# Saving Files directly from MP3Tag **URL:** \ **Category:** Support\ **Created:** [November 7, 2014, 11:26am UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/saving-files-directly-from-mp3tag/16296 "2014-11-07T11:26:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Mark\_Worthington](https://community.mp3tag.de/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/m/eb8c5e/32.png) [@Mark\_Worthington](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/Mark_Worthington)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2014, 11:26am UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/saving-files-directly-from-mp3tag/16296/1 "2014-11-07T11:26:16Z")
I have a Music collection, some tracks of which I have tagged as "Best Of". I would like to copy all these tracks to a new folder so I can apply a normalise routine (using MP3Gain) for my mobile device, independent of the original source. This is simple enough; sort by the tag, select, Ctrl-left-drag with the mouse into a folder open in Windows Explorer. Or I can use the Edit/Copy File option (toolbar or right-click etc). However, just to note, the Edit/Copy File is not documented in the Help (/help/main\_commands.html#mnuedit). But the question is this, please; is there any way to copy directly from MP3Tag to another folder location but **maintain the relative folder structure**? Thanks, Mark Added : changed from left-drag to **Ctrl** -left-drag (the former **moves** , the latter **copies** ) Added more (for completeness)! I forgot to check, but the mouse drag action depends on the **target drive**. If the same drive, a simple left-drag **moves** If a different drive, a simple left-drag **copies** etc etc. This is normal Windows. I have been using right-drag (which gives options) for so long I forgot. Unfortunately, right-drag is not supported in MP3Tag. So the message is, be careful! Or use the Edit/Copy File option ---
**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:** [November 7, 2014, 2:01pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/saving-files-directly-from-mp3tag/16296/2 "2014-11-07T14:01:40Z")
I think there is no way to use copy in Mp33Tag with any parameters. There are 2 possible workarounds: 1. If your relative folder structure was created by MP3tag with an action from tags or if the folder-structure complies with tags, you can easily sort the copies from the selected files to it's original folder-structure. 2. Instead of using the mp3tag-copy you could define a tool-action with an externel copy-program. ---
**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:** [November 7, 2014, 6:04pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/saving-files-directly-from-mp3tag/16296/3 "2014-11-07T18:04:42Z")
> [@Mark W](#): > > I have a Music collection, some tracks of which I have tagged as "Best Of". I would like to copy all these tracks to a new folder so I can apply a normalise routine (using MP3Gain) for my mobile device, independent of the original source. > > This is simple enough; sort by the tag, select, left-drag with the mouse into a folder open in Windows Explorer. Or I can use the Edit/Copy File option (toolbar or right-click etc). > > However, just to note, the Edit/Copy File is not documented in the Help (/help/main\_commands.html#mnuedit). > > But the question is this, please; is there any way to copy directly from MP3Tag to another folder location but **maintain the relative folder structure**? > > Thanks, > > Mark You can apply some action to change "\_directory" tag. Please search the forum how to achieve this 🕶. ---
**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:** [November 7, 2014, 6:34pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/saving-files-directly-from-mp3tag/16296/4 "2014-11-07T18:34:52Z")
> [@Victor Kostas](#): > > You can apply some action to change "\_directory" tag. Please search the forum how to achieve this 🕶. No. Mp3tag does not copy files if copying is used in the meaning that after the process you have 2 files. Mp3tag can move files to new folders. Either individually by renaming the filename. Or in a bulk all the files in a folder by renaming the folder. This should show that MP3tag does not create duplicates. But: once you have created a list in MP3tag you use the report function to create a (text) file with copy-instructions for the command shell... ---
**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:** [November 7, 2014, 6:42pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/saving-files-directly-from-mp3tag/16296/5 "2014-11-07T18:42:08Z")
> [@ohrenkino](#): > > No. Mp3tag does not copy files if copying is used in the meaning that after the process you have 2 files. > Mp3tag can move files to new folders. > Either individually by renaming the filename. > Or in a bulk all the files in a folder by renaming the folder. > This should show that MP3tag does not create duplicates. That's correct. I (mis)interpreted "copy" request as "move". ---
**Author:** ![Mark\_Worthington](https://community.mp3tag.de/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/m/eb8c5e/32.png) [@Mark\_Worthington](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/Mark_Worthington)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2014, 1:56pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/saving-files-directly-from-mp3tag/16296/6 "2014-11-08T13:56:10Z")
Thanks for all your replies! By the way, as I'm new to the Forum, I got an email notification as requested for the first reply, but not for any other ones. Is that expected behaviour? I was hoping to received an email when **anybody** responded to this thread. > [@ohrenkino](#): > > No. Mp3tag does not copy files if copying is used in the meaning that after the process you have 2 files. I'm confused, or missing something. MP3Tag has a copy file function built into the menu, so I do indeed end up with 2 files. However, it does seem, then, that maintaining a folder structure after the copy is not possible. Regards, Mark ---
