# Mapping of tag fields - is it really needed at all? **URL:** https://community.mp3tag.de/t/mapping-of-tag-fields-is-it-really-needed-at-all/19791 **Category:** Support **Created:** [February 8, 2018, 9:42pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/mapping-of-tag-fields-is-it-really-needed-at-all/19791 "2018-02-08T21:42:37Z") **Posts on this page:** 1 **Showing post:** 5
### Author: ![Zerow](https://community.mp3tag.de/user_avatar/community.mp3tag.de/zerow/32/11379_2.png) [@Zerow](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/Zerow) #### Post date: [February 13, 2018, 8:01pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/mapping-of-tag-fields-is-it-really-needed-at-all/19791/5 "2018-02-13T20:01:53Z")
And so I did create such mapping - Tag: - WMA - Source: - MADE-UP-BY-ME-FIELD - Target: - TRACK And it did do the trick of allowing me now to put dots in WMA files in the TRACK, as in other formats that I use; analogical to how I use YEAR in spite of FLACs using natively the DATE field. Unfortunately, Winamp was not fooled by this and does not display a mapped TRACK field for WMA. And something strange I have noticed during this, some of which has nothing to do with Mp3tag [but might be relevant in the broader context]. As this might be hard to follow so I will try to brake it down. Please note that in CAPITALS are denoted the name of tag fields. And that I am talking about years in regard to FLACs and about track numbers in regards to WMAs **1]** Winamp has two ways of displaying tags: via the aforementioned Advanced Title Formatting and the File Info Component. ATF is displayed in 3 different places, but it does always follow in all of those places the code I feed it- and obviously you have to specify within the code for ATF what fields you want to process **2]** When in mapping options of Mp3tag, VorbisComment [the Tag] maps DATE [the source] as YEAR [the target], FLAC files have years [via the Tag Panel Year box] written in YEAR tag field. The Extended Tags icon will not show having them the DATE field filled up- it will not even show the DATE field existing as empty [with no data]. And Winamp shows such "fake" YEAR via ATF and FIC; and also Winamp shows it in the File Info \> Basic Info \> Year box and in the File Info \> Advanced [which shows all of the data just like the Extended Tags icon in Mp3tag] **3]** When I delete that VorbisComment mapping [DATE as YEAR] I can still use the Year box to write into FLACs- and the data still is saved in them as YEAR. And Winamp displays it, but this time only in ATF, FIC and File Info \> Advanced - but does not display it in the File Info \> Basic Info \> Year box **4]** However in the long run, while using Winamp and Mp3tag, not having DATE mapped as YEAR will cause glitches to accumulate, if the year information will be continually upgraded [changed]. Like for example having two fields described as DATE, aside also a YEAR **5]** If I were to use in the first place the Winamp to change the year of a FLAC file [via Year box in the File Info], the data would be saved as DATE. That is logical as it is the Winamp who is doing the writing and does not know what settings a third party software like Mp3tag has [all that mapping or lack thereof]. But here is the strange part: Winamp no longer reads the YEAR and uses the DATE. Mp3tag show via the Extended Tags the file as still having both YEAR and DATE [as I wrote it with different values, to make it distinguishable]. But Winamp via ATF displays now DATE instead of YEAR- how is that possible if I have only YEAR in the ATF code mentioned? In spite of this Winamp somehow shows via the ATF way the DATE! And via the File Info Components it does not- it just skips the Year line [that is how FIC always behaves if there is no data in a given field]. So Winamp substitutes automatically DATE for YEAR in ATF but in FIC it does not; and it is aware of both field as having data as it communicates this by showing both YEAR and DATE filled in [with different values] on the list available at File Info \> Advanced **6]** When in mapping options of Mp3tag, WMA [the Tag] maps MADE-UP-BY-ME-FIELD [the source] as TRACK [the target] I can use it freely- in that it no longer gives me any trouble in Mp3tag. But both ATF and FIC in Winamp do not see it at all. And the File Info \> Basic Info \> Track box in Winamp is also is empty, while the File Info \> Advanced shows MADE-UP-BY-ME-FIELD a being filled with data. But most important, the ATF and FIC do not display that MADE-UP-BY-ME-FIELD as TRACK So it seems I kind of do not need mapping for FLACs [3] as long as I do not attempt to temper later on with DATE [4-5], but even with mapping the WMAs will not act like the FLACs [5]; and Winamp has some weird inconsistent behavior that disregards users choices [5] I shall post these findings also on the Winamp forum, but first, do you @Florian can add some info on the behalf of Mp3tag-code-runner about that difference between WMAs and FLACs? You have already told me not to cross-post, but this is very relevant in this discussion [and there was nobody back then who answered to this]: > [@\[X\] 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/17714/5): > > > [@\[X\] 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/17714/4): > > > > This is not a bug, but the result of an Mp3tag feature. > > > > WMA files use ASF (Advanced Systems Format) tags. > > [...] > > You may ask, "How does Mp3tag write those tags?" > > > > Only the developer knows for sure > > [...] > > You mean developer of Mp3tag: [Florian](https://forums.mp3tag.de/index.php?showuser=203%20)? > > Or developers of WMA container format? > [...] --- _[View the full topic](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/mapping-of-tag-fields-is-it-really-needed-at-all/19791)._