# Rename a parent directory for multi-disc albums
**URL:** https://community.mp3tag.de/t/rename-a-parent-directory-for-multi-disc-albums/17514
**Category:** Support
**Created:** [December 30, 2015, 10:30pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/rename-a-parent-directory-for-multi-disc-albums/17514 "2015-12-30T22:30:07Z")
**Posts on this page:** 10
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@camelx](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/camelx)
#### Post date: [December 30, 2015, 10:30pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/rename-a-parent-directory-for-multi-disc-albums/17514/1 "2015-12-30T22:30:07Z")
For example, I have a Beethoven disc that has 4 discs, so they are 4 CD folders under the parent directory.
I want to do a rename of the parent directory, NOT the current directory of each of the four sub-folders. I begin by right clicking on the parent directory and it loads all the sub folders.
I'd like to keep the sub directories below the main directory.
Beethoven - Piano Sonatas 4, 5, 6
CD1
CD2
CD3
CD4
My format for \_Directory works great if I want to move all the files to a single directory (current dir), but I'd like to write two directories up. (in the case above, rename the "Beethoven - Piano Sonatas 4, 5, 6 to whatever I want.
I tried with format value with ..\_Directory, but that did not work.
Hopefully I'm missing something obvious!!
Thanks in advance!
---
### Author:  [@ohrenkino](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/ohrenkino)
#### Post date: [December 31, 2015, 9:49am UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/rename-a-parent-directory-for-multi-disc-albums/17514/2 "2015-12-31T09:49:59Z")
> [@Steve Holiday](#):
>
> ...I tried with format value with ..\_Directory, but that did not work.
>
> Hopefully I'm missing something obvious!!
>
> Thanks in advance!
You missed the %.
..\%\_directory%
should work
---
### Author:  [@camelx](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/camelx)
#### Post date: [December 31, 2015, 12:57pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/rename-a-parent-directory-for-multi-disc-albums/17514/3 "2015-12-31T12:57:35Z")
> [@ohrenkino](#):
>
> You missed the %.
> ..\%\_directory%
> should work
Thanks ohrenkino, but that didn't work for me.
I was able to write a "new" folder at the parent dir level, but all I want to really do is "rename" the parent directory, so it carries all the art jpgs, playlists, etc.
I was hoping to have it work like my Format Value, Field: \_Directory, Format String: %year% - %album%, but using \_parent\_directory for field.
Such as: (see screen shot)
that didn't work.
In the past my work flow was to:
1. right click on parent folder which would bring up all files from all CD sub folders for that multi-CD album
2. from tools menu, choose auto numbering and un-check "reset for all subdirs" (this would rename all files from all CDs 01-XX, where XX would be the total number of tracks from all CDs)
3. then I would use my rename directory (\_Directory) - like above and it would rename my parent directory, and put all the files in that single directory ( this was fine due to auto numbering step above)
* * *
I don't HAVE to get this working, as my process above works fine. It just seems that I should be able to rename the parent directory and keep the sub folders of the CD without having to write the absolute filename with \_Filename, etc.
Thanks for your considerations
---
### Author:  [@poster](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/poster)
#### Post date: [December 31, 2015, 4:24pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/rename-a-parent-directory-for-multi-disc-albums/17514/4 "2015-12-31T16:24:58Z")
Rename the filename instead. (\_FILENAME)
Example Formatstring: %album%\%\_directory%\%\_filename%
---
### Author:  [@camelx](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/camelx)
#### Post date: [December 31, 2015, 5:42pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/rename-a-parent-directory-for-multi-disc-albums/17514/5 "2015-12-31T17:42:59Z")
Poster
Thanks Bud, that works better than anything I've tried yet!! Not exactly what I wanted, as it creates that directory as a new sub directory under the original parent. BUT - it has the new dir name like I want and in that directory it has all the original sub dirs of the multiple CD albums, each containing the original files! So all I have to do now is grab that and move it to my music collection.
Excellent my friend!
Again, I wish I could just have it "rename" my original parent directory, with all the CD sub directories and the playlists, art files and any art sub directories. But all I have to do is just move them into it now and I'm okay.
Thanks again, I learned something new from you today. Much appreciated and I'll use that until I find a way to just rename the parent so it has all the CD sub directories and other supporting files - one day.
Cheers! Happy New Year.
---
### Author:  [@poster](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/poster)
#### Post date: [January 1, 2016, 10:43am UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/rename-a-parent-directory-for-multi-disc-albums/17514/6 "2016-01-01T10:43:48Z")
> [@Steve Holiday](#):
>
> Thanks Bud, that works better than anything I've tried yet!! Not exactly what I wanted, as it creates that directory as a new sub directory under the original parent. BUT - it has the new dir name like I want and in that directory it has all the original sub dirs of the multiple CD albums, each containing the original files! So all I have to do now is grab that and move it to my music collection.
My example shopuld not do create a subdirectory but create a new parent-directory on the same level.
Anyway you can define an absolute path to the folder of your music collection, if you want to move it the files anyway:
Example Formatstring: E:\Path to my music collection\%album%\%\_directory%\%\_filename%
The disadvantage of renaming the files instead of the parent-dircetory is that only marked **music** -files will be moved to the new path and an empty directory is left behind.
