'.
Now all are OK and the only hurdle left is to remove 'feat. from the title field.
No doubt this is the sledgehammer approach but at least it works as far as it goes.
---
### Author:  [@MrForce](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/MrForce)
#### Post date: [December 17, 2009, 9:35pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/featuring-all-derivatives/9445/2 "2009-12-17T21:35:22Z")
For the featuring replacement I use
Action
Replace with Regex
Field :
Title
Regex :
" `\(ft\. | ft\. | ft | f\. | \(featuring | featuring | \(feat\. | \(feat | feat\.`"
Replace :
" `feat` "
this renames any of the following in the title field to feat
With my formatting I don't want the feat xxx in the artist field but appended to the title field and then the feat xxx removed from the artist field.
I've done this
Action
Format Value
Field :
Title
Format String
`$if($strstr(%artist%,feat),%title%,$regexp(%artist%,( feat.+),%title%$1))`
this searches for feat in artist field if found append to end of title field else title
Action
Replace with Regex
Field :
Artist
Regex :
"`^(.+)( feat.+)`"
Replace :
`$1`
but I can't figure out how to manipulate the $if function to leave current field if not aplicable. Any ideas?
---
### Author:  [@hiphopdj](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/hiphopdj)
#### Post date: [December 20, 2009, 8:11am UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/featuring-all-derivatives/9445/3 "2009-12-20T08:11:39Z")
Can someone tell me how to find anything before " ft | feat" and move it to the BAND (album artist) field? I'm OK with regex but I just can't figure out how to actually do this with the program. Maybe I should just use javascript lol, I just found out you can run them from windows explorer and they will work on your iTunes.
---
### Author:  [@DetlevD](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/DetlevD)
#### Post date: [December 20, 2009, 9:24am UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/featuring-all-derivatives/9445/4 "2009-12-20T09:24:48Z")
> [@TomDickHarri](#):
>
> ... Can anyone sort this out. ... a Regular expression _( featuring | feat. | feat | ft. | ft )_ replacing matches with _feat._ (with a leading space). ...
This works for me ...
```
RegExp:
(?i)(\s)f(?:ea)?t(?:(?:\.?|\s)|uring)(?=\s)
Replacement:
$1feat.$2
Example:
$regexp('Mrs. X FT. FT FEAT FEAT. FEATURING Ft ft Feat feat Feat. feat. Featuring featuring Mr. Y','(?i)(\s)f(?:ea)?t(?:(?:\.?|\s)|uring)(?=\s)','$1feat.$2')
From:
Mrs. X FT. FT FEAT FEAT. FEATURING Ft ft Feat feat Feat. feat. Featuring featuring Mr. Y
To:
Mrs. X feat. feat. feat. feat. feat. feat. feat. feat. feat. feat. feat. feat. feat. Mr. Y
```
DD.20091220.1124.CET
---
### Author:  [@DetlevD](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/DetlevD)
#### Post date: [December 20, 2009, 11:08am UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/featuring-all-derivatives/9445/5 "2009-12-20T11:08:47Z")
> [@hiphopdj](#):
>
> Can someone tell me how to find anything before " ft | feat" and move it to the BAND (album artist) field? ...
```
Anything before " feat " ...
$regexp('-Mrs. X- FT -Mr. Y-','^(.+?)(?:\s)(?i)f(?:ea)?t(?:(?:\.?|\s)|uring)(?-i)(?:\s)(?:.+?)$',$1)
gives:
-Mrs. X-
Anything behind " feat " ...
$regexp('-Mrs. X- FT -Mr. Y-','^(?:.+?)(?:\s)(?i)f(?:ea)?t(?:(?:\.?|\s)|uring)(?-i)(?:\s)(.+?)$',$1)
gives:
-Mr. Y-
```
Here is an example ...
