# Launch external tool sequentially

**URL:** https://community.mp3tag.de/t/launch-external-tool-sequentially/3579
**Category:** General Discussion
**Created:** [July 20, 2006, 9:57pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/launch-external-tool-sequentially/3579 "2006-07-20T21:57:40Z")
**Posts on this page:** 3
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

### Author: ![sriram](https://community.mp3tag.de/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/s/46a35a/32.png) [@sriram](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/sriram)
#### Post date: [July 20, 2006, 9:57pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/launch-external-tool-sequentially/3579/1 "2006-07-20T21:57:40Z")

</div>

Hi,

I am using the external tool function for some scripting purposes, but when I have multiple files selected and choose the external tool, everything is started all at once. Would it be possible to have an options to process files sequentially? eg. start external tool with first selected file, wait for process to finish, then start external tool with second select file, and so forth.

Thanks,

---

<div class="post-metadata">

### Author: ![Sebastian\_Mares](https://community.mp3tag.de/user_avatar/community.mp3tag.de/sebastian_mares/32/9285_2.png) [@Sebastian\_Mares](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/Sebastian_Mares)
#### Post date: [July 21, 2006, 8:49am UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/launch-external-tool-sequentially/3579/2 "2006-07-21T08:49:31Z")

</div>

I also suggested this a while ago.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

### Author: ![cooterfrog](https://community.mp3tag.de/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/c/b4bc9f/32.png) [@cooterfrog](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/cooterfrog)
#### Post date: [July 21, 2006, 3:36pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/launch-external-tool-sequentially/3579/3 "2006-07-21T15:36:20Z")

</div>

> [@Sebastian Mares](#):
>
> I also suggested this a while ago.

I have a solution to this

my old way was to use a tool

name: mp3 gain  
path : "c:\program files\audio stuff\mp3gain.exe"  
parameters "/r /c "%\_path%%file"  
for all selected sources.

as expected this launched a seperate comand window for each file . this was ok for 10 or so files but for larger groups it was bad.

so I changed to use an export config  
called mp3gain.mte

> [@](#):
>
> $filename("bat")  
> cd "c:\program files\audio stuff"  
> $loop(%\_path%)mp3gain /c /r "%\_path%"  
> $loopend()  
> pause

this creates a batch file with a line for each selected file

> [@](#):
>
> cd "c:\program files\audio stuff"  
> mp3gain /c /r "C:\Downloads\Scorpions-No._1s_(24-Bit\_Remastered)-2CD-2006-XXL\Scorpions - No. 1's - 01 - Wind Of Change.mp3"  
> mp3gain /c /r "C:\Downloads\Scorpions-No._1s_(24-Bit\_Remastered)-2CD-2006-XXL\Scorpions - No. 1's - 02 - Under The Same Sun.mp3"  
> mp3gain /c /r "C:\Downloads\Scorpions-No._1s_(24-Bit\_Remastered)-2CD-2006-XXL\Scorpions - No. 1's - 03 - No One Like You.mp3"  
> mp3gain /c /r "C:\Downloads\Scorpions-No._1s_(24-Bit\_Remastered)-2CD-2006-XXL\Scorpions - No. 1's - 04 - Holiday.mp3"  
> ...

and then the program asks if I want to view it. when you say yes it opesn the batch file and runs it.

it woks fine for up to about 1000 files.

I tried it last night on 6000 files because I wanted to Regainthem and it crapped out when trying to export the tags ( to create the batch file.)

I am sure tha the same thing could be done with wsh instead of bat. if you were good with wsh (vb, js) you could do some greats stuff.