# Playlist Syntax Takes Only One Variable
**URL:** https://community.mp3tag.de/t/playlist-syntax-takes-only-one-variable/12691
**Category:** General Discussion
**Created:** [November 14, 2011, 9:53am UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/playlist-syntax-takes-only-one-variable/12691 "2011-11-14T09:53:40Z")
**Posts on this page:** 3
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@hackerishy](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/hackerishy)
#### Post date: [November 14, 2011, 9:53am UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/playlist-syntax-takes-only-one-variable/12691/1 "2011-11-14T09:53:40Z")
In Tools/Options/Playlist I tried to enter a Filename of playlist as:
%artist% - %album%
but it turns into an error "SYNTAX ERROR IN FORMATTING STRING".
I can get rid of the error by choosing only one variable, but this limits the naming functionality a tad. Please can you make this option as flexible as, say, the "Convert" options, which will accept a wide range of variables in one string.
Thanks for a great program, by the way!
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### Author:  [@DetlevD](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/DetlevD)
#### Post date: [November 14, 2011, 10:55am UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/playlist-syntax-takes-only-one-variable/12691/2 "2011-11-14T10:55:52Z")
> [@hackerishy](#):
>
> In Tools/Options/Playlist I tried to enter a Filename of playlist as: %artist% - %album%
> but it turns into an error "SYNTAX ERROR IN FORMATTING STRING".
> I can get rid of the error by choosing only one variable, but this limits the naming functionality a tad. Please can you make this option as flexible as, say, the "Convert" options, which will accept a wide range of variables in one string. Thanks for a great program, by the way!
Cannot confirm your observation.
What does the question mark help info say?
What placeholders are possible or not?
Try again with a format string, which has no syntax error.
DD.20111114.1255.CET
---
### Author:  [@jgt1942](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/jgt1942)
#### Post date: [November 16, 2011, 4:28pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/playlist-syntax-takes-only-one-variable/12691/3 "2011-11-16T16:28:48Z")
> [@hackerishy](#):
>
> In Tools/Options/Playlist I tried to enter a Filename of playlist as:
> %artist% - %album%
> but it turns into an error "SYNTAX ERROR IN FORMATTING STRING".
> I can get rid of the error by choosing only one variable, but this limits the naming functionality a tad. Please can you make this option as flexible as, say, the "Convert" options, which will accept a wide range of variables in one string.
> Thanks for a great program, by the way!
In the past I created playlist using the format \_%\_directory%.m3u where my directory (folder within my music folder) was Artist-Album and there was no issues for me. But since moving to Windows Media Player as my music player I have dropped the creation of playlist mainly because I have much more flexibility within WMP.