# How To - Start Mp3tag from Total Commander / FreeCommander
**URL:** https://community.mp3tag.de/t/how-to-start-mp3tag-from-total-commander-freecommander/14311
**Category:** Off-Topic
**Created:** [January 3, 2013, 11:04pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/how-to-start-mp3tag-from-total-commander-freecommander/14311 "2013-01-03T23:04:35Z")
**Posts on this page:** 12
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@dano](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/dano)
#### Post date: [January 3, 2013, 11:04pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/how-to-start-mp3tag-from-total-commander-freecommander/14311/1 "2013-01-03T23:04:35Z")
For Users of the file manager Total Commander here is a little tool that makes loading Mp3tag with one or more files/folders possible.
Also it's possible to automatically select all loaded files after sending them to Mp3tag.
See ReadMe file for instructions.
.
[Mp3tagTCButton.rar](https://community.mp3tag.de/uploads/default/original/2X/e/e6e331dad4dcb7c7071759c040dddf06163662a2.rar) (355 KB)
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### Author:  [@WhiteSnake](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/WhiteSnake)
#### Post date: [January 5, 2013, 6:59am UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/how-to-start-mp3tag-from-total-commander-freecommander/14311/2 "2013-01-05T06:59:43Z")
> [@dano](#):
>
> For Users of the file manager Total Commander here is a little tool that makes loading Mp3tag with one or more files/folders possible.
Thanks dano...this is great! 
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### Author:  [@dano](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/dano)
#### Post date: [February 25, 2018, 10:30am UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/how-to-start-mp3tag-from-total-commander-freecommander/14311/3 "2018-02-25T10:30:02Z")
My tool should also work with **FreeCommander**
If you add the tool, use these values:
**Start folder:**
_%ActivDir%_
**Parameter:**
_%ActivSelAsFileUtf8%_
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### Author:  [@Zerow](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/Zerow)
#### Post date: [February 26, 2018, 11:28pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/how-to-start-mp3tag-from-total-commander-freecommander/14311/4 "2018-02-26T23:28:46Z")
You have just like fixed FreeCommander & Mp3tag Experience for me: [http://forum.freecommander.com/viewtopic.php?f=18&t=7106&p=26852](http://forum.freecommander.com/viewtopic.php?f=18&t=7106&p=26852)
So thank you very much
Unfortunately your little EXE only loads files [and folders] to Mp3tag- thus replacing the old file list. But if it is clicked with the CTRL being pushed in, then the files / folders are added. And so the full trick is to: **set a hot key like CTRL + 1 for it** , because then the CTRL is being pushed as you execute it
[But I am pretty much sure I am just dreaming and tomorrow this will somehow turn out to work only sometimes and my problem still will not be solved]
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### Author:  [@Zerow](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/Zerow)
#### Post date: [February 28, 2018, 10:18pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/how-to-start-mp3tag-from-total-commander-freecommander/14311/5 "2018-02-28T22:18:33Z")
> [@Zerow](#):
>
> [...]
> [But I am pretty much sure I am just dreaming and tomorrow this will somehow turn out to work only sometimes and my problem still will not be solved]
And here I am- back to square one
It seems that this solution works- but can stop at any given attempt of loading files
Sometimes I can add files 10 times and sometimes 5 or just 1. But inevitably Mp3tag gets somehow corrupted and the Button instead of adding, just replaces the current list with whatever is selected. Then I have to close Mp3tag and just reopen it- then the Button and CTRL duet again work properly. [And so this fixing by the means of reopening of Mp3ag tells us that it is the fault of Mp3tag and not the FreeCommander or dano's Button]
And I did make sure it was not a case of a broken CTRL on a keyboard- I repeatedly experienced this break down also when using two different virtual keyboard [thus pressing CTRL + 1 evoking my button with my mouse]
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### Author:  [@dano](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/dano)
#### Post date: [March 8, 2018, 7:03pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/how-to-start-mp3tag-from-total-commander-freecommander/14311/6 "2018-03-08T19:03:25Z")
Default behaviour is replacing the file list...
Nether bothered if adding works. 🙂
Only thing I could change is that my program simulates a Ctrl key press.
Best would be if Florain adds a switch to the Mp3tag command line.
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### Author:  [@webazubi](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/webazubi)
#### Post date: [March 8, 2018, 2:29pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/how-to-start-mp3tag-from-total-commander-freecommander/14311/7 "2018-03-08T14:29:48Z")
Hallo.
My problem is, that my mp3tag.exe is not in the folder
%programfiles%
The Mp3tagTCButton.exe from the original post says:
> By default %programfiles%\Mp3tag\MP3tag.exe is used to start Mp3tag.
> Use the second parameter to change it if your Mp3tag.exe is in a different location.
> So I have to use the parameter
> %UL "Path to alternative Mp3tag.exe file" /SelectAll
But when I want to put the parameter %UL "path to exe" and /%ActivSelAsFileUtf8%, then I get an error.
So whhat is the right parameter or best way (without drag&drop), if I want in FreeCommander (windows 10 32Bit) select some Files and send them to mp3tag.exe, if this exe is not in %programfiles%?
Thanks
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### Author:  [@dano](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/dano)
#### Post date: [March 8, 2018, 6:22pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/how-to-start-mp3tag-from-total-commander-freecommander/14311/8 "2018-03-08T18:22:56Z")
Use this parameter:
_%ActivSelAsFileUtf8% "path to exe"_
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### Author:  [@webazubi](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/webazubi)
#### Post date: [March 9, 2018, 11:30pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/how-to-start-mp3tag-from-total-commander-freecommander/14311/9 "2018-03-09T23:30:41Z")
Hello again.
Do you habe the same problem and know a solution?
If I go that way with the parameter %ActivSelAsFileUtf8% "path to exe", then the Path in Tag-Panel in MP3tag is set to the folder of FreeCommander. So if I want to make a playlist in MP3TAG, the default Save-Path is not the path where the Files are.
But if I drag and drop the files from FreeCommander to MP3TAG and make then a playlist, then the default Save-Path ist set to the real folder where the files are.
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### Author:  [@dano](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/dano)
#### Post date: [March 10, 2018, 8:23am UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/how-to-start-mp3tag-from-total-commander-freecommander/14311/10 "2018-03-10T08:23:40Z")
As I wrote already you also have to fill **Start folder** with _%ActivDir%_
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### Author:  [@Zerow](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/Zerow)
#### Post date: [March 12, 2018, 7:49pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/how-to-start-mp3tag-from-total-commander-freecommander/14311/11 "2018-03-12T19:49:58Z")
> [@dano](#):
>
> Default behaviour is replacing the file list...
> Nether bothered if adding works. 🙂
>
> Only thing I could change is that my program simulates a Ctrl key press.
> Best would be if Florain adds a switch to the Mp3tag command line.
How about creating second versions of your little piece of software- an alternative one, that would add and not replace? The Mp3tag users could choose then whichever they like. Or just use both of them, depending on a situation
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### Author:  [@Florian](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/Florian)
#### Post date: [June 22, 2022, 3:35pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/how-to-start-mp3tag-from-total-commander-freecommander/14311/13 "2022-06-22T15:35:05Z")