Begin Actionsgroup **Test#20091220.hiphopdj**
Action #1
_Actiontype 5:_ **Format tag field**
_Field:_ **HIPHOPDJ\_IN**
_Formatstring:_ **`-Mrs.÷X-÷feat.÷-Mr.÷Y-`**
_Note: Replace each special ÷ character with one space character._
Action #2
_Actiontype 5:_ **Format tag field**
_Field:_ **HIPHOPDJ\_OUT\_BEFORE**
_Formatstring:_ **`$regexp(%HIPHOPDJ_IN%,'^(.+?)(?:\s)(?i)f(?:ea)?t(?:(?:\.?|\s)|uring)(?-i)(?:\s)(?:.+?)$',$1)`**
Action #3
_Actiontype 5:_ **Format tag field**
_Field:_ **HIPHOPDJ\_OUT\_BEHIND**
_Formatstring:_ **`$regexp(%HIPHOPDJ_IN%,'^(?:.+?)(?:\s)(?i)f(?:ea)?t(?:(?:\.?|\s)|uring)(?-i)(?:\s)(.+?)$',$1)`**
End Actionsgroup **Test#20091220.hiphopdj** (3 Actions)
Run this action group and use the dialog Extended Tag View to see what has happened.
DD.20091220.1308.CET
Edit. DD.20091220.1805.CET
---
### Author:  [@hiphopdj](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/hiphopdj)
#### Post date: [December 20, 2009, 5:27pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/featuring-all-derivatives/9445/6 "2009-12-20T17:27:48Z")
DetlevD,
That worked great, thanks!
But the only problem is it adds the album artist even if there is no "ft"
I can fix this myself, but how do you tell the program to format something as blank?
Maybe if Artist==Album Artist, then Format Album Artist to be blank.
I'm also trying to do something similar with Comments (if comments don't contain key information, then erase them, otherwise write only the key info)
I might just be better off using javascript, since I would know how to do all this, but I do like the mp3tag program.
---
### Author:  [@DetlevD](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/DetlevD)
#### Post date: [December 20, 2009, 6:33pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/featuring-all-derivatives/9445/7 "2009-12-20T18:33:11Z")
> [@hiphopdj](#):
>
> ... But the only problem is it adds the album artist even if there is no "ft" ...
Wasn't it your first wish?
> [@hiphopdj](#):
>
> ... Maybe if Artist==Album Artist, then Format Album Artist to be blank. ...
Example:
Begin Actionsgroup **Test#20091220.hiphopdj.2**
Action #1
_Actiontype 5:_ **Format tag field**
_Field:_ **HIPHOPDJ\_IN**
_Formatstring:_ **`-Mrs.÷X-`**
Action #2
_Actiontype 5:_ **Format tag field**
_Field:_ **HIPHOPDJ\_OUT\_BEFORE**
_Formatstring:_ **`$regexp(%HIPHOPDJ_IN%,'^(.+?)(?:\s(?i)f(?:ea)?t(?:(?:\.?|\s)|uring)(?-i)(?:\s))(?:.+?)$',$1)`**
Action #3
_Actiontype 5:_ **Format tag field**
_Field:_ **HIPHOPDJ\_OUT\_BEFORE**
_Formatstring:_ **`$if($neql(%HIPHOPDJ_IN%,%HIPHOPDJ_OUT_BEFORE%),%HIPHOPDJ_OUT_BEFORE%,)`**
_Note: Replace each special ÷ character with one space character._
End Actionsgroup **Test#20091220.hiphopdj.2** (3 Actions)
> [@hiphopdj](#):
>
> ... I might just be better off using javascript, since I would know how to do all this, but I do like the mp3tag program.
Since you are familiar with some scripting programming language, Javascript for instance, you should understand and work with the Mp3tag scripting language after a short and flat learning curve.
Mp3tag scripting language is sometimes a bit tricky and quirky, but it helps to know how to analyse a problem and how to use the Mp2tag actions tool box to achieve the goal.
DD.20091220.2030.CET
---
### Author:  [@hiphopdj](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/hiphopdj)
#### Post date: [December 25, 2009, 12:50am UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/featuring-all-derivatives/9445/8 "2009-12-25T00:50:43Z")
Sorry for the late answer, I needed to wait for a new batch of songs to add to my library. It worked great though thanks! I think I will stick with the program, it's great!!
---
### Author:  [@tomdickharri](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/tomdickharri)
#### Post date: [December 26, 2009, 10:43pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/featuring-all-derivatives/9445/9 "2009-12-26T22:43:43Z")
Thanks to all who replied especially MrForce who gave me the last two lines - I had to reverse them of course to go from Title to Artist.
My final solution - and I don't care how long-winded, inefficient, pathetic, greedy..... - it works!
[#0]
T=4
F=\_ALL
1=\\((feat[^\\)]\*)\\)
2=$1
3=0
[#1]
T=4
F=\_ALL
1=\\((ft[^\\)]\*)\\)
2=$1
3=0
[#2]
T=4
F=\_ALL
1=( featuring | feat. | feat | ft. | ft )
2= feat.
