# Help needed with simple (I Hope!) Format Value problem
**URL:** https://community.mp3tag.de/t/help-needed-with-simple-i-hope-format-value-problem/12770
**Category:** Support
**Created:** [December 2, 2011, 12:22pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/help-needed-with-simple-i-hope-format-value-problem/12770 "2011-12-02T12:22:53Z")
**Posts on this page:** 6
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@kiboy6](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/kiboy6)
#### Post date: [December 2, 2011, 12:22pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/help-needed-with-simple-i-hope-format-value-problem/12770/1 "2011-12-02T12:22:53Z")
Hello,
I've been using mp3tag for ages, but am only now discovering it's true power. (Was pushed into action by annoying mp3 players with infuriating tag reading limitations).
Anyway, I haven't been able to figure out how to effect the following Format Value...if anyone can help me I'd greatly Appreciate it.
Here's what I'm after:
If Artist tag is "Various Artists" AND Album is "Singles" then change Artist tag to "Singles"
If the conditions are not met then leave Artist tag unchanged, or if that is impossible, replacing Artist tag with %albumartist% would have the same effect.
Thanks so much if anyone can help me out on this.
---
### Author:  [@DetlevD](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/DetlevD)
#### Post date: [December 2, 2011, 2:04pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/help-needed-with-simple-i-hope-format-value-problem/12770/2 "2011-12-02T14:04:22Z")
> [@kiboy6](#):
>
> Hello, I've been using mp3tag for ages, but am only now discovering it's true power. ... Here's what I'm after: If Artist tag is "Various Artists" AND Album is "Singles" then change Artist tag to "Singles" ... Thanks so much if anyone can help me out on this.
As a first step you can set the Filter ...
**ARTIST IS "Various Artists" AND ALBUM IS "Singles"**
... to display only all these files which need to have set the ARTIST to "Singles".
DD.20111202.1605.CET
---
### Author:  [@kiboy6](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/kiboy6)
#### Post date: [December 2, 2011, 3:09pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/help-needed-with-simple-i-hope-format-value-problem/12770/3 "2011-12-02T15:09:06Z")
Thanks a lot for the tip - that would be one way....but I was hoping to set up a single action that I can re-apply again and again in he future.
Is that not possible?
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### Author:  [@DetlevD](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/DetlevD)
#### Post date: [December 2, 2011, 3:42pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/help-needed-with-simple-i-hope-format-value-problem/12770/4 "2011-12-02T15:42:16Z")
> [@kiboy6](#):
>
> Thanks a lot for the tip - that would be one way....but I was hoping to set up a single action that I can re-apply again and again in he future. Is that not possible?
This request, isn't it a one shot?
Once you have set the filter, select all filtered files, open the dialog "Extended Tags...", change the value of the tag-field ARTIST to "Singles", press OK, that's all and ready.
Why do you expect the same case to coming up in the future again?
DD.20111202.1743.CET
---
### Author:  [@pone](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/pone)
#### Post date: [December 2, 2011, 3:54pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/help-needed-with-simple-i-hope-format-value-problem/12770/5 "2011-12-02T15:54:38Z")
> [@kiboy6](#):
>
> If Artist tag is "Various Artists" AND Album is "Singles" then change Artist tag to "Singles"
>
> If the conditions are not met then leave Artist tag unchanged...
Action: Format Value
Field: ARTIST
Formatstring: $if($and($eql(%artist%,Various Artists),$eql(%album%,Singles)),Singles,%artist%)
---
### Author:  [@system](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/system)
#### Post date: [February 9, 2026, 12:23pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/help-needed-with-simple-i-hope-format-value-problem/12770/6 "2026-02-09T12:23:29Z")