# How to copy album title preceding a colon into album artist? **URL:** \ **Category:** Support\ **Created:** [June 21, 2016, 8:56pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/how-to-copy-album-title-preceding-a-colon-into-album-artist/18053 "2016-06-21T20:56:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Dasyurus](https://community.mp3tag.de/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/d/4bbf92/32.png) [@Dasyurus](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/Dasyurus)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2016, 8:56pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/how-to-copy-album-title-preceding-a-colon-into-album-artist/18053/1 "2016-06-21T20:56:34Z")
Hi, I have nearly a thousand classical music album titles which all have the composer, or performer, included at the beginning of each album title, and followed by a colon. e.g. Bach JS: The Goldberg Variations; Glenn Gould ``` or ``` e.g John Williams: El Diablo Suelto Does anyone know if there is a quick work around, using regular expressions, for copying the information preceding the colon in the album title field, and pasting it into the album artist field? I would welcome any ideas or assistance in achieving in what would otherwise be a laborious task. Regards. ---
**Author:** ![Rijkstra](https://community.mp3tag.de/user_avatar/community.mp3tag.de/rijkstra/32/22_2.png) [@Rijkstra](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/Rijkstra)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2016, 9:49pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/how-to-copy-album-title-preceding-a-colon-into-album-artist/18053/2 "2016-06-21T21:49:26Z")
Is that a semicolon before "Glenn Gould?" This can be done without RegEx with the Guess Values action: _Action type:_ **Guess values** _Source format:_ **%album%** _Guessing pattern:_ **%albumartist%: %album%; %artist%** ---
**Author:** ![Dasyurus](https://community.mp3tag.de/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/d/4bbf92/32.png) [@Dasyurus](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/Dasyurus)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2016, 7:58pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/how-to-copy-album-title-preceding-a-colon-into-album-artist/18053/3 "2016-06-22T19:58:24Z")
> [@Rijkstra](#): > > Is that a semicolon before "Glenn Gould?" > > This can be done without RegEx with the Guess Values action: > > _Action type:_ **Guess values** > _Source format:_ **%album%** > _Guessing pattern:_ **%albumartist%: %album%; %artist%** Hi, Thanks for your reply. Yes, that is a semi-colon after Glenn Gould, and I should not have included that as an example, as it probably confused the issue. I just want to focus on the information preceding the colon in the album title, as that is where my dilemma is. I did try your work around, but unfortunately first time around it didn't work using the full formula provided. However, I left out "; %artist%" and repeated the action, and this time it put the information exactly into the album artist field. Unfortunately, it was a cut and past action, whereas I would like a copy and paste action, thereby leaving the composer/performer information still in the album field as well as in the album artist field. Would that still be possible using the Guess values field? Regards ---
**Author:** ![Rijkstra](https://community.mp3tag.de/user_avatar/community.mp3tag.de/rijkstra/32/22_2.png) [@Rijkstra](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/Rijkstra)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2016, 10:50pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/how-to-copy-album-title-preceding-a-colon-into-album-artist/18053/4 "2016-06-22T22:50:09Z")
> [@Dasyurus](#): > > Hi, > > Thanks for your reply. Yes, that is a semi-colon after Glenn Gould, and I should not have included that as an example, as it probably confused the issue. I just want to focus on the information preceding the colon in the album title, as that is where my dilemma is. > > I did try your work around, but unfortunately first time around it didn't work using the full formula provided. However, I left out "; %artist%" and repeated the action, and this time it put the information exactly into the album artist field. Unfortunately, it was a cut and past action, whereas I would like a copy and paste action, thereby leaving the composer/performer information still in the album field as well as in the album artist field. Would that still be possible using the Guess values field? > > Regards Sure, it can be done. It wasn't clear that you wanted the ALBUM field to remain intact. Glenn Gould was TMI to make it clear. _Action type:_ **Guess values** _Source format:_ **%album%** _Guessing pattern:_ **%albumartist%: %dummy%** ---
**Author:** ![Dasyurus](https://community.mp3tag.de/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/d/4bbf92/32.png) [@Dasyurus](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/Dasyurus)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2016, 10:47am UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/how-to-copy-album-title-preceding-a-colon-into-album-artist/18053/5 "2016-06-23T10:47:07Z")
> [@Rijkstra](#): > > Sure, it can be done. It wasn't clear that you wanted the ALBUM field to remain intact. Glenn Gould was TMI to make it clear. > > _Action type:_ **Guess values** > _Source format:_ **%album%** > _Guessing pattern:_ **%albumartist%: %dummy%** Your solution worked exactly as you said it would. I appreciate your help and thanks for being patient with me! Regards ---
**Author:** ![system](https://community.mp3tag.de/uploads/default/original/2X/c/ce7035d426cb755a7916793326d23b465222a407.png) [@system](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/system)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2026, 12:26pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/how-to-copy-album-title-preceding-a-colon-into-album-artist/18053/6 "2026-02-09T12:26:18Z")
Closed on February 9, 2026, 12:26pm UTC