# File explorer and tracks numbers
**URL:** https://community.mp3tag.de/t/file-explorer-and-tracks-numbers/67934
**Category:** Support
**Created:** [March 23, 2025, 7:51am UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/file-explorer-and-tracks-numbers/67934 "2025-03-23T07:51:37Z")
**Posts on this page:** 19
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@nebexe5539](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/nebexe5539)
#### Post date: [March 23, 2025, 7:51am UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/file-explorer-and-tracks-numbers/67934/1 "2025-03-23T07:51:37Z")
hi everybody, this is my first post here.
i know mp3tag from several years but never used because i'm fan of Tag&Rename but now this app it's old and no longer updated. also i started using mp3tag because i need to copy and paste from 2 different folder in batch all tags from files ogg to files m4a just converted, and mp3tag allows this, while Tag&Rename only makes a copy of a single file and tag
mp3tag is wonderful app but
1. why can't have tree like file explorer ? just 'Change directory' or 'Favorite directory' but i think file explorer would be more convenient
2. i need to add sequential tracks numbers to all my files in directory. now i have random tracks numbers like various 1, 5 ... i need add sequential numbers from 01 to 25. how to ?
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### Author:  [@ohrenkino](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/ohrenkino)
#### Post date: [March 23, 2025, 7:55am UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/file-explorer-and-tracks-numbers/67934/2 "2025-03-23T07:55:18Z")
> [@nebexe5539](#):
>
> why
I don't think that a "why" question will really lead any further.
See also here:
> [@feature request: directory browser on the app](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/feature-request-directory-browser-on-the-app/19585):
>
> At the moment, the only way to get tracks to show up if I added them. It would be great if a file/folder browser is provided from within the app. This would make navigating my library (and most likely not just mine) so much easier! Thanks for reading. Here's a screenshot from a trial copy of tag&rename.
> [@nebexe5539](#):
>
> i need to add sequential tracks numbers
See the track numbering wizard Ctrl-K from the Convert menu.
> **[Auto Track- and Disc-Numbering – Mp3tag Documentation](https://docs.mp3tag.de/converters/auto-numbering/)**
>
> The auto-numbering wizard allows for automatically assigning tracknumbers and discnumbers to files. Mp3tag is the universal Tag Editor.
---
### Author:  [@nebexe5539](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/nebexe5539)
#### Post date: [March 23, 2025, 8:56am UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/file-explorer-and-tracks-numbers/67934/3 "2025-03-23T08:56:00Z")
thanks for reply.
"why" is why mp3tag not have structure like file explorer, like tag&rename. it's great feature and i dont know why (again) an amazing app mp3tag cant have this feature
about track numbering yes ctrl+k work fine, but checked Leading zero for tracknumber i can't get 01,02,03... but always 1,2,3....
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### Author:  [@ohrenkino](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/ohrenkino)
#### Post date: [March 23, 2025, 9:02am UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/file-explorer-and-tracks-numbers/67934/4 "2025-03-23T09:02:57Z")
> [@nebexe5539](#):
>
> but always 1,2,3....
Which file format do they have? MP4 files cannot have leading zeros in the track number.
I am not too fond of the "why" question as it asks for justifications from people who do not have to justify their decisions.
In this case, there is an answer to "why isn't there a file tree":
> [@feature request: directory browser on the app](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/feature-request-directory-browser-on-the-app/19585/3):
>
> 🙂 It's still not planned.
>
> Kind regards
> — Florian
and the way to get a tree is also described in the linked thread.
---
### Author:  [@nebexe5539](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/nebexe5539)
#### Post date: [March 23, 2025, 1:45pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/file-explorer-and-tracks-numbers/67934/5 "2025-03-23T13:45:46Z")
ok understand about file explorer. no problem. nvm
about tracks numbers files are m4a. never had this problem with tagrename
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### Author:  [@ohrenkino](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/ohrenkino)
#### Post date: [March 23, 2025, 1:53pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/file-explorer-and-tracks-numbers/67934/6 "2025-03-23T13:53:31Z")
As the tag field format is a purely numeric one in MP4 files, it does not allow leading zeros - as opposed to mp3 files which have a "numeric string" as field format that allows leading zeros and the slash as separator.
This behaviour is also described in the already linked documentation:
> **[Auto Track- and Disc-Numbering – Mp3tag Documentation](https://docs.mp3tag.de/converters/auto-numbering/#leading-zeros-for-tracknumbers)**
>
> The auto-numbering wizard allows for automatically assigning tracknumbers and discnumbers to files. Mp3tag is the universal Tag Editor.
It could therefore be that your old program only _displayed_ leading zeros but never put them into the tag data - which you could easily check if you look at old mp4 files that you tagged with your old program.
If you want to get a display of leading zeros for TRACK in MP3tag, set
Value: $num(%track%,2)
in the column definition.
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### Author:  [@nebexe5539](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/nebexe5539)
#### Post date: [March 23, 2025, 5:22pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/file-explorer-and-tracks-numbers/67934/7 "2025-03-23T17:22:23Z")
oh yes wonderful. $num(%track%,2) work fine. thanks
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### Author:  [@Valik](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/Valik)
#### Post date: [March 23, 2025, 10:31pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/file-explorer-and-tracks-numbers/67934/8 "2025-03-23T22:31:50Z")
Regarding the file explorer view, let me give you my experience of moving from Tag&Rename to MP3Tag.
