# Saving Tag to Filename change strings **URL:** \ **Category:** Support\ **Created:** [September 29, 2015, 1:31am UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/saving-tag-to-filename-change-strings/17268 "2015-09-29T01:31:08Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![gr3gw](https://community.mp3tag.de/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/g/e79b87/32.png) [@gr3gw](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/gr3gw)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2015, 1:31am UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/saving-tag-to-filename-change-strings/17268/1 "2015-09-29T01:31:08Z")
Is it possible to save change strings used in Tag-to-Filename editing as named items? I have a number of different strings that use for different types of albums. For example, classical music is normally grouped by composer whereas popular music is by artist. These strings can be quite complex and therefore it is not obvious what they are from a quick glance. For example, change string: %albumartist%\%album%$if(%year%,' ['%year%']',' ['-']')$if(%discnumber%,%discnumber%.$num(%track%,2),$num(%track%,2)) %title% It would be empowering if this string could be selected from a popup menu that showed meaningful names. For example the above string is 'PopAlbum-Single Artist' I know I need at least four of these change strings, all very complex. Thanks ---
**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:** [September 29, 2015, 2:58am UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/saving-tag-to-filename-change-strings/17268/2 "2015-09-29T02:58:05Z")
> [@gr3gw](#): > > Is it possible to save change strings used in Tag-to-Filename editing as named items? ... It would be empowering if this string could be selected from a popup menu that showed meaningful names. For example the above string is 'PopAlbum-Single Artist' ... **[PopAlbum-Single Artist ---\>]%ALBUMARTIST%'\'%ALBUM%$if(%YEAR%,' ['%YEAR%']',' [-]')'\'$if(%DISCNUMBER%,%DISCNUMBER%'.'$num(%TRACK%,2),$num(%TRACK%,2))' '%TITLE% ... or ... [PopAlbum-Single Artist ---\>]%ALBUMARTIST%'\'%ALBUM%' ['$if2(%YEAR%,'-')']\'$if2(%DISCNUMBER%'.',)$num(%TRACK%,2)' '%TITLE% ... or ... [PopAlbum-Single Artist ---\>]%ALBUMARTIST%'\'%ALBUM%' ['$if2(%YEAR%,'-')']\'[%DISCNUMBER%'.']$num(%TRACK%,2)' '%TITLE%** DD.20150929.0658.CEST, DD.20150930.1037.CEST ---
**Author:** ![poster](https://community.mp3tag.de/user_avatar/community.mp3tag.de/poster/32/4881_2.png) [@poster](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/poster)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2015, 3:09am UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/saving-tag-to-filename-change-strings/17268/3 "2015-09-29T03:09:02Z")
The Convert-Menue contains predefined actions with a preview to make it simpler for the user and the development ist therefore easier because you can immediately see the result. But you can use any of these covert-strings in actiongroups too and there you can give meaningful names to them. So define an action, call it "PopAlbum-Single Artist". Field: \_FILENAME Formatstring: %albumartist%\%album%$if(%year%,' ['%year%']',' ['-']')$if(%discnumber%,%discnumber%.$num(%track%,2),$num(%track%,2)) %title% If you want to sort your actions you can define sumenues in putting in a "#" in your action name: PopAlbum#Single Artist PopAlbum#abf... All behind # goes to a submenue. ---
**Author:** ![ohrenkino](https://community.mp3tag.de/user_avatar/community.mp3tag.de/ohrenkino/32/4843_2.png) [@ohrenkino](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/ohrenkino)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2015, 3:30am UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/saving-tag-to-filename-change-strings/17268/4 "2015-09-29T03:30:08Z")
> [@gr3gw](#): > > ... > %albumartist%\%album%$if(%year%,' ['%year%']',' ['-']')$if(%discnumber%,%discnumber%.$num(%track%,2),$num(%track%,2)) %title% > ... Couldn't this be easier with %title%%albumartist%\%album%[-'['%year%']'][%discnumber%.]$num(%track%,2) %title% Because the square brackets already serve as "if". Such a string could then be saved to a plain text file, a commentary could be added and the string be retrieved with copy&paste. MP3tag currently has no such comment function for format strings. ---
**Author:** ![gr3gw](https://community.mp3tag.de/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/g/e79b87/32.png) [@gr3gw](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/gr3gw)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2015, 5:18am UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/saving-tag-to-filename-change-strings/17268/5 "2015-09-30T05:18:11Z")
> [@poster](#): > > The Convert-Menu contains predefined actions with a preview to make it simpler for the user and the development is therefore easier because you can immediately see the result. > > But you can use any of these covert-strings in action-groups too and there you can give meaningful names to them. > > So define an action, call it "PopAlbum-Single Artist". > Field: \_FILENAME > Formatstring: %albumartist%\%album%$if(%year%,' ['%year%']',' ['-']')$if(%discnumber%,%discnumber%.$num(%track%,2),$num(%track%,2)) %title% > > If you want to sort your actions you can define submenus in putting in a "#" in your action name: > PopAlbum#Single Artist > PopAlbum#abf... > > All behind # goes to a submenu. The Action Menu is the solution I like best. Using square brackets for meaningful descriptions of the Tag-to-Filename change string works for only short change strings and the 'feel' quite vulnerable to accident typing errors. Action Menus provide the means of having a clear name for the action and a more permanent method of storing the change strings. Thanks for this. ---
**Author:** ![gr3gw](https://community.mp3tag.de/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/g/e79b87/32.png) [@gr3gw](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/gr3gw)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2015, 5:23am UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/saving-tag-to-filename-change-strings/17268/6 "2015-09-30T05:23:33Z")
> [@ohrenkino](#): > > Couldn't this be easier with > %title%%albumartist%\%album%[-'['%year%']'][%discnumber%.]$num(%track%,2) %title% > > Because the square brackets already serve as "if". > > Such a string could then be saved to a plain text file, a commentary could be added and the string be retrieved with copy&paste. > MP3tag currently has no such comment function for format strings. Hi Ohrenkino, Thanks for your information. I didn't know square brackets can act in this way. It's a useful way to document change strings in the Convert menu functions. Another member has suggested using action-menus. I've investigated this and it is a solution to having named change-strings and are safely stored within MP3TAG. ---
**Author:** ![gr3gw](https://community.mp3tag.de/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/g/e79b87/32.png) [@gr3gw](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/gr3gw)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2015, 5:28am UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/saving-tag-to-filename-change-strings/17268/7 "2015-09-30T05:28:56Z")
> [@DetlevD](#): > > **[PopAlbum-Single Artist]%ALBUMARTIST%'\'%ALBUM%$if(%YEAR%,' ['%YEAR%']',' [-]')'\'$if(%DISCNUMBER%,%DISCNUMBER%'.'$num(%TRACK%,2),$num(%TRACK%,2))' '%TITLE% ... or ... [PopAlbum-Single Artist ---\>]%ALBUMARTIST%'\'%ALBUM%' ['$if2(%YEAR%,'-')']\'$if2(%DISCNUMBER%'.',)$num(%TRACK%,2)' '%TITLE%** > > DD.20150929.0658.CEST Thanks for the suggestion, DetletD. That's a good method for short change-strings, but the action-menu method, described by another member, is much better for long change-strings. I've now got the actions, in the action-menu, for five Tag-To-Filename change-strings which means I have an easy way to select the style of filename I need for different types of music. Thanks everyone. ---
**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-tag-to-filename-change-strings/17268/8 "2026-02-09T12:25:53Z")
Closed on February 9, 2026, 12:25pm UTC