> [@](#):
>
> Again, I wish I could just have it "rename" my original parent directory,
Obviously it is not possible to rename the parent-directory with an action.
But I think it is possible to do this with external commands from a batch-file, which can be added to the tools menue.
---
### Author:  [@DetlevD](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/DetlevD)
#### Post date: [January 1, 2016, 3:54pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/rename-a-parent-directory-for-multi-disc-albums/17514/7 "2016-01-01T15:54:22Z")
> [@Steve Holiday](#):
>
> For example, I have a Beethoven disc that has 4 discs, so they are 4 CD folders under the parent directory. I want to do a rename of the parent directory, NOT the current directory of each of the four sub-folders. ...
**Rename the folder, which is one level above the folder, which contains the tracks. Action "Format value" ... oder ... Convert "Tag-Tag" Field: \_DIRECTORY Formatstring: %\_folderpath%'..\..\Folder New\'%\_directory%**
See also ...
[/t/10728/1](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/10728/1)
[/t/16957/1](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/16957/1)
DD.20160101.1754.CET
---
### Author:  [@angangang](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/angangang)
#### Post date: [February 28, 2016, 1:15am UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/rename-a-parent-directory-for-multi-disc-albums/17514/8 "2016-02-28T01:15:07Z")
Hello,
I'm really confused by this :
Field: \_DIRECTORY
Formatstring: %\_folderpath%'....\Folder New'%\_directory%
I have for example this album structure :
bach\_brandenburg\_concertos
bach\_brandenburg\_concertos01
Brandenburg Concerto No. 1 in F major, BWV1046 I , Allegro.m4a
bach\_brandenburg\_concertos02
Brandenburg Concertos No. 5 in D major, BWV1050 Affettuoso.m4a
Whith these tags :
Artist : J.S Bach
Album : Bradenburg Concertos 1-6
Conductor : Benjamin Britten
Year : 2001
Hello,
I would like to rename the folders like this :
J.S. Bach - [Benjamin Britten] - Bradenburg Concertos 1-6 - 2001 - 2CD
CD1
01 - Brandenburg Concerto No. 1 in F major, BWV1046 I , Allegro.flac
...
CD2
01 - Brandenburg Concertos No. 5 in D major, BWV1050 Affettuoso.flac
...
I have tried this action :
Format value "\_FILENAME":
$if2(%albumartist%,%artist%)[- '[$if2(%conductor%,%conductor%)]'] - %album% - $if(%year%,[%year%],!!!)[CD$if(%discnumber%,%discnumber%,)]\%track% - %title%
And i have tried without success...
Formatstring: %\_folderpath%'....\Folder New'%\_directory%
I woiuld need something like
%foldername% (track parent)
%foldername2% (parent of track parent)
%foldername3% (...)
Thank you for you help,
Kindest regards
---
### Author:  [@DetlevD](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/DetlevD)
#### Post date: [February 28, 2016, 5:23am UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/rename-a-parent-directory-for-multi-disc-albums/17514/9 "2016-02-28T05:23:51Z")
> [@angangang](#):
>
> Hello, I'm really confused ...
Please take into account ...
1.
Your request is something different from the theme of this thread.
2.
You cannot change the encoding type of a music file from 'm4a' to 'flac' by simple renaming.
You have to recode the music file from type M4A to FLAC.
3.
You want to apply these values ...
%ALBUM%
%ARTIST%
%CONDUCTOR%
%YEAR%
%ALBUMARTIST%
%DISCNUMBER%
%TITLE%
%TRACK%
You have these values ...
%ALBUM%
%ARTIST%
%CONDUCTOR%
%YEAR%
... it lacks a few.
4.
You want to apply ...
Format value "\_FILENAME":
$if2(%ALBUMARTIST%,%ARTIST%)[' - ['$if2(%CONDUCTOR%,%CONDUCTOR%)']']' - '%ALBUM%' - '$if(%YEAR%,'['%YEAR%']','!!!')'[CD'$if(%DISCNUMBER%,%DISCNUMBER%,)']'%TRACK%' - '%TITLE%
You can use the function $if2 ...
to prevent your formatstring from using non existing values ...
and return an alternative value:
$if2(%ALBUMARTIST%,%ARTIST%) ... returns %ALBUMARTIST% or %ARTIST%
$if2(%CONDUCTOR%,) ... returns %CONDUCTOR% or nothing
$if2(%DISCNUMBER%,) ... returns %DISCNUMBER% or nothing
You can write some parts within your formatstring in another way:
$if2(%CONDUCTOR%,%CONDUCTOR%) --\> $if2(%CONDUCTOR%,)
$if(%YEAR%,'['%YEAR%']','!!!') --\> $if2('['%YEAR%']','!!!')
$if(%DISCNUMBER%,%DISCNUMBER%,) --\> $if2(%DISCNUMBER%,)
DD.20160228.0723.CET
---
### Author:  [@system](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/system)
#### Post date: [February 9, 2026, 12:26pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/rename-a-parent-directory-for-multi-disc-albums/17514/10 "2026-02-09T12:26:01Z")