# Export to csv problem with multiple entries in tags
**URL:** https://community.mp3tag.de/t/export-to-csv-problem-with-multiple-entries-in-tags/13127
**Category:** General Discussion
**Created:** [February 22, 2012, 8:08am UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/export-to-csv-problem-with-multiple-entries-in-tags/13127 "2012-02-22T08:08:29Z")
**Posts on this page:** 11
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@m4rk](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/m4rk)
#### Post date: [February 22, 2012, 8:08am UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/export-to-csv-problem-with-multiple-entries-in-tags/13127/1 "2012-02-22T08:08:29Z")
Hi,
I am successfully exporting my collection details to csv and can bring it into excel. I use | as a deliminator. (The default ; didn't work because too many titles have that too). Some of my tags have multiple entries, typically genre, and use // as separator for them. The exported file seems to drop anything after // in genre so I only get the first genre item in the csv
Can I do anything fix this?
Thanks Mark
---
### Author:  [@pone](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/pone)
#### Post date: [February 22, 2012, 8:42am UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/export-to-csv-problem-with-multiple-entries-in-tags/13127/2 "2012-02-22T08:42:14Z")
from the help files:
> [@](#):
>
> **$meta(x)**
> returns all values of field x (e.g. $meta(artist)). If multiple values of that field exist, they are separated with ", ".
>
>
>
> **$meta(x,n)**
> returns the nth value of field x (where n starts at 0, e.g. $meta(artist,1)).
>
>
>
> **$meta\_sep(x,sep)**
> returns all values of field x (e.g. $meta\_sep(artist,; )). If multiple values of that field exist, they are separated with sep.
[https://docs.mp3tag.de/scripting/#metadata-functions](https://docs.mp3tag.de/scripting/#metadata-functions)
---
### Author:  [@m4rk](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/m4rk)
#### Post date: [February 22, 2012, 9:01am UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/export-to-csv-problem-with-multiple-entries-in-tags/13127/3 "2012-02-22T09:01:46Z")
> [@pone](#):
>
> from the help files:
>
> [https://docs.mp3tag.de/scripting/#metadata-functions](https://docs.mp3tag.de/scripting/#metadata-functions)
Hi thanks for that.... looks I need help for the help files!! I have no idea what that all means. It is fun learning though 😃
The more I use mp3tag the more I am impressed with it. You can do just about anything but it takes quite a bit learning for a novice and much testing to figure it out.
Thanks, I think that has pointed me in the right direction
---
### Author:  [@pone](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/pone)
#### Post date: [February 22, 2012, 9:14am UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/export-to-csv-problem-with-multiple-entries-in-tags/13127/4 "2012-02-22T09:14:12Z")
When you are exporting your tags, you are using an export script.
Open that script and replace all instances of **%genre%** with **$meta(genre)**
You have to do this with all tag fields where you have multivalue tags.
---
### Author:  [@m4rk](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/m4rk)
#### Post date: [February 22, 2012, 10:03am UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/export-to-csv-problem-with-multiple-entries-in-tags/13127/5 "2012-02-22T10:03:08Z")
Great, that tip helps a lot.
I had found the export scripts and made a simple change. I changed the default delimiter and saved it as a new script but I must admit to being a bit clueless as to how they worked. Is there a help section to explain how the looping part works? I didn't see it in 'scripting' help section?
Mark
---
### Author:  [@pone](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/pone)
#### Post date: [February 22, 2012, 10:29am UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/export-to-csv-problem-with-multiple-entries-in-tags/13127/6 "2012-02-22T10:29:49Z")
> [@m4rk](#):
>
> Is there a help section to explain how the looping part works? I didn't see it in 'scripting' help section?
yes, in the export help section [https://docs.mp3tag.de/export/#export-scripting-functions](https://docs.mp3tag.de/export/#export-scripting-functions) :
> [@](#):
>
> **$loop(%fieldname%)** starts a new loop. The loop data is sorted by the fieldname.
> **$loopend()** ends a loop.
> If you want to limit the loop output to a certain number of entries, simply use $loop(%fieldname%,num). This is useful to eliminate duplicate records (num=1).
So if you have something like
```
$loop(%_filename_ext%)%title%;%artist%;%album%;
$loopend()
```
the loop writes %title%;%artist%;%album%; + linebreak for every new %\_filename\_ext%.
Whereas this loop
```
$loop(%album%)%albumartist%;%album%;%year%
$loopend()
```
would write %albumartist%;%album%;%year% + linebreak for every new %album%. So it would skip all files with the same %album% value after writing the values of the first file.
