# Saving empty string value **URL:** \ **Category:** Support\ **Created:** [August 18, 2014, 12:33pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/saving-empty-string-value/16028 "2014-08-18T12:33:58Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![chrisjj](https://community.mp3tag.de/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/c/a698b9/32.png) [@chrisjj](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/chrisjj)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2014, 12:33pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/saving-empty-string-value/16028/1 "2014-08-18T12:33:58Z")
Can anyone suggest a fix to this? ![](http://i.imgur.com/FO2HZMt.png) The intent of the highlighted lines is that any subsequent run use the same input value of e.g. %artist% as the first. The effect is that where the input value was an empty string, it doesn't. It uses the value created by the liens below. ---
**Author:** ![DetlevD](https://community.mp3tag.de/user_avatar/community.mp3tag.de/detlevd/32/123_2.png) [@DetlevD](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/DetlevD)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2014, 1:22pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/saving-empty-string-value/16028/2 "2014-08-18T13:22:11Z")
> [@chrisjj](#): > > Can anyone suggest a fix to this? ... The intent of the highlighted lines is that any subsequent run use the same input value of e.g. %artist% as the first. The effect is that where the input value was an empty string, it doesn't. It uses the value created by the liens below. The action group needs the tag-field ARTIST to be exist, having any value? Then preset the Filter: ARTIST PRESENT ... or ... Preset CJJORIGTITLE with a standard text, when the tag-field TITLE is empty ... Format value "CJJORIGTITLE": $if2(%CJJorigtitIe%,$if2(%TITLE%,'set any standard text here')) DD.20140818.1732.CEST ---
**Author:** ![chrisjj](https://community.mp3tag.de/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/c/a698b9/32.png) [@chrisjj](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/chrisjj)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2014, 10:04pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/saving-empty-string-value/16028/3 "2014-08-18T22:04:18Z")
> [@DetlevD](#): > > The action group needs the tag-field ARTIST to be exist, having any value? No. It is needed to work if ARTIST exists with any value or if ARTIST does not exist. > [@DetlevD](#): > > Preset CJJORIGTITLE with a standard text, when the tag-field TITLE is empty ... > Format value "CJJORIGTITLE": $if2(%CJJorigtitIe%,$if2(%TITLE%,'set any standard text here')) (By standard test I presume you mean some arbitrary but reserved string.) OK... and I guess then when I fetch the field, translate the standard text back to empty e.g. $regexp(%title%,'^set any standard text here$',) I'll try it. Thanks D. ---
**Author:** ![DetlevD](https://community.mp3tag.de/user_avatar/community.mp3tag.de/detlevd/32/123_2.png) [@DetlevD](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/DetlevD)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2014, 5:38am UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/saving-empty-string-value/16028/4 "2014-08-19T05:38:50Z")
> [@chrisjj](#): > > ... translate the standard text back to empty e.g. $regexp(%title%,'^set any standard text here$',) I'll try it. Thanks D. A string of one or more spaces may work. DD.20140819.0938.CEST ---
**Author:** ![chrisjj](https://community.mp3tag.de/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/c/a698b9/32.png) [@chrisjj](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/chrisjj)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2014, 9:22am UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/saving-empty-string-value/16028/5 "2014-08-19T09:22:12Z")
For the standard string to work it must be reserved i.e. never occur as the actual incoming value of a field. So I think just spaces is risky. Best is perhaps e.g. "_&^"£_&"^_&£^"_&^£")(\*" ---
**Author:** ![DetlevD](https://community.mp3tag.de/user_avatar/community.mp3tag.de/detlevd/32/123_2.png) [@DetlevD](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/DetlevD)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2014, 10:24am UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/saving-empty-string-value/16028/6 "2014-08-19T10:24:46Z")
> [@chrisjj](#): > > For the standard string to work it must be reserved i.e. never occur as the actual incoming value of a field. ... Could be just some character/s from the set $char(1)..$char(31) ... or $char(9216) ␀ ... or $char(9248) ␠ ... or $char(9250) ␢ ... or $char(9251) ␣ ... etc. DD.20140819.1424.CEST ---
**Author:** ![chrisjj](https://community.mp3tag.de/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/c/a698b9/32.png) [@chrisjj](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/chrisjj)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2014, 8:10pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/saving-empty-string-value/16028/7 "2014-08-19T20:10:29Z")
Thanks D. > from the set $char(1)..$char(31) Mp3tag shows improbable glyphs ... > ... or $char(9216) ␀ > ... or $char(9248) ␠ > ... or $char(9250) ␢ and hollow boxes... > ... or $char(9251) ␣ but there shows ␣ , so I think that's the safest. It tests OK on WMA, but I don't know about other formats. BTW, for anyone like me looking for tricks to format a Creative ZEN display: all those characters are successful in affecting sort order, but appear as hollow block, rather than invisible. If anyone finds a sort-affecting character that is invisible, please do tell! ---
**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/saving-empty-string-value/16028/8 "2026-02-09T12:25:12Z")
Closed on February 9, 2026, 12:25pm UTC