Is it possible to remove all unwanted tag versions from the mp3 files with a action?
In fact we want to remove all other tag versions except ID3v2.3. Now we changed the settings of mp3tag to this:
Now it is possible to remove all unwanted tags by simply executing the 'Remove tag' function of the files context menu.
Is there a way to integrate this in my own action or should I repost this as a feature request?
No, unfortunately tag removal can't be done through an action. That's been an enhancement request of mine for years. The whole tag writing, copying and removal aspect of Mp3tag has always been awkward and in need of an overhaul.
Thank you for your quick reply. Now I know, that I am not alone with this problem. Unfortunately mp3tag isn't opensource or has a scripting interface for example based on python or lua... The only thing we can do is to wait...
I am not quite sure where the source for the awkwardness is.
The current concept with its prioritization of the various versions of tags leads to the maximum comfort when it comes to editing a field only once.
I mean: how could it be that you have APE tags but apparently nothing except some "gain" value is filled? Why doesn't that program that created such tags fill them properly and therefore keep the user's information consistent in all tags?
Coming to the removal of tags: the current implementation makes it fairly clear: this is the source and that is the target. After editing the tags with MP3tag you end up with consistent tags where all tags show the same contents within the limits of their capabilities.
The confusion, IMHO, was created by other programs that do not care about consistent data.
Why the lack of a corresponding action should make the tag handling awkward ... Just a reminder: all other actions rely on the settings for reading, writing and deleting tags. The reading is executed before any file is displayed in MP3tag and ready to be treated by actions. So if you suspect any strange tags in your files you have to tell MP3tag before it reads the files how to treat these tags.
The editing then processes the files according to your pre-sets. The main focus of MP3tag is to treat a lot of files at once so that the user has to type as little as possible. A file by file editing with repeated decisions to delete or keep certain tags does not really fit the concept.
It is true that it cannot be done in the way it is requested by the threat opener.
But the actiontype "remove fields except" does this work for me.
I am only using software and hardware which is capable of reading and writing ID3v2.3 and currently I am reworking my old library grown over years and there are lyrics, ape and ID3v1 and I want to simply execute what I am currently doing with the context menu.
I don't want to remove special tags but I want to remove a whole bunch of versions.
Is this clear to you or should I rewrite it or add more screenshots?
This is clear to me but I wanted to show you one workaround to partly receive this
In defining which tags you want to keep.
Among other issues, what is awkward about the tag removal is that if you're reworking files with a mixture of different types of tags, or if you're working with files that you've downloaded, it requires manually executing a 'Remove' operation, rather than the simplicity of either:
I think many people new to Mp3tag expect the behavior of #1, partly because of how the Write options for Mp3g work: any time a change is saved, Mp3tag will automatically create the tags designated in the Write options.
After working with the program for a while and realizing that tag removal is only done manually, users then go looking for #2 as a workaround. If #1 were implemented, an action would be unnecessary. A checkbox in File > Options > Tags that could optionally turn on the behavior described in #1 would be sufficient:
[ ] Automatically remove designated tags when saving tags