Moving Files by writing to _FILENAME (Not working in V3.36.1)

mista_j · September 5, 2026, 6:03pm

I've been away for some months & opened MP3TAG, new update was available so I've updated the app & my actions to sort files by writing to _FILENAME are not moving files at all. I'm not sure what the issue is as they were working before & I haven't made changes besides updating the application.

The string below seems to still be working, it reads the file & spits out a new path for the track

$IF(%ID_ALBUM%,%USER_PATH%%ALT_PATH%%SUBFOLDER_PATH%%ALBUMSORT% by %ALBUMARTIST%$IF($AND(%ALT_PATH%,$EQL(%ALTERNATE%,'Clean Version')),' [C]',[ %E_STATUS%])[ (%YEAR%)] %ID_ALBUM%[$IF($EQL(%ALTERNATE%,'MP4 ALT'),'\M4A',)][$IF($EQL(%ALTERNATE%,'OPUS ALT'),'\OPUS',)][$IF($EQL(%ALTERNATE%,'WAV ORG'),'\WAV',)][$IF($EQL(%ALTERNATE%,'FLAC ALT'),'\FLAC',)][$IF($EQL(%ALTERNATE%,'Clean Version'),'\CLEAN',)][$IF($EQL(%ALTERNATE%,'Explicit Version'),'\EXPLICIT',)][$IF($EQL(%ALTERNATE%,'Archive'),'\ARCHIVE',)][\%LC SUFFIX% - %COVER DESCRIPTION 3%]\%_filename%,%_filename%)

New Path:

C:\Users\jayli\Music\Mista J's jams\Island Vibes 1\19 & Dangerous by Ayra Starr (2021) (IV)\Bloody Samaritan - Ayra Starr [i]

I am noticing a new thing in the preview when using Tag-Tag menu: this "C:\program files..." was not present before in the preview (see image below)

Running the action now my file goes nowhere but Mp3tag is acknowledging that its gone so clicking on the file after running the action makes the whole tow go blank as if the file had moved. Again this action was working before I updated so I don't know what the fix would be. After refreshing Mp3tag the track is editable again as if nothing happened. I've tried going back to an older version to see if the issue persists but the hyperlink seems to take me to the latest version again. I believe I had been using V3.34 as I remember the new UI changes as the last time I updated the application.

Thanks in advance

LyricsLover · September 5, 2026, 6:22pm

Could this fix be relevant?

mista_j · September 5, 2026, 6:43pm

Not sure, unfortunately the video link isn't working so I can't see exactly what they are referring to. The last version I was on worked flawlessly whether I used Convert Tag - Tag or just ran the action. In my case nothing is happening at all in terms of file movement or folder creation. I can only assume the prefix to my desired new path is causing issue even though when I open the preview in a text file that prefix is not present, just the new path.

ohrenkino · September 5, 2026, 9:11pm

I am not sure that you are allowed to move files to c:\program files\ ...

Could you try a different target folder path with a destination in one of the user folders?

mista_j · September 5, 2026, 10:13pm

That's the thing. The program files bit isn't part of my path. The path I'm aiming for starts with C:\Users mp3tag is pulling the program files path from thin air & adding it before my path. When I preview that Conver - Tag - Tag the program files portion doesn't show up in the text file only in the mp3tag UI

ohrenkino · September 6, 2026, 5:57am

I copied your format string and tried it in Convert>Tag-Tag and get an "Invalid syntax" error.
I think you have to debug that string first

mista_j · September 6, 2026, 6:20am

$IF(%ID_ALBUM%,%USER_PATH%%ALT_PATH%%SUBFOLDER_PATH%%ALBUMSORT% by %ALBUMARTIST%$IF($AND(%ALT_PATH%,$EQL(%ALTERNATE%,'Clean Version')),' [C]',[ %E_STATUS%])[ (%YEAR%)] %ID_ALBUM%[$IF($EQL(%ALTERNATE%,'MP4 ALT'),'\M4A',)][$IF($EQL(%ALTERNATE%,'OPUS ALT'),'\OPUS',)][$IF($EQL(%ALTERNATE%,'WAV ORG'),'\WAV',)][$IF($EQL(%ALTERNATE%,'FLAC ALT'),'\FLAC',)][$IF($EQL(%ALTERNATE%,'Clean Version'),'\CLEAN',)][$IF($EQL(%ALTERNATE%,'Explicit Version'),'\EXPLICIT',)][$IF($EQL(%ALTERNATE%,'Archive'),'\ARCHIVE',)][\%LC SUFFIX% - %COVER DESCRIPTION 3%]\%_filename%,%_filename%)

You can try it again using this file & see what it gives you, my tags are a bit out of the ordinary but i don't show a syntax error on my end, I pasted this one in with ctrl + shift + v instead of standard copy paste like last time, that may also help.

Oddly enough i did also notice if I don't try the field _FILENAME the preview is the string (path) I expect.

ohrenkino · September 6, 2026, 6:35am

The problem will be that you define a complete path in a tag field which includes (among others) the backslash.
As this posed a problem for some users (paths being generated from tag data and not explicidly from format strings), an option has been created to replace reserved characters in paths and filenames:

See this note in the changelog:

[2026-05-22] CHG: prevent creation of subfolders at 'Convert > Tag - Filename' if field value contains backslash character \. (#6166, #71287)

The workaround would be to set the \ as replacement character.
If you do not have that backslash restored, the filename becomes an invalid one and MP3tag defaults to the installation directory as a start.

mista_j · September 6, 2026, 7:23am

Many thanks!! I was loosing it a bit trying to figure this out all morning. I have yet to run into a track with a \ that hinders or ruins a file path but I can definitely see how one in any tag field could pose a problem. I hadn't even thought of that, I believe my medley's use the / in track titles which has likely saved me from this issue thus far without me ever knowing.