# macOS cannot initialize %\_counter% or %\_max\_counter% inside Actions
**URL:** https://community.mp3tag.de/t/macos-cannot-initialize-counter-or-max-counter-inside-actions/70134
**Category:** Mac
**Created:** [November 14, 2025, 6:33pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/macos-cannot-initialize-counter-or-max-counter-inside-actions/70134 "2025-11-14T18:33:51Z")
**Posts on this page:** 5
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@macdilbert](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/macdilbert)
#### Post date: [November 14, 2025, 6:33pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/macos-cannot-initialize-counter-or-max-counter-inside-actions/70134/1 "2025-11-14T18:33:51Z")
### Mp3tag on macOS does not initialize `%_counter%` or `%_max_counter%` inside Actions
[edit I accidentally put a slash mark in these. It was unintended].
(I have heard that Windows does… macOS does not. This is a known limitation of the macOS version.)
Is there any way to fix this?
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### Author:  [@ohrenkino](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/ohrenkino)
#### Post date: [November 14, 2025, 7:06pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/macos-cannot-initialize-counter-or-max-counter-inside-actions/70134/2 "2025-11-14T19:06:29Z")
Please note that the real reference to these variables would be
`%_counter%`
and
`%_max_counter%`
no backslash in the names.
See also the Mac documentation:
> [@Format Strings and Available Placeholders](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/format-strings-and-available-placeholders/51688):
>
> Mp3tag uses format strings in various of its features to describe the structure of file names and imported data. A format string is built of either standard text (e.g., Music), placeholders (such as %artist%, %title%, ...), or slash characters / that usually denote directory structures. Characters with Special Functionality Some characters have special functionality and need to be treated with extra care. If you experience some unexpected behavior when using format string, check if some of t…
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### Author:  [@Florian](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/Florian)
#### Post date: [November 14, 2025, 10:12pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/macos-cannot-initialize-counter-or-max-counter-inside-actions/70134/3 "2025-11-14T22:12:51Z")
Please use
| | |
| --- | --- |
| `%_counter%` | Current selection index of the file (ascending from 1) |
| `%_counter_total%` | Current selection count |
`%_max_counter%` is a dynamic placeholder of the Export feature of the Windows version and unrelated to actions.
---
### Author:  [@macdilbert](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/macdilbert)
#### Post date: [November 15, 2025, 3:47am UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/macos-cannot-initialize-counter-or-max-counter-inside-actions/70134/4 "2025-11-15T03:47:19Z")
Thank you Florian! %\_counter\_total% works for the total counter and solves my problem.
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### Author:  [@system](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/system)
#### Post date: [December 15, 2025, 3:48am UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/macos-cannot-initialize-counter-or-max-counter-inside-actions/70134/5 "2025-12-15T03:48:12Z")
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