# how do i create an action to split a field by a separator ?
**URL:** https://community.mp3tag.de/t/how-do-i-create-an-action-to-split-a-field-by-a-separator/14404
**Category:** General Discussion
**Created:** [January 29, 2013, 7:18pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/how-do-i-create-an-action-to-split-a-field-by-a-separator/14404 "2013-01-29T19:18:10Z")
**Posts on this page:** 5
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@uk\_lee](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/uk_lee)
#### Post date: [January 29, 2013, 7:18pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/how-do-i-create-an-action-to-split-a-field-by-a-separator/14404/1 "2013-01-29T19:18:10Z")
Eg - i have imported a bunch of files , where the Title is formatted like this \>
**Title**....................................................................... **Artist**
Tom Robinson Band / 2-4-6-8 Motorway...................Various
i want to create an action that will move the first part of the text before the "/" character to the artist , and keep the second part of the text as the title . If it can delete the "/"character at the same time that would be great !
I'd like the result or the action to look like this \>
**Title**....................................................................... **Artist**
2-4-6-8 Motorway.................................................Tom Robinson Band
Can you help ?
thanks
Lee
---
### Author:  [@DetlevD](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/DetlevD)
#### Post date: [January 29, 2013, 7:41pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/how-do-i-create-an-action-to-split-a-field-by-a-separator/14404/2 "2013-01-29T19:41:51Z")
> [@uk lee](#):
>
> ... i want to create an action that will move the first part of the text before the "/" character to the artist , and keep the second part of the text as the title . If it can delete the "/"character at the same time that would be great ! ...
Find something useful there ...
[http://www.google.de/search?q=site:forums....guess+values%22](http://www.google.de/search?q=site:forums.mp3tag.de+%22guess+values%22)
DD.20130129.2136.CET
---
### Author:  [@uk\_lee](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/uk_lee)
#### Post date: [January 29, 2013, 7:47pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/how-do-i-create-an-action-to-split-a-field-by-a-separator/14404/3 "2013-01-29T19:47:25Z")
> [@DetlevD](#):
>
> Find something useful there ...
> [http://www.google.de/search?q=site:forums....guess+values%22](http://www.google.de/search?q=site:forums.mp3tag.de+%22guess+values%22)
>
> DD.20130129.2136.CET
Ok , so i have to use the Guess values tool ?
i assume that the source format would be %title% ? what do i enter for the guessing pattern?
Lee
---
### Author:  [@uk\_lee](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/uk_lee)
#### Post date: [January 29, 2013, 7:50pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/how-do-i-create-an-action-to-split-a-field-by-a-separator/14404/4 "2013-01-29T19:50:49Z")
ok , i worked it out , the guessing pattern needs to be %artist%/%title% then it works ok
thanks
---
### Author:  [@DetlevD](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/DetlevD)
#### Post date: [May 22, 2017, 6:49am UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/how-do-i-create-an-action-to-split-a-field-by-a-separator/14404/5 "2017-05-22T06:49:27Z")
> [@uk lee](#):
>
> ok , i worked it out , the guessing pattern needs to be %artist%/%title% then it works ok thanks
Regarding the example string: Tom Robinson Band / 2-4-6-8 Motorway
the guessing pattern should be coded as: %artist% / %title%
Because of the given split string as ' / ' ...
the tag-field ARTIST will not get a trailing space character, ...
and the tag-field TITLE will not get a leading space character.
DD.20170522.1049.CEST