# Convert tags to filenames. Format string with 'if' function.
**URL:** https://community.mp3tag.de/t/convert-tags-to-filenames-format-string-with-if-function/14278
**Category:** Support
**Created:** [December 28, 2012, 5:15pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/convert-tags-to-filenames-format-string-with-if-function/14278 "2012-12-28T17:15:57Z")
**Posts on this page:** 4
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@muel2002](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/muel2002)
#### Post date: [December 28, 2012, 5:15pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/convert-tags-to-filenames-format-string-with-if-function/14278/1 "2012-12-28T17:15:57Z")
What I want to do is to write a format string which does this:
'%artistsort% (but if there is no data in this placeholder, use %artist%)'
What is the syntax I must use in order to maker this to happen?
Thanks
---
### Author:  [@dano](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/dano)
#### Post date: [December 28, 2012, 5:18pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/convert-tags-to-filenames-format-string-with-if-function/14278/2 "2012-12-28T17:18:25Z")
$if2(%artistsort%,%artist%)
---
### Author:  [@muel2002](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/muel2002)
#### Post date: [December 28, 2012, 5:29pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/convert-tags-to-filenames-format-string-with-if-function/14278/3 "2012-12-28T17:29:46Z")
Thanks. In the end, really straight forward
I should have looked properly in the help docs, or used my brain more. I'm getting lazy.
---
### Author:  [@system](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/system)
#### Post date: [February 9, 2026, 12:24pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/convert-tags-to-filenames-format-string-with-if-function/14278/4 "2026-02-09T12:24:14Z")