLover)
#### Post date: [October 26, 2022, 3:50pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/accessing-mp3-tags-with-vb-net-code/58894/8 "2022-10-26T15:50:03Z")
TLEN is called LENGTH, according to the table @ohrenkino linked above.
Please be aware that:
> [@ohrenkino](#):
>
> TLEN does not get updated unless the audio editor does it.
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### Author:  [@jerrybo](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/jerrybo)
#### Post date: [October 26, 2022, 4:16pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/accessing-mp3-tags-with-vb-net-code/58894/9 "2022-10-26T16:16:29Z")
Hi
My [VB.NET](http://VB.NET) application is reading the File Tags from the binary file. I have a couple of options to get the track length so I'll use one of the optionsfor that. However, the Comment Field, COMM, has not been transferred to the actual file.
Thanks for your help.
Jerry B
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### Author:  [@LyricsLover](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/LyricsLover)
#### Post date: [October 26, 2022, 4:20pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/accessing-mp3-tags-with-vb-net-code/58894/10 "2022-10-26T16:20:13Z")
Any similarity to this Jerry B?
> [@Track Length TAG](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/track-length-tag/18501/4):
>
> I am writing a [VB.NET](http://VB.NET) application where I am using a ID3V2 library that doesn't return header information. All information is accessed by TAGs. I could modify the source code to return the header information, but decided to use the library DLL as is. Note that I am not modifying the length but just want the TAG, TLEN, to be in the file. If you have a better way, please advise. Jerry B
You write:
> [@jerrybo](#):
>
> However, the Comment Field, COMM, has not been transferred to the actual file.
but in your previous answer:
> [@jerrybo](#):
>
> CONTENTGROUP and Comment I see.
If you have any remaining question, please let us know.
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### Author:  [@jerrybo](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/jerrybo)
#### Post date: [October 26, 2022, 4:32pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/accessing-mp3-tags-with-vb-net-code/58894/11 "2022-10-26T16:32:18Z")
HI
CONTENTGROUP and Comment I see with ALT T in MP3Tag, but Comment (COMM) is not in the file itsself.
Your code is similar but I am not using a predefined ID3V2 library. I found some [VB.NET](http://VB.NET) code and modified the daylights out of it. For what I needed, an ID3V2 [VB.NET](http://VB.NET) or C# ibrary was overkill. I am an MSEE with 45+ years of system implementation (hardware and software) and 4 or 5 languages. I picked [VB.NET](http://VB.NET) when I got a PC as it was easy. I should at least learn C#.
Thanks for your help.
Jerry B
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### Author:  [@ohrenkino](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/ohrenkino)
#### Post date: [October 26, 2022, 4:34pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/accessing-mp3-tags-with-vb-net-code/58894/12 "2022-10-26T16:34:08Z")
> [@jerrybo](#):
>
> but Comment (COMM) is not in the file itsself.
As MP3tag only shows tag data that can be found in a file, this statement is hard to believe.
Also, it is fairly fascinating that repeated requests for a screendump of the extended tags dialogue have so far been ignored.
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### Author:  [@LyricsLover](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/LyricsLover)
#### Post date: [October 26, 2022, 4:35pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/accessing-mp3-tags-with-vb-net-code/58894/13 "2022-10-26T16:35:25Z")
> [@jerrybo](#):
>
> CONTENTGROUP and Comment I see with ALT T in MP3Tag, but Comment (COMM) is not in the file itsself.
Just open exactly this mp3 file in an editor like notepad++.
You will find the `COMM` tag for sure.
Otherwise, Mp3tag could not show it.
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### Author:  [@jerrybo](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/jerrybo)
#### Post date: [October 26, 2022, 4:39pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/accessing-mp3-tags-with-vb-net-code/58894/14 "2022-10-26T16:39:22Z")
I see it now in the binary file (I used WORDPAD). I'll have to see what is wrong with the code.
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### Author:  [@jerrybo](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/jerrybo)
#### Post date: [October 26, 2022, 4:52pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/accessing-mp3-tags-with-vb-net-code/58894/15 "2022-10-26T16:52:43Z")
Hi LyricsLover
Fixed. Buried deep in the code was a statement that ignored any TAG not starting with the letter C. I changed the IF to a CASE statement which defined the TAGS I am looking for.
Jerry B
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### Author:  [@LyricsLover](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/LyricsLover)
#### Post date: [October 26, 2022, 5:16pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/accessing-mp3-tags-with-vb-net-code/58894/16 "2022-10-26T17:16:57Z")