# Cannot replace double back slashes ( \\\\ ) using simple Replace action
**URL:** https://community.mp3tag.de/t/cannot-replace-double-back-slashes-using-simple-replace-action/59743
**Category:** Support
**Created:** [January 19, 2023, 11:39pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/cannot-replace-double-back-slashes-using-simple-replace-action/59743 "2023-01-19T23:39:45Z")
**Posts on this page:** 8
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@esumsea](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/esumsea)
#### Post date: [January 19, 2023, 11:39pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/cannot-replace-double-back-slashes-using-simple-replace-action/59743/1 "2023-01-19T23:39:45Z")
I tried a simple replace where I was trying to replace a " \\ " with ", " but the action does nothing. I assume this has to do with \\ signalling separate fields. Is there a way to get around this? I thought I had replaced " \\ " before, but I cannot find anything in my notes.
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### Author:  [@ohrenkino](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/ohrenkino)
#### Post date: [January 20, 2023, 6:06am UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/cannot-replace-double-back-slashes-using-simple-replace-action/59743/2 "2023-01-20T06:06:08Z")
> [@esumsea](#):
>
> but I cannot find anything in my notes.
Perhaps the use of the search function in this forum would have been beneficial:
> [@Replacing Double-back-slash With Semi-colon-Space](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/replacing-double-back-slash-with-semi-colon-space/17673):
>
> Sorry if this is explained elsewhere. I could not find it. Tags like Composer and Style have up to several values (e.g. Michael Preston Barr\\Dion McGregor or World Fusion\\Latin Jazz\\Afro-Cuban\\Afro-Cuban Jazz\\Cuban Traditions) MP3tag only displays the first value in the list and I do not see the rest of the values. I wish to convert from \\ to ; (semi-colon followed by a space) as a list separator. MP3tag displays all the values when saved like Michael Preston Barr; Dion McGregor or …
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### Author:  [@esumsea](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/esumsea)
#### Post date: [January 20, 2023, 12:47pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/cannot-replace-double-back-slashes-using-simple-replace-action/59743/3 "2023-01-20T12:47:28Z")
I did try to search but I must have not used the right terms. Thank you for your help in finding this!
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### Author:  [@ItHurtsWhenTCPIP](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/ItHurtsWhenTCPIP)
#### Post date: [January 20, 2023, 3:02pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/cannot-replace-double-back-slashes-using-simple-replace-action/59743/4 "2023-01-20T15:02:09Z")
I can't remember where I found the solution in other discussions, so here is what I use. I also like to see all of the list values with a semi colon between them. I created one action for for Style and one for Composer, so get into Actions (Action Groups) and click on the Star icon (New function):
Name: (whatever you like, I used Composer Semicolon)
Select Action Type: Merge duplicate fields
Field: COMPOSER
Seperator: ;
Name: (whatever you like, I used Style Semicolon)
Select Action Type: Merge duplicate fields
Field: STYLE
Seperator: ;
After you create the actions, select all tracks and run the action. Doesn't seem to hurt if there is only one value in the field. You could probably combine both into one function, if you want to get fancy.
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### Author:  [@esumsea](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/esumsea)
#### Post date: [January 20, 2023, 3:19pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/cannot-replace-double-back-slashes-using-simple-replace-action/59743/5 "2023-01-20T15:19:08Z")
Thanks! I appreciate your input. That runs along the lines of the suggestion in the thread ohrenkino posted. Welcome back to the forum!
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### Author:  [@michellejackson](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/michellejackson)
#### Post date: [January 23, 2023, 1:13am UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/cannot-replace-double-back-slashes-using-simple-replace-action/59743/6 "2023-01-23T01:13:22Z")
thank you. I was about to start another thread with this same question but this solves my issue. If it's such a common problem maybe someone should address it with a fix in the program. I for one find "merge duplicate fields" to be the wrong description. Duplicate would be the same contents. What we are dealing with is just multiple fields that have different contents. I would advocate just letting the user specify %artist2% for the second artist field in the converter utility. The data is currently inaccessible, its just "there" in the extended tags.
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### Author:  [@MotleyG](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/MotleyG)
#### Post date: [January 23, 2023, 2:47am UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/cannot-replace-double-back-slashes-using-simple-replace-action/59743/7 "2023-01-23T02:47:47Z")
> [@michellejackson](#):
>
> The data is currently inaccessible, its just "there" in the extended tags.
This is dependent on the player and library management software, some can access multiple fields, many cannot.
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### Author:  [@system](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/system)
#### Post date: [February 22, 2023, 2:47am UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/cannot-replace-double-back-slashes-using-simple-replace-action/59743/8 "2023-02-22T02:47:55Z")
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