# Reversing Folder names **URL:** \ **Category:** Support\ **Created:** [December 13, 2014, 6:49pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/reversing-folder-names/16408 "2014-12-13T18:49:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![spud](https://community.mp3tag.de/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/s/13edae/32.png) [@spud](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/spud)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2014, 6:49pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/reversing-folder-names/16408/1 "2014-12-13T18:49:01Z")
Hi I am a new member, but have used MP3tag to reverse all artist and albumartist names. eg Bruce Springsteen = Springsteen, Bruce. As I add new music since doing this, I am ending up with 2 FOLDERS. The original as Bruce Springsteen and the new one as Springsteen, Bruce. How can I change all folders to reverse artist names and also change The Beach Boys to Beach Boys (The) This is not a major problem, but i think a lot of people who use this program have a little OCD regarding labelling their music like me. I apologise if this has been covered before, but I have spent hours looking but not finding an answer. Thanks Spud ---
**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:** [December 13, 2014, 7:13pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/reversing-folder-names/16408/2 "2014-12-13T19:13:11Z")
You do not tell us how you create new folder names. Yet, if you use an action of the type "Format tag-field" for \_DIRECTORY and e.g. the format string: %artist% (which should be the one in the desired format) then you only rename the folder instead of rename the file (and the folder part to address that file). as an alternative to the action, you can also use the Convert\>Tag-Tag function. Now a word on messing about with names: In general I am not a friend of swapping first and last name as this always causes havoc with names that have to stay that way: Pink Floyd, Rolling Stones, "Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick & Tich", "Katrina & the Waves" and so on. So, unless you want to keep a special advisory which name gets swapped and which one doesn't, I think it is easiest not to swap anything at all. My opinion. ---
**Author:** ![spud](https://community.mp3tag.de/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/s/13edae/32.png) [@spud](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/spud)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2014, 7:36pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/reversing-folder-names/16408/3 "2014-12-13T19:36:47Z")
> [@ohrenkino](#): > > You do not tell us how you create new folder names. > Yet, if you use an action of the type "Format tag-field" for \_DIRECTORY and e.g. the > format string: %artist% > (which should be the one in the desired format) > then you only rename the folder instead of rename the file (and the folder part to address that file). > > as an alternative to the action, you can also use the Convert\>Tag-Tag function. > > Now a word on messing about with names: In general I am not a friend of swapping first and last name as this always causes havoc with names that have to stay that way: Pink Floyd, Rolling Stones, "Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick & Tich", "Katrina & the Waves" and so on. > So, unless you want to keep a special advisory which name gets swapped and which one doesn't, I think it is easiest not to swap anything at all. My opinion. ---
**Author:** ![spud](https://community.mp3tag.de/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/s/13edae/32.png) [@spud](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/spud)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2014, 7:45pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/reversing-folder-names/16408/4 "2014-12-13T19:45:37Z")
I created my artist / albumartist names using: Action: Format Value Field: Artist String: $regexp(%artist%,(._) (._),$2',' $1) BUT: Works only for artists with one sure name. If you want Jon Bon Jovi to Bon Jovi, Jon (and not Jovi, Jon Bon) you have to use: $regexp(%artist%,(._?) (._),$2',' $1) I only want to reverse / change folders with artist name or The 'band' eg Lou reed [Reed, Lou] or The Cult [Cult (The)] Artist like Pink Floyd or Papa roach would not be changed. Thanks for the reply ---
**Author:** ![vkostas](https://community.mp3tag.de/user_avatar/community.mp3tag.de/vkostas/32/227_2.png) [@vkostas](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/vkostas)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2014, 11:10pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/reversing-folder-names/16408/5 "2014-12-13T23:10:23Z")
I suggest you invest on sorted-tags (artistsort, albumartistsort). It is not possible to find a clever script knows an artist is a band or a person. ---
**Author:** ![spud](https://community.mp3tag.de/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/s/13edae/32.png) [@spud](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/spud)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2014, 7:27am UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/reversing-folder-names/16408/6 "2014-12-14T07:27:27Z")
[quote name='Victor Kostas' post='80986'] I suggest you invest on sorted-tags (artistsort, albumartistsort). It is not possible to find a clever script knows an artist is a band or a person. [/quote I manually remove any files from list, I do not want to change, before using program. ---
**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, 12:25pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/reversing-folder-names/16408/7 "2026-02-09T12:25:24Z")
Closed on February 9, 2026, 12:25pm UTC