# Renaming %\_parent\_directory%. Is it possible? **URL:** \ **Category:** Support\ **Created:** [July 18, 2020, 1:18pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/renaming-parent-directory-is-it-possible/49647 "2020-07-18T13:18:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![SpirosG](https://community.mp3tag.de/user_avatar/community.mp3tag.de/spirosg/32/8589_2.png) [@SpirosG](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/SpirosG)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2020, 1:18pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/renaming-parent-directory-is-it-possible/49647/1 "2020-07-18T13:18:43Z")
Hi i tried to rename the %\_parent\_directory% using the action below but it doesn't work. _Field:_ **\_PARENT\_DIRECTORY** or **%\_parent\_directory%** _Action type:_ **Replace** _Original:_ **Franchise Record Pool** _Replace With:_ **FRP** ---
**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:** [July 18, 2020, 3:22pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/renaming-parent-directory-is-it-possible/49647/2 "2020-07-18T15:22:18Z")
It looks as though this field is really read-only (I don't know whether this is intentional or not.) You would need to use \_DIRECTORY as target field. A format string like `$replace(%_folderpath%,Franchise Record Pool,FRP)` should work ---
**Author:** ![SpirosG](https://community.mp3tag.de/user_avatar/community.mp3tag.de/spirosg/32/8589_2.png) [@SpirosG](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/SpirosG)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2020, 3:32pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/renaming-parent-directory-is-it-possible/49647/3 "2020-07-18T15:32:57Z")
> [@ohrenkino](#): > > `$replace(%_folderpath%,Franchise Record Pool,FRP)` Hi @ohrenkino, thanks for the response. There is a problem with that, this action is recreating the full path while renaming the parent directory. From "E:\Music Downloads`DJ Pools Downloads`POOLS TRANSFER\Franchise Record Pool 1707" "E:\Music Downloads`DJ Pools Downloads`POOLS TRANSFER\Franchise Record Pool 1707\ E\Music Downloads`DJ Pools Downloads`POOLS TRANSFER\FRP 1707" ---
**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:** [July 18, 2020, 3:36pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/renaming-parent-directory-is-it-possible/49647/4 "2020-07-18T15:36:44Z")
What kind of an action do you use? I thought of an action of the type "Format value" for \_DRIECTORY ---
**Author:** ![SpirosG](https://community.mp3tag.de/user_avatar/community.mp3tag.de/spirosg/32/8589_2.png) [@SpirosG](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/SpirosG)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2020, 3:37pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/renaming-parent-directory-is-it-possible/49647/5 "2020-07-18T15:37:17Z")
This is what i also did! ---
**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:** [July 18, 2020, 3:44pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/renaming-parent-directory-is-it-possible/49647/6 "2020-07-18T15:44:00Z")
Then you have to check again. I tested it with path `M:\Music\MP3Music\My own Music\USA\1982 - View From The Ground\` Format string: `$replace(%_folderpath%,USA,America)` Result: `M:\Music\MP3Music\My own Music\America\1982 - View From The Ground\` ---
**Author:** ![SpirosG](https://community.mp3tag.de/user_avatar/community.mp3tag.de/spirosg/32/8589_2.png) [@SpirosG](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/SpirosG)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2020, 3:54pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/renaming-parent-directory-is-it-possible/49647/7 "2020-07-18T15:54:08Z")
It did work now, I don't know what happened before. Although it worked though, this action created a new folder "FRP" and moved all the files in to this folder but the original folder remained as empty. Is this the correct behaviour? ---
**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:** [July 18, 2020, 3:56pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/renaming-parent-directory-is-it-possible/49647/8 "2020-07-18T15:56:36Z")
the reference point is still the current \_DIRECTORY. So if the parent directory has more folders then these stay in the old directory. ---
**Author:** ![SpirosG](https://community.mp3tag.de/user_avatar/community.mp3tag.de/spirosg/32/8589_2.png) [@SpirosG](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/SpirosG)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2020, 4:00pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/renaming-parent-directory-is-it-possible/49647/9 "2020-07-18T16:00:47Z")
I see, there are subfolders in to the \_DIRECTORY. Actually there is nothing inside the old folder, everything moved to the new one,only the old folder remained (without the subfolders). ---
**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, 12:28pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/renaming-parent-directory-is-it-possible/49647/10 "2026-02-09T12:28:43Z")