3=0
[#3]
T=5
F=ARTIST
1=%artist%$mid(%title%,$strstr(%title%, feat.),$len(%title%))
[#4]
T=4
F=TITLE
1=^(.+)( feat.+)
2=$1
3=0
The above is copied from the mta file and the five steps boil down to ....
#0 - [Replace with Regular Expression] Remove brackets round all words beginning with 'feat'
#1 - [Replace with Regular Expression] Remove brackets round all words beginning with 'ft'
#2 - [Replace with Regular Expression] Change any variety of 'ft'/'feat'/'featuring' to 'feat.'
```
These first three steps replace in any field ('_ALL') but only expected in 'Title' or 'Artist'
```
#3 - [Format Value] Copy the 'feat. ' from the 'Title' to the 'Artist' field
#4 - [Replace with Regular Expression] Remove the 'feat. ' from the 'Title' field.
This doesn't have any effect on titles/artists with no featured artist.
Obviously if you're moving the other way (from 'Artist' to 'Title'), you just need to change steps #3 and #4 reversing the field names.
(No doubt there's something I've overlooked. Time will tell - or one of you? )
---
### Author:  [@anon88019356](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/anon88019356)
#### Post date: [October 23, 2010, 11:42am UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/featuring-all-derivatives/9445/10 "2010-10-23T11:42:28Z")
Hi there DetlevD,
I've searched thru the forums for hours and saw a few of your replies to various questions, and this one is the closest to what i've been looking for. I don't want to remove brackets/parenthesis, but to make them all the same. Some tiltes have "(xxxx), and others have "[xxxx]. What i want is to know if there is someway of changing them so that they are all the same.
Currently what I have is: "01 Rockin' My Body [Cappella Radio Mix]"
What I Want is: "01 Rockin' My Body (Cappella Radio Mix)"
If there is a way to do this it would be much appreciated.
Thanks in advance.
---
### Author:  [@DetlevD](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/DetlevD)
#### Post date: [October 23, 2010, 1:41pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/featuring-all-derivatives/9445/11 "2010-10-23T13:41:54Z")
> [@anon88019356](#):
>
> ... I've searched thru the forums for hours and saw a few of your replies to various questions, and this one is the closest to what i've been looking for. I don't want to remove brackets/parenthesis, but to make them all the same. Some tiltes have "(xxxx), and others have "[xxxx]. What i want is to know if there is someway of changing them so that they are all the same.
> Currently what I have is: "01 Rockin' My Body [Cappella Radio Mix]"
> What I Want is: "01 Rockin' My Body (Cappella Radio Mix)" ...
Hi embra55, it seems that your current request has really nothing to do with this thread.
You want to replace some string character by another string character.
This simple job has several ways of solution in Mp3tag, by ...
- action "Replace".
- action "Replace using a Regular Expression".
- function $replace()
- function $regexp()
DD.20101023.1742.CEST
---
### Author:  [@sheepdisease](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/sheepdisease)
#### Post date: [February 12, 2019, 7:02pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/featuring-all-derivatives/9445/12 "2019-02-12T19:02:56Z")
I was interested in seeing how this worked so I put it into the tester at [https://regex101.com/](https://regex101.com/) and it didn't seem to output as described.
Has some formatting been lost during an update of the forum software?
---
### Author:  [@LyricsLover](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/LyricsLover)
#### Post date: [February 12, 2019, 11:02pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/featuring-all-derivatives/9445/13 "2019-02-12T23:02:55Z")
@sheepdisease: Your tested regular expression matches many forms of the word "ft", "feat" and "featuring" with or without points. The substition replace all this matches with the same word "feat."
If you use this syntax in Mp3tag (assuming you want to change the filename just as an example):
(-\> you just have to delete the second substition $2)
then you get the same result as in regex101:
---
### Author:  [@sheepdisease](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/sheepdisease)
#### Post date: [February 13, 2019, 7:33pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/featuring-all-derivatives/9445/14 "2019-02-13T19:33:26Z")
Thank you, that is really helpful.
---
### Author:  [@Florian](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/Florian)
#### Post date: [February 14, 2019, 7:02am UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/featuring-all-derivatives/9445/15 "2019-02-14T07:02:14Z")