# Script function: if true, skip and do not operate on file
**URL:** https://community.mp3tag.de/t/script-function-if-true-skip-and-do-not-operate-on-file/70967
**Category:** Support
**Created:** [March 30, 2026, 2:10am UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/script-function-if-true-skip-and-do-not-operate-on-file/70967 "2026-03-30T02:10:19Z")
**Posts on this page:** 4
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@jGPxZT2J7BMKzVqD](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/jGPxZT2J7BMKzVqD)
#### Post date: [March 30, 2026, 2:10am UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/script-function-if-true-skip-and-do-not-operate-on-file/70967/1 "2026-03-30T02:10:19Z")
tldr: is there a function or another way of accomplishing this:
`$if(X,SKIP-THIS-FILE-DURING-BULK-EDIT,Y)`
My use-case is for files that lack complete metadata, but already have a valid filename; I would not like to touch these.
`$if($eql(%albumartist%,),$if($eql(%artist%,),%album%-,%artist%-),%albumartist%-)`
Above is how I initially started to try and solve this problem, a string of `if` statements to cycle through `albumartist` then `artist` then `album` if the previous were blank, but if all of these are blank I will ultimately run into the same issue. I’d like to surround this entire statement in another statement that says, “if blank, then just don’t edit the file cuz id like to go back over this manually.”
Edit: I suppose technically a (bad?) workaround is to create a custom metadata field where I could store the original filename before making any edits.
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### Author:  [@ohrenkino](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/ohrenkino)
#### Post date: [March 30, 2026, 5:57am UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/script-function-if-true-skip-and-do-not-operate-on-file/70967/2 "2026-03-30T05:57:37Z")
I would use a filter.
`%artist% PRESENT OR %albumartist% PRESENT OR %album% PRESENT`
or the inverted list
`%artist% MISSING AND %albumartist% MISSING AND %album% MISSING`
To check if files have no tag data at all:
`%_TAG% MISSING`
There is currently no way in an action group to skip a block of instruction due to a previously issued conditition.
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### Author:  [@jGPxZT2J7BMKzVqD](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/jGPxZT2J7BMKzVqD)
#### Post date: [March 30, 2026, 8:05am UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/script-function-if-true-skip-and-do-not-operate-on-file/70967/3 "2026-03-30T08:05:59Z")
ah sweet, didnt even realize i could filter like that, thx lol. ill have to check this out then [Filter and Search – Mp3tag Documentation](https://docs.mp3tag.de/filter/)
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### Author:  [@system](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/system)
#### Post date: [April 6, 2026, 8:06am UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/script-function-if-true-skip-and-do-not-operate-on-file/70967/4 "2026-04-06T08:06:10Z")
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