# Is it possible to manipulate output?
**URL:** https://community.mp3tag.de/t/is-it-possible-to-manipulate-output/68165
**Category:** Web Sources Discussion
**Created:** [April 10, 2025, 9:20pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/is-it-possible-to-manipulate-output/68165 "2025-04-10T21:20:06Z")
**Posts on this page:** 2
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@DarthDobber](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/DarthDobber)
#### Post date: [April 10, 2025, 9:20pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/is-it-possible-to-manipulate-output/68165/1 "2025-04-10T21:20:06Z")
I am running into issues with a line that has a lot of data in it. I am trying to determine if a string is separated by a ":". The problem is that if the data isn't actually separated by a ":" the line is long enough that it will eventually match on a ":" later in the line.
So I was wondering is there a way to output the entire string (which has distinct beginning and ending characters) to a temp output variable and then check if the temp output contains a ":" and if so split it into two different outputs.
I don't think this is possible, but I thought I would ask and see if anyone else has a suggestion.
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### Author:  [@MotleyG](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/MotleyG)
#### Post date: [April 11, 2025, 1:13am UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/is-it-possible-to-manipulate-output/68165/2 "2025-04-11T01:13:04Z")
> [@DarthDobber](#):
>
> The problem is that if the data isn't actually separated by a ":" the line is long enough that it will eventually match on a ":" later in the line.
This is a bit confusing as the two conditions of the ":" contradict each other. Do you have an example you can share, preferably with a screenshot to verify?