# Copy a tag field in other tag field, not working!
**URL:** https://community.mp3tag.de/t/copy-a-tag-field-in-other-tag-field-not-working/56585
**Category:** Support
**Created:** [March 4, 2022, 12:27pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/copy-a-tag-field-in-other-tag-field-not-working/56585 "2022-03-04T12:27:22Z")
**Posts on this page:** 9
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@MPapini](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/MPapini)
#### Post date: [March 4, 2022, 12:27pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/copy-a-tag-field-in-other-tag-field-not-working/56585/1 "2022-03-04T12:27:22Z")
Hi, I need to copy a field to another field of the same song.
I followed the FAQ like here in the example below, but it doesn't work.
I made the following test copy ALBUMARTIST in COMMENT.
I chose ACTIONS(quick)=\>FORMAT VALUE=\>FIELD:ALBUMARTIST, FORMAT STRING:% comment%, once the ACTIONS is launched, not only does it not copy the ALBUMARTIST in the comment field, but it deletes it from ALBUMARTIST !!!
The same goes for the TAG - TAG conversions, in this case there is also the Preview which as you can see heralds the failure of the operation:
c: \ temp \ 01 - Money.flac "Pink Floyd" -\> ""
Vers. 3.12 Language Italian/ English
Options\> Tags MPeg Read (All) - Write (APEv2 and ID3v2 - ID3v2.3 ISO) - Remove (ID3v1, APE)
Tags APE Read (all) - Write (APEv2) - Remove (ID3v1, APE)
Am I doing something wrong?
Thanks for your answers
Marco
From FAQ
### How to copy one field value to another field?
Example how to copy the content of the ARTIST field to the ALBUMARTIST field:
Create a [new action](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/actions/967/2) in an existing action group or make a new action group.
Action type: Format value
Field: **ALBUMARTIST**
Format string: **`%artist%`**
---
### Author:  [@LyricsLover](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/LyricsLover)
#### Post date: [March 4, 2022, 12:33pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/copy-a-tag-field-in-other-tag-field-not-working/56585/2 "2022-03-04T12:33:00Z")
You could try the Convert Tag -\> Tag.
There you have a preview (green rectangle) to be sure what exactly will be copied.
What exactly do you see if you try it this way?
Can you please show us a [screen shot](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/hints-for-asking-support-requests/56190#use-screenshots-to-exemplify-the-issue-2)?
---
### Author:  [@MPapini](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/MPapini)
#### Post date: [March 4, 2022, 12:40pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/copy-a-tag-field-in-other-tag-field-not-working/56585/3 "2022-03-04T12:40:59Z")
Here they are
---
### Author:  [@ohrenkino](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/ohrenkino)
#### Post date: [March 4, 2022, 12:41pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/copy-a-tag-field-in-other-tag-field-not-working/56585/4 "2022-03-04T12:41:30Z")
> [@MPapini](#):
>
> I made the following test copy ALBUMARTIST in COMMENT.
> I chose ACTIONS(quick)=\>FORMAT VALUE=\>FIELD:ALBUMARTIST, FORMAT STRING:% comment%, once the ACTIONS is launched, not only does it not copy the ALBUMARTIST in the comment field, but it deletes it from ALBUMARTIST !!!
It works perfectly.
You assign the non-existent contents of comment to the field ALBUMARTIST ... One could say: you delete the contents of the field ALBUMARTIST. ANd that is the result that you got.
And to say it correctly: if there is no contents in a field then the field does not exist - there is no reserved space or anything for a field.
Your quotation form the FAQs is absolutely correct - but if you read thoroughly, then you find that here ALBUMARTIST is empty and should get the contents of %artist%.
Mapped to your case: COMMENT is empty and should get the contents of %albumartist%.
---
### Author:  [@LyricsLover](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/LyricsLover)
#### Post date: [March 4, 2022, 12:46pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/copy-a-tag-field-in-other-tag-field-not-working/56585/5 "2022-03-04T12:46:07Z")
As @ohrenkino wrote: If you check carefully the space between your Format String `%comment%` and the button Preview, you can see NOTHING. (Compare it to my screen shot and the green rectangle).
This means, NOTHING will be written in your ALBUMARTIST tag.
If you execute such an action or convert, the target field will be overwritten by default. There is no "add it to the existing content" or "preserve existing content" by default.
---
### Author:  [@MPapini](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/MPapini)
#### Post date: [March 4, 2022, 1:13pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/copy-a-tag-field-in-other-tag-field-not-working/56585/6 "2022-03-04T13:13:02Z")
> [@ohrenkino](#):
>
> It works perfectly.
> You assign the non-existent contents of comment to the field ALBUMARTIST ... One could say: you delete the contents of the field ALBUMARTIST. ANd that is the result that you got.
>
> And to say it correctly: if there is no contents in a field then the field does not exist - there is no reserved space or anything for a field.
>
> Your quotation form the FAQs is absolutely correct - but if you read thoroughly, then you find that here ALBUMARTIST is empty and should get the contents of %artist%.
> Mapped to your case: COMMENT is empty and should get the contents of %albumartist%.
Oops!
I confused the fact that FIELD was the starting field, while FORMAT STRING the writing field ... instead they are inverted!
I apologize! 🙂
---
### Author:  [@ohrenkino](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/ohrenkino)
#### Post date: [March 4, 2022, 1:18pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/copy-a-tag-field-in-other-tag-field-not-working/56585/7 "2022-03-04T13:18:32Z")
> [@MPapini](#):
>
> while FORMAT STRING the writing field
Actually, you can enter a format string which may be composed of field variable references, string constants and scripting functions.
Even though we are now entering the world of semantics ... in this function you name the field (here: COMMENT) and then you define what should be written to it.
But in general, you analysis that you confused what to use for field and format string is correct.
---
### Author:  [@MPapini](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/MPapini)
#### Post date: [March 4, 2022, 2:03pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/copy-a-tag-field-in-other-tag-field-not-working/56585/8 "2022-03-04T14:03:04Z")
Yes yes clear, in fact my final goal was to insert in the TITLE the content of "%album% -%title%", stupidly I got stuck in confusing the FIELD, which is rightly the field you want to enhance, with the FORMAT STRING which is where you want to get the information from.
It is very powerful and inside FORMAT STRING you can really do many things even with the help of the "scripting functions"
Thanks for the support!
---
### Author:  [@system](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/system)
#### Post date: [April 3, 2022, 2:03pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/copy-a-tag-field-in-other-tag-field-not-working/56585/9 "2022-04-03T14:03:14Z")
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