# \`Convert → Tag - Filename\` behaves unexpectedly when folder name in path starts with space character **URL:** https://community.mp3tag.de/t/convert-tag-filename-behaves-unexpectedly-when-folder-name-in-path-starts-with-space-character/65349 **Category:** Support **Created:** [July 22, 2024, 10:51am UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/convert-tag-filename-behaves-unexpectedly-when-folder-name-in-path-starts-with-space-character/65349 "2024-07-22T10:51:14Z") **Posts on this page:** 11 **Page:** 1
### Author: ![tudorminator](https://community.mp3tag.de/user_avatar/community.mp3tag.de/tudorminator/32/17505_2.png) [@tudorminator](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/tudorminator) #### Post date: [July 22, 2024, 10:51am UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/convert-tag-filename-behaves-unexpectedly-when-folder-name-in-path-starts-with-space-character/65349/1 "2024-07-22T10:51:14Z")
Hello. I know that using slashes in the format string can create folders, this is not about that. **Expected behaviour** : Using a format string that does not include any slashes renames files in place, no moving takes place, no folders are created. **Observed behaviour** : If any of the parent folders start with a space character, a new folder with the trimmed name is created (the name no longer starts with a space character) on the same level, together with the rest of its subfolder hierarchy, and the files are moved there while renaming. **Example** : I am frequently using a simple format string (`$num(%track%,2). %title%`) to rename downloaded files. The files are usually found in a path similar to: `D:/Downloads/ Category/-- Subcategory --/Some random subfolder`. Please notice that the ” Category” folder starts with a space. The `Convert → Tag - Filename` action works correctly **except for the fact** that the renamed files **are moved** to `D:/Downloads/Category/-- Subcategory --/Some random subfolder`! Please note that the ”Category” folder no longer has a space at the beginning, and it's a newly created folder on the same level as the original ” Category” folder. I hope it's clear and you will be able to reproduce the issue. Thank you for looking into this, and for your awesome work! Cheers, T ---
### Author: ![ohrenkino](https://community.mp3tag.de/user_avatar/community.mp3tag.de/ohrenkino/32/4843_2.png) [@ohrenkino](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/ohrenkino) #### Post date: [July 22, 2024, 10:54am UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/convert-tag-filename-behaves-unexpectedly-when-folder-name-in-path-starts-with-space-character/65349/2 "2024-07-22T10:54:03Z")
See here: > [@MP3Tag does not handle paths with a space before a folder name](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/mp3tag-does-not-handle-paths-with-a-space-before-a-folder-name/61051): > > Original path: X:\Music\Collection\Video Game\Nintendo\ Exclusives\Custom Robo Battle Revolution Original Soundtrack Volume 1 After tagging/renaming: X:\Music\Collection\Video Game\Nintendo\Exclusives\Custom Robo Battle Revolution Original Soundtrack Volume 1 It does not seem to save them in the source folder if there is a space at the beginning of a folder name. Instead it creates a new entire path that matches the original name and moves the files there, but without the preceding space. T… ---
### Author: ![LyricsLover](https://community.mp3tag.de/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/l/c6cbf5/32.png) [@LyricsLover](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/LyricsLover) #### Post date: [July 22, 2024, 11:09am UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/convert-tag-filename-behaves-unexpectedly-when-folder-name-in-path-starts-with-space-character/65349/3 "2024-07-22T11:09:36Z")
Maybe this Microsoft page helps too to understand > **File and Folder names** that begin or end with the ASCII **Space** (0x20) will be saved without these characters. > **File and Folder names** that end with the ASCII **Period** (0x2E) character will also be saved without this character. > All other trailing or leading whitespace characters are retained. > **[Whitespace characters in file and folder names - Windows Client](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/troubleshoot/windows-client/shell-experience/file-folder-name-whitespace-characters)** > > Describes support for whitespace characters in file and folder names. ---
### Author: ![tudorminator](https://community.mp3tag.de/user_avatar/community.mp3tag.de/tudorminator/32/17505_2.png) [@tudorminator](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/tudorminator) #### Post date: [July 22, 2024, 11:55am UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/convert-tag-filename-behaves-unexpectedly-when-folder-name-in-path-starts-with-space-character/65349/4 "2024-07-22T11:55:11Z")
Thanks for the link. While I can understand Microsoft's position on the issue, their implementation is inconsistent and it actually makes thing worse for everybody. For example, if I use Windows Explorer to rename a file in the aforementioned `D:/Downloads/Category/` folder, it renames it in place and it doesn't move it to `D:/Downloads/Category/`. So I don't think it's an unreasonable expectation that a file rename using Mp3Tag behaves the same. But while my opinion is that it would be better to respect the user's path choice and never move files around for unclear and unexplained reasons, I understand why this is not actually a bug in Mp3Tag. I now also know how to avoid getting bitten by this issue again, so thank you. ---