I had used Tag&Rename for almost 2 decades. I changed because I needed more flexibility in my workflow. I did struggle with the lack of folder view as I depended on it for so long. Initially it was almost a deal breaker. It takes a while to get used to a flat view of all the files/tags and now it doesn't bother me at all. I have zero regrets.
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### Author:  [@nebexe5539](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/nebexe5539)
#### Post date: [March 24, 2025, 7:35am UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/file-explorer-and-tracks-numbers/67934/9 "2025-03-24T07:35:36Z")
maybe. i've tried MP3Tag just because sometimes i need to copy all tags from files from one folder to same converted files from another folder, in batch, and MP3Tag allow this, Tag&Rename copy tag from all selected files but paste just only one
however another little question: Tag&Rename allow tracks numbers in format xx/xx like 01/32. on MP3Tag have this feature ?
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### Author:  [@LyricsLover](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/LyricsLover)
#### Post date: [March 24, 2025, 8:06am UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/file-explorer-and-tracks-numbers/67934/10 "2025-03-24T08:06:08Z")
> [@nebexe5539](#):
>
> tracks numbers in format xx/xx like 01/32. on MP3Tag have this feature ?
This depends on the music file format. For mp3 this is possible, for example, with Convert -\> "Auto-numbering wizard" (Ctrl + K):
This is not possible with m4a, as @ohrenkino has already explained.
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### Author:  [@nebexe5539](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/nebexe5539)
#### Post date: [March 24, 2025, 8:15am UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/file-explorer-and-tracks-numbers/67934/11 "2025-03-24T08:15:00Z")
i've ticked both, like your shot, but have just only xx format
and yes, i talk about m4a. Tag&Rename allow xx/xx format also in m4a files
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### Author:  [@LyricsLover](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/LyricsLover)
#### Post date: [March 24, 2025, 8:17am UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/file-explorer-and-tracks-numbers/67934/12 "2025-03-24T08:17:08Z")
> [@nebexe5539](#):
>
> Tag&Rename allow xx/xx format also in m4a files
You are here in the Mp3tag forum.
Mp3tag respects the existing standards for music files.
m4a does not allow anything else for TRACK then pure numbers like 1 or 11.
m4a does not allow any other characters like `/` or leading zeroes.
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### Author:  [@nebexe5539](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/nebexe5539)
#### Post date: [March 24, 2025, 8:22am UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/file-explorer-and-tracks-numbers/67934/13 "2025-03-24T08:22:09Z")
ok right. maybe i can see just in Tag&Rename but isn't real metadata from m4a file. i agree, and sorry for this stupid question, but as another guy says, for me too i used Tag&Rename from several years and now i can see some difference on tag, i need to understand why/how to
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### Author:  [@LyricsLover](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/LyricsLover)
#### Post date: [March 24, 2025, 8:25am UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/file-explorer-and-tracks-numbers/67934/14 "2025-03-24T08:25:24Z")
> [@nebexe5539](#):
>
> i can see some difference on tag
If you load a m4a-track (tagged with your old Tag&Rename where you see 01/32) in Mp3tag and then press Alt + T to open the Extended Tags window, what do you see as content for TRACK?
Or could you show us a [screenshot](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/hints-for-asking-support-requests/56190#use-screenshots-to-exemplify-the-issue-2) from Extended Tags for such a m4a track?
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### Author:  [@nebexe5539](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/nebexe5539)
#### Post date: [March 24, 2025, 8:53am UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/file-explorer-and-tracks-numbers/67934/15 "2025-03-24T08:53:04Z")
yes, with alt+T i see just one value only (same as default view from Mp3tag). i see xx/xx only in tagrename, but i think isn't real track tag. it's showed just on tagrename. the shot below is from same folder
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### Author:  [@ohrenkino](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/ohrenkino)
#### Post date: [March 24, 2025, 9:00am UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/file-explorer-and-tracks-numbers/67934/16 "2025-03-24T09:00:34Z")
Tag&rename shows the combined data from TRACK and TOTALTRACKS - MP3tag separates them cleanly into the fields that are really there.
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### Author:  [@LyricsLover](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/LyricsLover)
#### Post date: [March 24, 2025, 9:18am UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/file-explorer-and-tracks-numbers/67934/17 "2025-03-24T09:18:04Z")
If you really insist on seeing the TRACK formatted as in your old tool, you can use this new [custom column definition](https://docs.mp3tag.de/customization/file-list/) for m4a tracks:
This would show you `01/25` in the custom column "m4a-Track" because it formats the TRACK number with a leading zero, a Slash `/` and the content of TOTALTRACKS.
This will only make it look the same in Mp3tag, it will not change the real content!
It also has no effect on how the TRACK and TOTALTRACKS is displayed in other software.
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### Author:  [@nebexe5539](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/nebexe5539)
#### Post date: [March 24, 2025, 1:17pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/file-explorer-and-tracks-numbers/67934/18 "2025-03-24T13:17:41Z")
thanks to everybody for wonderful answers.
thanks for this amazing forum. and thanks to all dev's for this nice app (and free too!)
cheers to everybody. thanks again. all the best
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### Author:  [@system](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/system)
#### Post date: [April 23, 2025, 1:18pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/file-explorer-and-tracks-numbers/67934/19 "2025-04-23T13:18:22Z")
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