# Parse the file name **URL:** \ **Category:** Support\ **Created:** [October 10, 2014, 6:03pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/parse-the-file-name/16226 "2014-10-10T18:03:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Frank\_GC](https://community.mp3tag.de/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/f/54ee81/32.png) [@Frank\_GC](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/Frank_GC)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2014, 6:03pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/parse-the-file-name/16226/1 "2014-10-10T18:03:36Z")
Hello, This is my first attempt to use MP3Tag. I have music files in the form: Composer Title.mp3 e.g.: Rachmaninov Piano Concerto No\_3 in D minor, Op\_30 - 3\_ Finale (Alla breve)(1).mp3 The first proper noun is the Composer. The remainder of the file name is the Title .mp3 Is there a way to build tags to extract the Composer and Title from the file name? Thanks Frank C ---
**Author:** ![ohrenkino](https://community.mp3tag.de/user_avatar/community.mp3tag.de/ohrenkino/32/4843_2.png) [@ohrenkino](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/ohrenkino)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2014, 6:09pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/parse-the-file-name/16226/2 "2014-10-10T18:09:04Z")
you can try Convert\>filename-tag Enter as mask: %composer% %title% ---
**Author:** ![poster](https://community.mp3tag.de/user_avatar/community.mp3tag.de/poster/32/4881_2.png) [@poster](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/poster)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2014, 6:17pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/parse-the-file-name/16226/3 "2014-10-10T18:17:45Z")
To do this automatically you would need a delimiter that seperates the composer from the title. In your example this delimiter is a blank. As a blank may occur in many ways not only as a delimiter between composer and title but also as part of the composer, I can see no way do do this. e.g. Ludwig van Beethoven Symphony No. 5.mp3 ---
**Author:** ![DetlevD](https://community.mp3tag.de/user_avatar/community.mp3tag.de/detlevd/32/123_2.png) [@DetlevD](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/DetlevD)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2014, 5:32am UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/parse-the-file-name/16226/4 "2014-10-11T05:32:02Z")
> [@Frank C](#): > > I have music files in the form: > Composer Title.mp3 e.g.: > Rachmaninov Piano Concerto No\_3 in D minor, Op\_30 - 3\_ Finale (Alla breve)(1).mp3 > The first proper noun is the Composer. The remainder of the file name is the Title .mp3 > Is there a way to build tags to extract the Composer and Title from the file name? ... As 'poster' has pointed out, there is a problem with the filename, which has no distinct or unique character, which can work as a separator between the composer part and the title part. But there might be a way to go, when you are able to insert a separator character or string between the two parts. Having these filenames ... Ludwig van Beethoven Symphony No. 5.mp3 Rachmaninov Piano Concerto No\_3 in D minor, Op\_30 - 3\_ Finale (Alla breve)(1).mp3 ... there is, following the composer's name, the title part, starting with a special word like 'Symphony' or 'Piano'. It is easy to double the space character before the word 'Piano' and the word 'Symphony'. Replace ' Piano' with ' Piano'. Replace ' Symphony' with ' Symphony'. ... or ... Replace 'Piano' with ' Piano'. Replace 'Symphony' with ' Symphony'. Use Convert "Filename - Tag". **Filename: "T:\TEST\Ludwig van Beethoven Symphony No. 5.mp3" Format string: %ARTIST% %TITLE% ARTIST: Ludwig van Beethoven TITLE: Symphony No. 5** Alternatively you can use a 1-step action "Guess values". **Source format: $replace(%\_filename%,' Symphony',' Symphony') Guessing pattern: %ARTIST% %TITLE%** ... or ... **Source format: $regexp(%\_filename%,' (Piano|Symphony) ',' $1 ') Guessing pattern: %ARTIST% %TITLE%** ... or ... **Source format: $regexp(%\_filename%,' (Piano|Symphony) ',' - $1 ') Guessing pattern: %ARTIST% - %TITLE%** You may use any character or string as the separator, which can ease the splitting. DD.20141011.0945.CEST ---
**Author:** ![poster](https://community.mp3tag.de/user_avatar/community.mp3tag.de/poster/32/4881_2.png) [@poster](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/poster)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2014, 6:55am UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/parse-the-file-name/16226/5 "2014-10-11T06:55:56Z")
Just another idea to do it **half** -automatically. I think that there are only few composers and a lot more titles. My suggestion is: 1. Filter with the composer's name e.g. %\_filename% HAS Rachmaninov 2. Mark all the filtered files and fill in the composer's name manually in the tag-panel Now you have a tag with the composer's name and you only need to extract the title from the filename. For this define an action Field: TITLE Format String: $cutleft(%\_filename%,$add($len(%artist%),1)) I am sure there might be a more elegant solution but I think my solution at least spares you some work. ---
