# import covers from files. **URL:** \ **Category:** Support\ **Created:** [March 3, 2013, 9:38pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/import-covers-from-files/14518 "2013-03-03T21:38:51Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![X-Tropic](https://community.mp3tag.de/user_avatar/community.mp3tag.de/x-tropic/32/7536_2.png) [@X-Tropic](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/X-Tropic)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2013, 9:38pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/import-covers-from-files/14518/1 "2013-03-03T21:38:51Z")
Hi! I have a lot of audio files, and separately for each file has a cover with the same name as the audio file. How do I select all the audio files and import the cover so as to correspond to each file has its own cover? I mean the automatic processing in batch mode ... Eg import script for the cover: %artist% - %title% ... Is this possible or is there any other ideas? ![](https://community.mp3tag.de/uploads/default/original/1X/8763823032f65d8ec8ad53f24c1fbc41cc798757.jpg) ![](https://community.mp3tag.de/uploads/default/original/1X/8763823032f65d8ec8ad53f24c1fbc41cc798757.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![ohrenkino](https://community.mp3tag.de/user_avatar/community.mp3tag.de/ohrenkino/32/4843_2.png) [@ohrenkino](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/ohrenkino)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2013, 5:34am UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/import-covers-from-files/14518/2 "2013-03-04T05:34:41Z")
> [@X-Tropic](#): > > Hi! I have a lot of audio files, and separately for each file has a cover with the same name as the audio file.... If I look at your screendump then the cover files DO NOT have the same name as the audio file (except the extension). In general: there is an action of the type "import covers" where you can specify the filename. THis can either be a constant like folder.jpg or one that can be deducted from data in the file e.g. %title% or "any" which then takes the first file from a folder, eg. \*.jpg. It is now up to you to find the matching pattern. ---
**Author:** ![X-Tropic](https://community.mp3tag.de/user_avatar/community.mp3tag.de/x-tropic/32/7536_2.png) [@X-Tropic](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/X-Tropic)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2013, 6:52am UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/import-covers-from-files/14518/3 "2013-03-04T06:52:09Z")
Big thanks! It work!) ---
**Author:** ![i\_edgars](https://community.mp3tag.de/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/i/f475e1/32.png) [@i\_edgars](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/i_edgars)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2013, 9:21am UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/import-covers-from-files/14518/4 "2013-03-10T09:21:14Z")
Do not be more of these action? As should be written so that you can import the Cover Art files with different names (for example: Cover, Cover Art, Front, Folder Art, etc.), and various extensions (for example: jpg, bmp, png, tiff, etc.) from the folder where is this audio file (directory)? ---
**Author:** ![ohrenkino](https://community.mp3tag.de/user_avatar/community.mp3tag.de/ohrenkino/32/4843_2.png) [@ohrenkino](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/ohrenkino)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2013, 9:30am UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/import-covers-from-files/14518/5 "2013-03-10T09:30:25Z")
> [@i\_edgars](#): > > Do not be more of these action? > ... import the Cover Art files with different names... You can create an action group which then caters for the different cases. Still, the underlying theme is that you either have to have a unique pattern for each file (type) or you have to rely on the position which is "the first jpg file". So, if your files are named cover.jpg singer.jpg you can setup an action which then imports cover.jpg as front and another action that imports "singer.jpg" as artist - these types can be set in the dialogue. And if you keep the old pictures then they get added. You cannot import "all" picture files from a folder using wildcards. So, if you combine several actions to an action group you more or less have "more of these actions". ---
**Author:** ![i\_edgars](https://community.mp3tag.de/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/i/f475e1/32.png) [@i\_edgars](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/i_edgars)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2013, 10:33am UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/import-covers-from-files/14518/6 "2013-03-10T10:33:19Z")
> [@ohrenkino](#): > > You can create an action group ... Do not be an example, because I do not know how to set up the operation at all. Show me please: 1. What I have entered in the "Actions" window to import audio files "Sash\_edited.JPG" using their relative location. See link: [http://content5-foto.inbox.lv/albums/i/i\_e...i/Cover-Art.jpg](http://content5-foto.inbox.lv/albums/i/i_edgars/Dazadi/Cover-Art.jpg) 2. Import cover as I can only select "Front Cover," but I can not write such as "Front", "Cover", "Folder Cover" .... How to import a different picture file name than the "Front Cover"? ---
**Author:** ![ohrenkino](https://community.mp3tag.de/user_avatar/community.mp3tag.de/ohrenkino/32/4843_2.png) [@ohrenkino](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/ohrenkino)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2013, 1:03pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/import-covers-from-files/14518/7 "2013-03-10T13:03:54Z")
The problem is whether the filename of the cover follows a certain pattern or not. sash\_edited does not look like a particular pattern to me. or you have named all your files %artist%\_edited which would then be the "filename" that you enter in the action import cover. So, from a single file it is very hard to tell what kind of pattern would help you. ---
