# replacing any \_FILENAME with an action

**URL:** <https://community.mp3tag.de/t/replacing-any-filename-with-an-action/17959>\
**Category:** Support\
**Created:** [May 18, 2016, 11:10am UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/replacing-any-filename-with-an-action/17959 "2016-05-18T11:10:50Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![jordanm](https://community.mp3tag.de/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/j/cab0a1/32.png) [@jordanm](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/jordanm)\
**Post date:** [May 18, 2016, 11:10am UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/replacing-any-filename-with-an-action/17959/1 "2016-05-18T11:10:50Z")

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Hi,

I have looked through the forums but could only find solution to the problem where a filename, or part of it are specified.  
What I'd like to do is to create an action that copies information from tags to create a new filename within a new folder, regardless of what the filename actually is. I have tried different wildcards (\*, . using a regular expression) but whenever I run the action it returns '0 of X files renamed'

I have tried:

**Replace with regular expression:**  
Field: %\_FILENAME% also %\_FILENAME\_EXT%  
Regular Expression: . also with \*  
Replace with: %artist% - (%year%) %album%\%artist% - $num(%track%,2) %title%

**Replace:**  
Field: %\_FILENAME% also %\_FILENAME\_EXT%  
Regular Expression:\*  
Replace with: %artist% - (%year%) %album%\%artist% - $num(%track%,2) %title%

...to no avail.  
If you could help me with the correct formatting of this action that would be great.

Thanks.

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**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:** [May 18, 2016, 1:15pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/replacing-any-filename-with-an-action/17959/2 "2016-05-18T13:15:52Z")

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You can use the convert-menue or define an action.  
In the beginning you should use the convert-menue because there is a preview that makes it very easy to test.

Convert Tag - Filename  
Format String: %artist% - (%year%) %album%\%artist% - $num(%track%,2) %title%

The equivalent action would look like this  
Type: Format Value  
Field: \_FILENAME  
Format String: %artist% - (%year%) %album%\%artist% - $num(%track%,2) %title%

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![jordanm](https://community.mp3tag.de/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/j/cab0a1/32.png) [@jordanm](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/jordanm)\
**Post date:** [May 18, 2016, 1:46pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/replacing-any-filename-with-an-action/17959/3 "2016-05-18T13:46:17Z")

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This works perfectly! Thanks poster.

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**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, 12:26pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/replacing-any-filename-with-an-action/17959/4 "2026-02-09T12:26:15Z")

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Closed on February 9, 2026, 12:26pm UTC