**Author:** ![Frank\_GC](https://community.mp3tag.de/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/f/54ee81/32.png) [@Frank\_GC](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/Frank_GC)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2014, 5:22pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/parse-the-file-name/16226/6 "2014-10-13T17:22:52Z")
Thanks to all for the suggestions. I will report back when I have tried them. In case I have to do lots of renaming, what would be an appropriate field delimiter between Composer and Title that MP3tag could use? Frank C ---
**Author:** ![ohrenkino](https://community.mp3tag.de/user_avatar/community.mp3tag.de/ohrenkino/32/4843_2.png) [@ohrenkino](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/ohrenkino)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2014, 5:38pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/parse-the-file-name/16226/7 "2014-10-13T17:38:46Z")
> [@Frank C](#): > > ... > what would be an appropriate field delimiter between Composer and Title > that MP3tag could use? > Frank C it is not really something for MP3tag - it is something that has to do with structure: the delimiter gives an amorphous string a structure. The best thing is usually something that does not appear in ordinary language or writing. The blank (space) is bad as it delimits every word. A hyphen is a little better but still appears in a lot of titles. If you have the choice then I would suggest the underscore \_ But probably your files already have a name that do not know that they should be parsed by Mp3tag soon. ---
**Author:** ![Frank\_GC](https://community.mp3tag.de/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/f/54ee81/32.png) [@Frank\_GC](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/Frank_GC)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2015, 7:41pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/parse-the-file-name/16226/8 "2015-02-09T19:41:11Z")
Thanks to all, I got it to work for my classical music folder. The file names were Composer (blank) Composition Title. I used the filter "File Name-Tag" and the format %artist% %title% For Ippolitov\_Ivanov I used the underscore. If I have a folder entirely by one artist is there a way to load this artist as a literal into every properties \> artist? Thanks Frank C ---
**Author:** ![poster](https://community.mp3tag.de/user_avatar/community.mp3tag.de/poster/32/4881_2.png) [@poster](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/poster)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2015, 6:15am UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/parse-the-file-name/16226/9 "2015-02-10T06:15:48Z")
Take the Converter Tag-\>Tag or alternatively define an action Format Value: Converter Field: ARTIST Format String: %\_directory% Action Type: Format Value Field: ARTIST Format String: %\_directory% ---
**Author:** ![Frank\_GC](https://community.mp3tag.de/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/f/54ee81/32.png) [@Frank\_GC](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/Frank_GC)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2015, 8:27pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/parse-the-file-name/16226/10 "2015-02-10T20:27:36Z")
Thanks Poster, That Worked. But, I don't understand how it did. I used it on a folder of Al Hirt. Each file is in the form: Title - Hirt ex. Danke Schoen-Hirt.mp3 I used: Converter Field: ARTIST Format String: %\_directory% as you suggested. I guess the Name Al Hirt came from the Folder (directory name). I didn't have Al in each file, only Hirt. That's Great! Thanks Frank C ---
**Author:** ![poster](https://community.mp3tag.de/user_avatar/community.mp3tag.de/poster/32/4881_2.png) [@poster](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/poster)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2015, 8:44pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/parse-the-file-name/16226/11 "2015-02-10T20:44:26Z")
> [@Frank C](#): > > I guess the Name Al Hirt came from the Folder (directory name). You guess right. The content of the artist-tag was replaced by the folder-name. ---
**Author:** ![system](https://community.mp3tag.de/uploads/default/original/2X/c/ce7035d426cb755a7916793326d23b465222a407.png) [@system](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/system)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2026, 12:25pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/parse-the-file-name/16226/12 "2026-02-09T12:25:18Z")
Closed on February 9, 2026, 12:25pm UTC