**Author:** ![i\_edgars](https://community.mp3tag.de/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/i/f475e1/32.png) [@i\_edgars](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/i_edgars)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2013, 2:32pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/import-covers-from-files/14518/8 "2013-03-10T14:32:16Z")
> [@ohrenkino](#): > > So, from a single file it is very hard to tell what kind of pattern would help you. Write just one example of how I Cover Art to import an audio file. I can not do this operation. In any of my attempts I get the message: Import cover from file "filename" (Front Cover): File C: \ Documents and Settings \ Lex-W \ My Documents \ My Music \ MP3 \ Mp \ filename can not be accessed. ---
**Author:** ![ohrenkino](https://community.mp3tag.de/user_avatar/community.mp3tag.de/ohrenkino/32/4843_2.png) [@ohrenkino](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/ohrenkino)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2013, 2:44pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/import-covers-from-files/14518/9 "2013-03-10T14:44:27Z")
> [@i\_edgars](#): > > Write just one example of how I Cover Art to import an audio file. As I said - unless there is a pattern, it is hard to tell. Coming back to your example with sash\_edited.jpg and the idea to use %album% as filename (this is what the dump shows): the ALBUM ist called "Greatest Hits '99" so the action using %album% would look for a file called Greatest Hits '99.jpg which I cannot see in the folder. So, perhaps this is the solution, why you get the error message. The picture file I can see in that folder is called "sash\_edited.jpg". This does not look a lot like a decent pattern to me but perhaps it is the first picture file in that folder. So you can use the wildcard option. Enter \*.jpg in the inputbox for filename. ---
**Author:** ![i\_edgars](https://community.mp3tag.de/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/i/f475e1/32.png) [@i\_edgars](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/i_edgars)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2013, 3:54pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/import-covers-from-files/14518/10 "2013-03-10T15:54:58Z")
> [@ohrenkino](#): > > So, perhaps this is the solution, why you get the error message. Import cover from file "ALBUM" (Front Cover): File D: \ Uplade \ Sash - Greatest Hits 99 \ ALBUM can not be accessed. Import cover from file "% album%" (Front Cover): File D: \ Uplade \ 99 Greatest Hits \ 99 Greatest Hits can not be accessed. Etc. independently as a jpg file I call "Front Cover" or "Greatest Hits 99"etc.. = message "can not be accessed" Please written up to one working import Cover Art your example! To be able to see what is written "Actions" in the "Format string for image filename" and "Import cover as" ---
**Author:** ![ohrenkino](https://community.mp3tag.de/user_avatar/community.mp3tag.de/ohrenkino/32/4843_2.png) [@ohrenkino](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/ohrenkino)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2013, 4:17pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/import-covers-from-files/14518/11 "2013-03-10T16:17:33Z")
> [@i\_edgars](#): > > Please written up to one working import Cover Art your example! > To be able to see what is written "Actions" in the "Format string for image filename" and "Import cover as" Here we go then: this is the action that suits any jpg-file in the current album folder - it takes the first file found. ![](https://community.mp3tag.de/uploads/default/original/2X/2/278d0dc6238a61288385e1c19fd0d69eeece06d7.jpg) the other screeshot shows that folder with 3 files in it, 2 mp3s and one for the picture. ![](https://community.mp3tag.de/uploads/default/original/2X/5/58a0fd6ffa352a809246e814f710ed72a3af61e5.jpg) ![](https://community.mp3tag.de/uploads/default/original/2X/2/278d0dc6238a61288385e1c19fd0d69eeece06d7.jpg) ![](https://community.mp3tag.de/uploads/default/original/2X/5/58a0fd6ffa352a809246e814f710ed72a3af61e5.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![i\_edgars](https://community.mp3tag.de/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/i/f475e1/32.png) [@i\_edgars](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/i_edgars)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2013, 5:33pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/import-covers-from-files/14518/12 "2013-03-10T17:33:52Z")
Thank You! ---
**Author:** ![ohrenkino](https://community.mp3tag.de/user_avatar/community.mp3tag.de/ohrenkino/32/4843_2.png) [@ohrenkino](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/ohrenkino)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2013, 5:47pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/import-covers-from-files/14518/13 "2013-03-10T17:47:17Z")
Well, if that helped - good! The limitation of this solution is that it always uses the first picture file in a particular folder. So, if you look at your example, there is also the file spectre.jpg. If this were the cover file then you would have to add it manually .... unless the album would be called "Spectre" (I know it isn't, just an example). And if you have more folders where the picture files is EXACTLY called like the contents of one of the fields you could use %album%.jpg instead of \*.jpg (or %artist%.jpg or %artist%.png and so on). Another hint: you could make MP3tag to also read JPGs and show them in the files list (see File\>Options\>Tags: Restrict incoming files to). If you then have your collection organized in such a way that the folder has the name of the album, you could rename at least one file in that folder with an action of the type "Format tag field" for \_FILENAME Use %\_directory% as format string... Oh, I am getting carried away 😉 ---
**Author:** ![i\_edgars](https://community.mp3tag.de/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/i/f475e1/32.png) [@i\_edgars](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/i_edgars)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2013, 6:50pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/import-covers-from-files/14518/14 "2013-03-10T18:50:56Z")
> [@ohrenkino](#): > > ...one of the fields you could use > %album%.jpg > instead of > \*.jpg > (or %artist%.jpg or %artist%.png and so on). > > ...see File\>Options\>Tags: Restrict incoming files to > ..."Format tag field" for \_FILENAME > Use %\_directory% as format string... **A very big thank you!** It was both interesting and useful. ---
**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, 12:24pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/import-covers-from-files/14518/15 "2026-02-09T12:24:23Z")
Closed on February 9, 2026, 12:24pm UTC