**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:** [November 8, 2014, 2:14pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/saving-files-directly-from-mp3tag/16296/7 "2014-11-08T14:14:13Z")
> [@Mark W](#): > > ...However, it does seem, then, that maintaining a folder structure after the copy is not possible. > > Regards, > > Mark If your folder structure is derived from the tags (e.g. artist\year-album\title) then it is very easy to recreate that structure once you have copied the files to the special target. Use the convert\>tag-filename function and enter a mask with a fully or partially qualified filename where the filename also contains parts of the path. So it would be possible to get all files for one album back into a folder with the name of the album. Yet, the copying cannot not be done with actions or the convert functions. ---
**Author:** ![Mark\_Worthington](https://community.mp3tag.de/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/m/eb8c5e/32.png) [@Mark\_Worthington](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/Mark_Worthington)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2014, 2:29pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/saving-files-directly-from-mp3tag/16296/8 "2014-11-08T14:29:07Z")
> [@ohrenkino](#): > > If your folder structure is derived from the tags (e.g. artist\year-album\title) then it is very easy to recreate that structure once you have copied the files to the special target. > Use the convert\>tag-filename function and enter a mask with a fully or partially qualified filename where the filename also contains parts of the path. > So it would be possible to get all files for one album back into a folder with the name of the album. > Yet, the copying cannot not be done with actions or the convert functions. OK, got it. A **2 pass** procedure, in MP3Tag. Thanks, Mark ---
**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:** [November 8, 2014, 4:22pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/saving-files-directly-from-mp3tag/16296/9 "2014-11-08T16:22:29Z")
> [@Mark W](#): > > OK, got it. A **2 pass** procedure, in MP3Tag. > > Thanks, > > Mark Or you write a little batch-procedure that does the copying and incorporate this as a "tool" where the current filename is one of the handed-over parameters. ---
**Author:** ![Mark\_Worthington](https://community.mp3tag.de/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/m/eb8c5e/32.png) [@Mark\_Worthington](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/Mark_Worthington)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2014, 4:41pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/saving-files-directly-from-mp3tag/16296/10 "2014-11-08T16:41:02Z")
> [@ohrenkino](#): > > Or you write a little batch-procedure that does the copying and incorporate this as a "tool" where the current filename is one of the handed-over parameters. Interesting. I'm not familiar with batch files within MP3Tag (I assume you **do** mean that). Could you please point me to something that explains such a procedure, please? Thanks, Mark ---
**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:** [November 8, 2014, 6:19pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/saving-files-directly-from-mp3tag/16296/11 "2014-11-08T18:19:16Z")
> [@Mark W](#): > > Interesting. I'm not familiar with batch files within MP3Tag (I assume you **do** mean that). Could you please point me to something that explains such a procedure, please? > > Thanks, > > Mark if a batch file with the name (e.g.) mycopy.bat has a content like this: copy %1 %2 and you add a tool under File\>Options\>Tools mycopy.bat and add as parameters %\_filename% f:%\_directory%\%\_filename% it should copy the currentfile to drive f: and a folder that has the name %\_directory% ... I am not sure what happens, if the folder does not exists ... whether you have to provide an error routine within the batch file that creates the folder first ... ---
**Author:** ![Mark\_Worthington](https://community.mp3tag.de/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/m/eb8c5e/32.png) [@Mark\_Worthington](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/Mark_Worthington)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2014, 9:41pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/saving-files-directly-from-mp3tag/16296/12 "2014-11-08T21:41:16Z")
> [@ohrenkino](#): > > if a batch file with the name (e.g.) mycopy.bat has a content like this: > > copy %1 %2 > > and you add a tool under > File\>Options\>Tools > mycopy.bat > and add as parameters > %\_filename% f:%\_directory%\%\_filename% > it should copy the currentfile to drive f: and a folder that has the name %\_directory% ... > I am not sure what happens, if the folder does not exists ... whether you have to provide an error routine within the batch file that creates the folder first ... OK, understood. Thanks for your help. Mark ---
**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-files-directly-from-mp3tag/16296/13 "2026-02-09T12:25:21Z")