# multiple CDs, naming, numbering
**URL:** https://community.mp3tag.de/t/multiple-cds-naming-numbering/5064
**Category:** General Discussion
**Created:** [June 25, 2007, 11:35am UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/multiple-cds-naming-numbering/5064 "2007-06-25T11:35:18Z")
**Posts on this page:** 3
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@bobkoure](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/bobkoure)
#### Post date: [June 25, 2007, 11:35am UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/multiple-cds-naming-numbering/5064/1 "2007-06-25T11:35:18Z")
As per usual, there doesn't seem to be a "standard" way to do this, but I've ended up using a way that seems to work with the players I use and leaves me files named the way I like. More specifically, tracks in a "box set" should all have the same album name, have rising track numbers, and the files are named in such a way that win explorer sorts them in order...
step 1: number tracks with the first track of each CD numbered cdnum\*100 +1 (so track 1 of disk 2 is 201)
step 2: rename files based on tags using
%artist% - %album% - CD$left(%track%,1)-$right(%track%,2) - %title%
so that track above would be named some artist - some album - CD2-01 - some title
The only "gotcha" is for CD sets that have more than 9 CDs as you can't add leading zeros to the track number - and I want the file for CD2, track 1 to be named ...CD02-01... so it sorts properly in windows explorer. So I use the Tag-\>filename formula
%artist% - %album% - CD$left($num(%track%,4),2)-$right($num(%track%,4),2) - %title%
(works with sets less than 100, all CDs less than 100 tracks - easy to change to accommodate)
Of course, other folks like other filename formats - easy to change tag-\>filename formulas.
I hope this helps someone, and, of course, I'd be glad to hear from anyone who's come up with a better way to do this...
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### Author:  [@aladoro](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/aladoro)
#### Post date: [June 26, 2007, 5:07am UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/multiple-cds-naming-numbering/5064/2 "2007-06-26T05:07:23Z")
> tracks in a "box set" should all have the same album name
> have rising track numbers, and the files are named in such a way that win explorer sorts them in order...
> fully agree!
> number tracks with the first track of each CD numbered cdnum\*100 +1
> I prefer to put the disc nbr in the tag DISCNUMBER, displaying it in a separate column just left of the track column; added DISCNUMBER to the tag panel via "Options, Tag Panel" for easy editing.
> for box sets with less than 10 disc I use single digit disc numbers, for bigger collections 2 digits with leading 0 below disc 10.
> step 2: rename files based on tags using
> %artist% - %album% - CD$left(%track%,1)-$right(%track%,2) - %title%
> my string is
> %artist%_[%album%_][%discnumber%][$if(%track%,$num(%track%,2)_,)]%title%
> or
> %album%_[%discnumber%][$if(%track%,$num(%track%,2)_,)]%artist%_%title%
> for VA disc sets
> anyone who's come up with a better way to do this...
> slightly different, not better ... 😉
cheers, andreas
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### Author:  [@bobkoure](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/bobkoure)
#### Post date: [June 29, 2007, 12:23pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/multiple-cds-naming-numbering/5064/3 "2007-06-29T12:23:11Z")
I used to do it this way, too (well, used the field CDNUM - but same idea with renaming files from tags)
The problem is that you either:
- end up with a number of tracks with number 1 (an number with 2, etc)
- have to renumber all tracks at the end (after the rename)
Best,