---
### Author:  [@m4rk](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/m4rk)
#### Post date: [February 22, 2012, 10:45am UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/export-to-csv-problem-with-multiple-entries-in-tags/13127/7 "2012-02-22T10:45:15Z")
QUOTE (pone @ Feb 22 2012, 12:29) \<{POST\_SNAPBACK}\>
yes, in the export help section [https://docs.mp3tag.de/export/#export-scripting-functions](https://docs.mp3tag.de/export/#export-scripting-functions) :
So if you have something like
```
$loop(%_filename_ext%)%title%;%artist%;%album%;
$loopend()
```
the loop writes %title%;%artist%;%album%; + linebreak for every new %\_filename\_ext%.
Whereas this loop
```
$loop(%album%)%albumartist%;%album%;%year%
$loopend()
```
would write %albumartist%;%album%;%year% + linebreak for every new %album%. So it would skip all files with the same %album% value after writing the values of the first file.
Thanks, I now have it working
eg
FLAC tag genre like this:
R&B\\Soundtrack\\Rock
Replaced %genre% with $meta\_sep(genre,\\) in csv export script
now xls import of resultant csv has
R&B\\Soundtrack\\Rock
in genre column
Perfect 🕶
Thanks again for your help, Mark
---
### Author:  [@m4rk](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/m4rk)
#### Post date: [February 22, 2012, 10:51am UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/export-to-csv-problem-with-multiple-entries-in-tags/13127/8 "2012-02-22T10:51:50Z")
QUOTE (pone @ Feb 22 2012, 12:29) \<{POST\_SNAPBACK}\>
yes, in the export help section [https://docs.mp3tag.de/export/#export-scripting-functions](https://docs.mp3tag.de/export/#export-scripting-functions) :
So if you have something like
```
$loop(%_filename_ext%)%title%;%artist%;%album%;
$loopend()
```
the loop writes %title%;%artist%;%album%; + linebreak for every new %\_filename\_ext%.
Whereas this loop
```
$loop(%album%)%albumartist%;%album%;%year%
$loopend()
```
would write %albumartist%;%album%;%year% + linebreak for every new %album%. So it would skip all files with the same %album% value after writing the values of the first file.
Again very useful info. I was having to use Excel Office 2007 and the 'remove duplicates' function to create a simple list of albums and their genres.
---
### Author:  [@m4rk](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/m4rk)
#### Post date: [February 22, 2012, 11:17am UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/export-to-csv-problem-with-multiple-entries-in-tags/13127/9 "2012-02-22T11:17:06Z")
> [@m4rk](#):
>
> Again very useful info. I was having to use Excel Office 2007 and the 'remove duplicates' function to create a simple list of albums and their genres.
Maybe I am pushing my luck too far today...
$filename(csv,utf-16)|Album|Genre|
$loop(%album%)|%album%|$meta\_sep(genre,\\)|
$loopend()
I was hoping this would produce a single line per album but its giving all tracks for the same album!!
---
### Author:  [@pone](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/pone)
#### Post date: [February 22, 2012, 11:40am UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/export-to-csv-problem-with-multiple-entries-in-tags/13127/10 "2012-02-22T11:40:38Z")
> [@m4rk](#):
>
> Maybe I am pushing my luck too far today...
>
> $filename(csv,utf-16)|Album|Genre|
> $loop(%album%)|%album%|$meta\_sep(genre,\\)|
> $loopend()
>
> I was hoping this would produce a single line per album but its giving all tracks for the same album!!
Looks like I forgot something in my examples.
$loop(%album%) only sorts your files by %album%
$loop(%album%,1) sorts your files by %album% and does only write one entrie per %album%.
So try this:
$filename(csv,utf-16)|Album|Genre|
$loop(%album% **,1** )|%album%|$meta\_sep(genre,\\)|
$loopend()
---
### Author:  [@m4rk](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/m4rk)
#### Post date: [February 22, 2012, 11:54am UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/export-to-csv-problem-with-multiple-entries-in-tags/13127/11 "2012-02-22T11:54:19Z")
> [@pone](#):
>
> Looks like I forgot something in my examples.
>
> $loop(%album%) only sorts your files by %album%
> $loop(%album%,1) sorts your files by %album% and does only write one entrie per %album%.
>
> So try this:
>
> $filename(csv,utf-16)|Album|Genre|
> $loop(%album% **,1** )|%album%|$meta\_sep(genre,\\)|
> $loopend()
yup, that was it. I learnt a lot quickly today thanks to your suggestions. Thanks, much appreciated 🕶