# How to write special characters in %track%
**URL:** https://community.mp3tag.de/t/how-to-write-special-characters-in-track/55691
**Category:** Support
**Created:** [December 31, 2021, 11:34pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/how-to-write-special-characters-in-track/55691 "2021-12-31T23:34:05Z")
**Posts on this page:** 9
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@AstralHaze](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/AstralHaze)
#### Post date: [December 31, 2021, 11:34pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/how-to-write-special-characters-in-track/55691/1 "2021-12-31T23:34:05Z")
So, I have these two tracks where the vinyl version uses ♂ and ♀ instead of A1 and B1 for the track numbers
I want to set the track value to what it says, which I can do with virtualdj, but virtualdj ads an extra replaygain value which I don't want. I can remove that in mp3tag, but then that changes ♂ or ♀ to ?; is there any way to get around this in mp3tag? Do I have to use a hex editor to combine the tag sets?
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### Author:  [@LyricsLover](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/LyricsLover)
#### Post date: [January 1, 2022, 12:31am UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/how-to-write-special-characters-in-track/55691/2 "2022-01-01T00:31:05Z")
This is the official definition for the tag TRACK:
> The 'Track number/Position in set' frame is a numeric string containing the order number of the audio-file on its original recording. This may be extended with a "/" character and a numeric string containing the total numer of tracks/elements on the original recording. E.g. "4/9".
I don't think that ♂ or ♀ fits as number according to this definition. It would be surprising if a player would read such a track correctly. And it would be even more surprising, if such a track would be played in the correct sort order.
The only thing you could do is to add a user defined tag like "MyOwnTrackNumber" and fill it with this characters.
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### Author:  [@AstralHaze](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/AstralHaze)
#### Post date: [January 1, 2022, 6:34am UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/how-to-write-special-characters-in-track/55691/3 "2022-01-01T06:34:42Z")
Foobar does fail to read it when the tag is written in virtual dj, but it does properly read and sort track numbers such as "B1," and mp3tag can read it, it just refuses to write it, or won't even leave it alone as it is and just as i said changes it to a question mark
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### Author:  [@ohrenkino](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/ohrenkino)
#### Post date: [January 1, 2022, 9:17am UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/how-to-write-special-characters-in-track/55691/4 "2022-01-01T09:17:31Z")
> [@AstralHaze](#):
>
> as i said changes it to a question mark
Which character encoding do you write?
It should be UTF. See File\>Options\>Tags\>Mpeg.
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### Author:  [@AstralHaze](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/AstralHaze)
#### Post date: [January 2, 2022, 5:48am UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/how-to-write-special-characters-in-track/55691/5 "2022-01-02T05:48:55Z")
I'd tried each option, and tried again now; they don't make a difference
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### Author:  [@ohrenkino](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/ohrenkino)
#### Post date: [January 2, 2022, 7:31am UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/how-to-write-special-characters-in-track/55691/6 "2022-01-02T07:31:19Z")
I think I remember this thread:
> [@\[F\] MP3Tag's use of Unicode in TLEN field is not ID3V2.3 compliant](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/f-mp3tags-use-of-unicode-in-tlen-field-is-not-id3v2-3-compliant/9209):
>
> MP3Tag uses Unicode when writing the TLEN field. However, at [http://www.id3.org/id3v2.3.0#sec3.3](http://www.id3.org/id3v2.3.0#sec3.3) it says explicitly: This seem pretty conclusive. This has become significant because of Microsoft's recent "security update" KB968816, which no longer permits (non-compliant) Unicode for TLEN, and now refuses to play such files. More details here: [http://www.microsoft.com/communities/newsg...78-39d7b355910b](http://www.microsoft.com/communities/newsgroups/en-us/default.aspx?dg=microsoft.public.windowsxp.music&tid=93b45385-c345-4fd9-9b54-a35c4a8f6d0f&cat=&lang=&cr=&sloc=&p=1&mid=e7311eeb-04aa-4009-a078-39d7b355910b) and here: [http://www.microsoft.com/communities/newsg...amp;m=1&p=1](http://www.microsoft.com/communities/newsgroups/list/en-us/default.aspx?dg=microsoft.public.windowsmedia.player&tid=3216f2df-39eb-4536-b4a2-b59a5f00dc60&cat=en_us_b80c408d-117a-4d9c-9ba5-55785432b592&lang=en&cr=us&sloc=en-us&m=1&p=1) and here: [/t/9208/1](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/9208/1) …
so, if you add anything non-numeric in TRACK and that is a special character then you have the trouble of writing it in the correct codepage.
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### Author:  [@poster](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/poster)
#### Post date: [January 2, 2022, 9:09am UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/how-to-write-special-characters-in-track/55691/7 "2022-01-02T09:09:05Z")
> [@AstralHaze](#):
>
> is there any way to get around this in mp3tag? Do I have to use a hex editor to combine the tag sets?
As already described here, these characters do not correspond to the standard for the TRCK field.
Mp3Tag does not fully adhere to this standard by allowing alphanumeric characters, but I think the restriction generally makes sense. There is also usually no support in other software that only displays values and does not write like players. Windows Explorer shows e.g. a "0" and only allows numeric characters in its own tag options.
Nevertheless, there is certainly tag software that does not adhere to the norm and allows the input of such characters, e.g. Mediamonkey, Tag & Rename.
A use of Mp3Tag is then definitely excluded, because Mp3Tag displays such characters correctly, but any saving process will turn them into a question mark.
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### Author:  [@Zerow](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/Zerow)
#### Post date: [January 10, 2022, 1:55pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/how-to-write-special-characters-in-track/55691/8 "2022-01-10T13:55:20Z")
Some more info about issues with the `TRACK` field an using non digit characters:
> [@\[X\] Can't copy some unusual TRACK tags from MP3 / FLAC to WMA](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/x-cant-copy-some-unusual-track-tags-from-mp3-flac-to-wma/17714/):
>
> Till recently, I was using only MP3's and FLACs; with tags in ID3v2.3 UTF-16. And I was using tag fields not in a "standard" way, with a bunch of signs different than just letters and numbers, but had not problems with them whatsoever But now it seems I have found a bug If the value in the TRACK tag field starts with a dot sign . I simply cannot copy such value to a WMA format. But if that dot was behind I number, then there would be no problem. Also if I have a letter or letters in the TRACK …
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### Author:  [@system](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/system)
#### Post date: [February 9, 2026, 12:29pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/how-to-write-special-characters-in-track/55691/9 "2026-02-09T12:29:35Z")