# Filtering Syntax
**URL:** https://community.mp3tag.de/t/filtering-syntax/9778
**Category:** Support
**Created:** [January 26, 2010, 6:38pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/filtering-syntax/9778 "2010-01-26T18:38:10Z")
**Posts on this page:** 8
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@jim.sugarman](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/jim.sugarman)
#### Post date: [January 26, 2010, 6:38pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/filtering-syntax/9778/1 "2010-01-26T18:38:10Z")
I just started using the new version of MP3Tag and I'm confused by the new filter function. Sometimes I can get it to work but not always. How would can I filter for File Extension (extension=flac for instance). Can I do a combined filter (genre=rock and artist=Beck)?
Thanks.
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### Author:  [@ohrenkino](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/ohrenkino)
#### Post date: [January 26, 2010, 6:58pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/filtering-syntax/9778/2 "2010-01-26T18:58:48Z")
try the following line:
genre MATCHES rock AND artist MATCHES Beck
it is absolutely vital that you write the keywords in CAPITALS. A "matches" it not recognized but a "MATCHES" is.
If you have more complicated filter strings with blanks then use "" to delimit them:
artist MATCHES "Jeff Beck"
Does this help?
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### Author:  [@dano](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/dano)
#### Post date: [January 26, 2010, 7:29pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/filtering-syntax/9778/3 "2010-01-26T19:29:48Z")
MATCHES is for regular expressions. It works but it might be safer to use IS or HAS for simple queries.
Also read
[https://docs.mp3tag.de/filter](https://docs.mp3tag.de/filter)
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### Author:  [@ohrenkino](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/ohrenkino)
#### Post date: [January 26, 2010, 7:36pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/filtering-syntax/9778/4 "2010-01-26T19:36:43Z")
> [@dano](#):
>
> ... it might be safer ....
> Also read
> [https://docs.mp3tag.de/filter](https://docs.mp3tag.de/filter)
Hi dano,
I tired my best ... but apparently you are still better. What may be the dangers of using MATCHES (besides them causing fire - just kidding)?
Would it be simpler to reduce the filter syntax to just one keyword that is suitable for all cases: simple queries and more complex ones? But I am eager to hear about the dangers. Would you, please?
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### Author:  [@dano](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/dano)
#### Post date: [January 26, 2010, 8:28pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/filtering-syntax/9778/5 "2010-01-26T20:28:55Z")
Regex has a bunch of characters that have a special meaning that many users probably won't know.
This might produce errors for them.
I'd just avoid regex unless it is really needed.
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### Author:  [@jim.sugarman](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/jim.sugarman)
#### Post date: [January 29, 2010, 12:54pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/filtering-syntax/9778/6 "2010-01-29T12:54:19Z")
Thanks, I'll use CAPITALS. Is there some documentation somewhere?
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### Author:  [@dano](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/dano)
#### Post date: [January 29, 2010, 12:57pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/filtering-syntax/9778/7 "2010-01-29T12:57:33Z")
> [@dano](#):
>
> Also read
> [https://docs.mp3tag.de/filter](https://docs.mp3tag.de/filter)
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### Author:  [@system](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/system)
#### Post date: [February 9, 2026, 12:22pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/filtering-syntax/9778/8 "2026-02-09T12:22:08Z")