### Author: ![LyricsLover](https://community.mp3tag.de/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/l/c6cbf5/32.png) [@LyricsLover](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/LyricsLover) #### Post date: [July 22, 2024, 12:00pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/convert-tag-filename-behaves-unexpectedly-when-folder-name-in-path-starts-with-space-character/65349/5 "2024-07-22T12:00:22Z")
Thank you for your feedback. I just wonder: How do you create a foldername like this: `D:/Downloads/Category/` If you try to create such a folder in the Windows File Explorer you can see that this is not possible. All three characters: the Slash `/` and the usual Backslash `\` and the mentioned leading space will not be accepted by Microsofts own file and folder tool. ---
### Author: ![tudorminator](https://community.mp3tag.de/user_avatar/community.mp3tag.de/tudorminator/32/17505_2.png) [@tudorminator](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/tudorminator) #### Post date: [July 22, 2024, 12:16pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/convert-tag-filename-behaves-unexpectedly-when-folder-name-in-path-starts-with-space-character/65349/6 "2024-07-22T12:16:54Z")
Yes, you are right, Windows Explorer strips away „illegal” characters. In this particular case, the folder was created a long time ago using macos (I'm dual booting a mac mini). But I can also create folders named like that using the command prompt and something on the lines of: `d:\Downloads> mkdir " test folder with initial space"` (the quotes are the key), which then looks like this: ```auto D:\Downloads\>dir Volume in drive D is Data Volume Serial Number is **** Directory of D:\Downloads 22/07/2024 15:12 . 24/09/2023 20:26 .. 22/07/2024 15:12 test folder with initial space 17/08/2018 14:10 49 format.txt 22/07/2024 15:12 test folder with no space 1 File(s) 49 bytes 4 Dir(s) 1,261,136,855,040 bytes free ``` ---
### Author: ![LyricsLover](https://community.mp3tag.de/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/l/c6cbf5/32.png) [@LyricsLover](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/LyricsLover) #### Post date: [July 22, 2024, 12:20pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/convert-tag-filename-behaves-unexpectedly-when-folder-name-in-path-starts-with-space-character/65349/7 "2024-07-22T12:20:46Z")
You are right too, in a CMD line you can create such folder names with a leading space. As soon as you try to rename it in Windows File Explorer, the leading space will be trimmed away. ---
### Author: ![ohrenkino](https://community.mp3tag.de/user_avatar/community.mp3tag.de/ohrenkino/32/4843_2.png) [@ohrenkino](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/ohrenkino) #### Post date: [July 22, 2024, 12:21pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/convert-tag-filename-behaves-unexpectedly-when-folder-name-in-path-starts-with-space-character/65349/8 "2024-07-22T12:21:33Z")
WOuldn't this be a discussion to be held with Microsoft? MP3tag does not create invalid folder names. And that is the way it should be I think. ---
### Author: ![tudorminator](https://community.mp3tag.de/user_avatar/community.mp3tag.de/tudorminator/32/17505_2.png) [@tudorminator](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/tudorminator) #### Post date: [July 22, 2024, 12:32pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/convert-tag-filename-behaves-unexpectedly-when-folder-name-in-path-starts-with-space-character/65349/9 "2024-07-22T12:32:01Z")
You are right, as I already said I understand now. And I have no problem with Mp3Tag not creating invalid folder names, or with Microsoft enforcing their rules for new files/folders. The issue which I think is certainly debatable is that the folder with „invalid” name was already created by me, and I was only instructing Mp3Tag to rename some files in it, not to create any folders. By the way, this is totally possible using Microsoft's own Windows Explorer, but not using Mp3Tag. My opinion is that Microsoft's API **should not remove spaces** from **EXISTING** folder or file names, thus not forcing unexpected behavior on Mp3Tag and any other software using the same file system functions. I'm saying it again: I agree that this is not a bug in Mp3Tag and this topic can be closed with an apropriate resolution. Thank you for your assistance. ---
### Author: ![poster](https://community.mp3tag.de/user_avatar/community.mp3tag.de/poster/32/4881_2.png) [@poster](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/poster) #### Post date: [July 22, 2024, 3:26pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/convert-tag-filename-behaves-unexpectedly-when-folder-name-in-path-starts-with-space-character/65349/10 "2024-07-22T15:26:56Z")
> [@LyricsLover](#): > > As soon as you try to rename it in Windows File Explorer, the leading space will be trimmed away. And if you simply try to rename it trimming the space yourself Windows will tell you that it cannot do so because source and target name are the same. ---
### Author: ![system](https://community.mp3tag.de/uploads/default/original/2X/c/ce7035d426cb755a7916793326d23b465222a407.png) [@system](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/system) #### Post date: [August 21, 2024, 3:26pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/convert-tag-filename-behaves-unexpectedly-when-folder-name-in-path-starts-with-space-character/65349/11 "2024-08-21T15:26:56Z")
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