I've noticed that, if you right click, in file explorer, on a particular folder and then you click on the Mp3tag icon to open the programme with all the audio files contained in it, the Directory field on the main screen only shows the name of the parent folder.
This my case scenario:
I have the following folder: E:\podcasts.
Inside this folder, there are two subolders (Saludos cordiales and Teatro de la nube), each containing a number of audio tracks.
When I move up and down on the track list of the main screen of the programme, I expected the Directory field to show if the track is either in E:\podcasts\Saludos cordiales or in E:\podcasts\Teatro de la nube, but it only shows E:\podcasts.
If Mp3tag is already open and I drag E:\podcasts into it, what I've described earlier applies.
However, if I get into the Podcast folder and, once there, I select both subfolders and I drag them into Mp3Tag, in this case the Directory field displays, for all my audio tracks, the following: E:\podcasts\Teatro de la nube.
The field for DIRECTORY shows the current working directory.
If you have to see the path for an individual file, you have to create a column that shows that property for the single file.
The working directory also determines where e.g. the export output is saved if not specified otherwise.
Before I posted, I spent some time trying to find the solution myself, but in fact, in the list of fields of the Tag Panel, I couldn't find _FolderPath as an option: that's why I decided to come here.
In my previous message, I wasn't referring to the columns of the audio track list, but to the Tag Panel (I should have been more precise).
Anyway, even if it's not on the list, I can add _FolderPath, but the field doesn't show any information.
Technical information fields begin with an underscore %_ are read-only and may also be used in the File List, format strings, filters and export configurations, but not in the Tag Panel.
Technical informationcannot be added as field to the Tag Panel with the exception of the special fields _DIRECTORY which is used to add a directory field and _SEPARATOR to add a separator that creates a new row.
In that case, since Directory is intended to just show the parent folder, my suggestion would be to make Folderpath available in the Tag Panel.
When I have audio tracks from different folders, it's really useful to know, with just a glance, where each audio track is. Folderpath is certainly one of my columns in the File List, but it'd save me time if it could also be a field in the Tag Panel.
Anyway, there must be a technical reason why this hasn't been implemented yet, but here goes my suggestion.
Esp. for this case it is probably not the best way to check that in the tag panel as the tag panel has its virtues when assigning (and viewing) the data that is common to all the selected files.
Please note also, that the history list in the the special directory field lets you change the loaded files - but does not modify the path to the files.
To see (and sort) the folders of the files, a column in the file list is the better approach.
The field for directory does not behave like the other fields in the tag panel.
While most of the other fields show the data for a field from the selected files in the dropdown list, the directory fields collects the last loaded folders, irrespective of the currently loaded and/or selected files.
If you you now select an entry from the directory list, then you do not set that path to the selected files like you would in all the other fields but you select that folder to be loaded (again) - and become the current work directory.
I admit that this is a little irritating, perhaps even misleading - your observation is proof enough that the current implementation does not explain itself.
I've tried to remove the directory picker from the Tag Panel before. As you've noticed, it's a special control that behaves differently from the other fields.
Many users got so used to it over the years, that it's impossible to remove by now — at least not without needing to deal with huge amounts of negative feedback.
If you're not happy with how it's behaving, you can disable or remove it via the configuration options.
I've added your vote for displaying technical information fields on the Tag Panel to my internal wish list.
