# Apostrophes are hyphens, how to convert?
**URL:** https://community.mp3tag.de/t/apostrophes-are-hyphens-how-to-convert/45375
**Category:** Support
**Created:** [May 9, 2019, 4:57pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/apostrophes-are-hyphens-how-to-convert/45375 "2019-05-09T16:57:50Z")
**Posts on this page:** 12
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@JackOfAllTrades](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/JackOfAllTrades)
#### Post date: [May 9, 2019, 4:57pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/apostrophes-are-hyphens-how-to-convert/45375/1 "2019-05-09T16:57:50Z")
Hi! I've started using Mp3Tag while ago and realized that it is very powerful tool to mess with filenames and tags. I have many files with wrong characters where apostrophes are hyphens. This is a failure of the youtube downloader I use.
Examples:
Can't is Can-t
You're is You-re
I'll is I-ll
I think you got the point with these. I've created action group with few things and I would like to grow it with one action that correct's these. I realize that it must be something like:
search: [any\_letter]-[any\_letter]
replace: [any\_letter]'[any\_letter]
I tried to look help from here but didnt manage to solve the problem since I've never created a regular expression, I get the idea, but don't know how to form one: [Replace with Regular Expression – Mp3tag Documentation](https://docs.mp3tag.de/actions/replace-regexp)
---
### Author:  [@ohrenkino](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/ohrenkino)
#### Post date: [May 9, 2019, 5:18pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/apostrophes-are-hyphens-how-to-convert/45375/2 "2019-05-09T17:18:57Z")
Try "Replace with regular expression"
Search string: `(.)-(.)`
Replace string: `$1''$2`
I would filter the tracks first so that you only get those where the hyphen is not meant as a hyphen
Filter: %title% HAS "-" AND NOT %title% HAS " - "
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### Author:  [@JackOfAllTrades](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/JackOfAllTrades)
#### Post date: [May 9, 2019, 5:49pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/apostrophes-are-hyphens-how-to-convert/45375/3 "2019-05-09T17:49:21Z")
Damn, I just noticed that there are many artist names that will change wrongly with this. I think that this is easier done by just making replace actions for examples stated before since there are not so many different words with these mistakes. Thank you still for trying to help!
Is there any way to list many words to replace action? This would help to keep the action list I'm creating shorter and more clear to read and edit.
Example
dj;featuring;presents
to
DJ;Feat.;Pres.
---
### Author:  [@ohrenkino](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/ohrenkino)
#### Post date: [May 9, 2019, 5:54pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/apostrophes-are-hyphens-how-to-convert/45375/4 "2019-05-09T17:54:49Z")
> [@JackOfAllTrades](#):
>
> Is there any way to list many words to replace action? This would help to keep the action list I'm creating shorter and more clear to read and edit.
>
> dj;featuring;presents
> to
> DJ;Feat.;Pres.
You would have to use an action of the type "Format value" for that field (e.g. TITLE)
Format string: `$replace(%title%,dj,DJ,featuring,Feat.,presents,Pres)`
---
### Author:  [@JackOfAllTrades](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/JackOfAllTrades)
#### Post date: [May 9, 2019, 5:59pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/apostrophes-are-hyphens-how-to-convert/45375/5 "2019-05-09T17:59:33Z")
Does this action include case sensitive comparison for search criteria? If it does, can it be disabled?
---
### Author:  [@ohrenkino](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/ohrenkino)
#### Post date: [May 9, 2019, 6:02pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/apostrophes-are-hyphens-how-to-convert/45375/6 "2019-05-09T18:02:47Z")
It is case sensitive.
It cannot be disabled.
You would have to use for each case a separate pair.
If the case should be ignored that you have to use an action of the type "Replace" - but there you cannot enter several terms, you would have to create an action for each replace term.
Or you run a case conversion action first ...
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### Author:  [@JackOfAllTrades](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/JackOfAllTrades)
#### Post date: [May 9, 2019, 6:12pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/apostrophes-are-hyphens-how-to-convert/45375/7 "2019-05-09T18:12:30Z")
> [@ohrenkino](#):
>
> Or you run a case conversion action first ...
What a brilliant idea! This way the format of the words would be same and there would be no need to add more than one variation off certain word. I can create a one action for multiple words and also categorize if needed to separate actions.
I have to create backup of these settings that the work won't get lost in a bit heaven if something happens 🙂 Also to move these settings to my other PC. Thanks!
---
### Author:  [@JackOfAllTrades](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/JackOfAllTrades)
#### Post date: [May 9, 2019, 6:44pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/apostrophes-are-hyphens-how-to-convert/45375/8 "2019-05-09T18:44:40Z")
Where can I find syntax list for different things in this software?
I got this to work for %artist% and %title% but **%filename%** is fighting back 👹
I could run convert tag to filename, but usually I have files where the filename is correct and it needs to be converted to tag.
---
### Author:  [@ohrenkino](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/ohrenkino)
#### Post date: [May 9, 2019, 6:46pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/apostrophes-are-hyphens-how-to-convert/45375/9 "2019-05-09T18:46:38Z")
There is the list of supported 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.
And there is other help about functions and parameters in
> **[Scripting Functions – Mp3tag Documentation](https://docs.mp3tag.de/scripting/)**
>
> Documentation on Mp3tag's scripting functions. Mp3tag is the universal Tag Editor.
and
[https://docs.mp3tag.de/export](https://docs.mp3tag.de/export)
(it is %\_filename% BTW)
---
### Author:  [@JackOfAllTrades](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/JackOfAllTrades)
#### Post date: [May 9, 2019, 7:51pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/apostrophes-are-hyphens-how-to-convert/45375/10 "2019-05-09T19:51:53Z")
$replace(%\_filename%,Can-T,Can't)
This returns a syntax error. I bet hyphen is not supported by $replace function. Any ideas for workaround?
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### Author:  [@ohrenkino](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/ohrenkino)
#### Post date: [May 9, 2019, 7:56pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/apostrophes-are-hyphens-how-to-convert/45375/11 "2019-05-09T19:56:22Z")
> [@JackOfAllTrades](#):
>
> $replace(%\_filename%,Can-T,Can't)
`$replace(%_filename%,Can-T,Can''t)`
with a duplication of the apostrophe should work.
(see [Probleme mit Wörter ersetzen](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/probleme-mit-worter-ersetzen/6879)
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### Author:  [@system](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/system)
#### Post date: [February 9, 2026, 12:28pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/apostrophes-are-hyphens-how-to-convert/45375/12 "2026-02-09T12:28:04Z")