# Can a field be removed through a 'Format value' Action?
**URL:** https://community.mp3tag.de/t/can-a-field-be-removed-through-a-format-value-action/8533
**Category:** Support
**Created:** [June 29, 2009, 7:48pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/can-a-field-be-removed-through-a-format-value-action/8533 "2009-06-29T19:48:03Z")
**Posts on this page:** 5
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@JJ\_Johnson](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/JJ_Johnson)
#### Post date: [June 29, 2009, 7:48pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/can-a-field-be-removed-through-a-format-value-action/8533/1 "2009-06-29T19:48:03Z")
I have an action that formats the field ALBUMARTIST.
_Action type:_ **Format value**
_Field:_ **ALBUMARTIST**
_Format string:_ **$if($eql(%compilation%,1),,%artist%)**
If COMPILATION=1, and I execute this on a file that already has an ALBUMARTIST field, then the field remains with its original value unchanged. If COMPILATION=1 and I use this on a file with no ALBUMARTIST field, then the field is not created.
What I expected was that setting the field to a blank string would remove it. Is what I'm seeing the correct behavior? The workaround that I'm using is to first remove the ALBUMARTIST field in an action before executing the action shown above. Is there some way to (and remove) the field using the $if() in a Format value action?
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### Author:  [@dano](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/dano)
#### Post date: [June 29, 2009, 8:29pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/can-a-field-be-removed-through-a-format-value-action/8533/2 "2009-06-29T20:29:11Z")
This used to work until 2.34.
Now it seems impossible to write an empty tag to delete a tag field.
I don't know if this change was intended.
Florian:
That must be the same issue [/t/8445/1](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/8445/1) (german topic)
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### Author:  [@Florian](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/Florian)
#### Post date: [July 12, 2009, 6:21pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/can-a-field-be-removed-through-a-format-value-action/8533/3 "2009-07-12T18:21:03Z")
This should be working again with the current [Development Build](http://developer.mp3tag.de) Mp3tag v2.43b.
Kind regards,
Florian
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### Author:  [@JJ\_Johnson](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/JJ_Johnson)
#### Post date: [July 12, 2009, 7:58pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/can-a-field-be-removed-through-a-format-value-action/8533/4 "2009-07-12T19:58:16Z")
> [@Florian](#):
>
> This should be working again with the current [Development Build](http://developer.mp3tag.de) Mp3tag v2.43b.
Thanks Florian. I hope nobody has defined actions that rely on that recent behavior, but you can probably count on it. 😉
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### Author:  [@system](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/system)
#### Post date: [February 9, 2026, 12:21pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/can-a-field-be-removed-through-a-format-value-action/8533/5 "2026-02-09T12:21:37Z")