# Shell CTRL
**URL:** https://community.mp3tag.de/t/shell-ctrl/18287
**Category:** Support
**Created:** [October 3, 2016, 5:44pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/shell-ctrl/18287 "2016-10-03T17:44:03Z")
**Posts on this page:** 11
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Zerow](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/Zerow)
#### Post date: [October 3, 2016, 5:44pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/shell-ctrl/18287/1 "2016-10-03T17:44:03Z")
In this thread a solution was provided to my problem, which created a new one: [How to move up Mp3tag in shell?](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/18029/7)
**The new question is:** how to tell Mp3tag, when adding [not sending] files to it [with the CTRL being pushed] via the shortcut available under the right click context menu, to put it in front of other software?
I add files to Mp3tag and I want to see them right away, without having to manually switch to Mp3tag
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### Author:  [@ohrenkino](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/ohrenkino)
#### Post date: [October 4, 2016, 6:26am UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/shell-ctrl/18287/2 "2016-10-04T06:26:09Z")
I found this forum that deals with a similar problem.
[http://superuser.com/questions/490083/wind...o-target/938879](http://superuser.com/questions/490083/windows-xp-drag-and-drop-switch-focus-to-target/938879)
As the last post suggests to modify the registry, it is up to you if you want to modify your system in such a way.
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### Author:  [@Zerow](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/Zerow)
#### Post date: [October 4, 2016, 5:23pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/shell-ctrl/18287/3 "2016-10-04T17:23:17Z")
> [@ohrenkino](#):
>
> I found this forum that deals with a similar problem.
> [http://superuser.com/questions/490083/wind...o-target/938879](http://superuser.com/questions/490083/windows-xp-drag-and-drop-switch-focus-to-target/938879)
> [...]
Thank you for the info
But while dealing with some other issues I realized that I had a possible solution to this problem. It seems that all I have to do is to use the FreeCommander as a filehandler and set in it a hotkey for a shortcut in Tools \> Favorite tools \> Favorite tools edit [which is an equivalent to shortcuts from File \> Options \> Tools in Mp3tag]
And if that hotkey is for example "CTRL + 1", then the "CTRL is pushed" and the files are not send to Mp3tag but are added to it; and the window of Mp3tag is put in front. And that is even quicker than having to evoke the shell menu and search in it for the MP3tag shortcut
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### Author:  [@stevehero](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/stevehero)
#### Post date: [June 27, 2017, 8:48am UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/shell-ctrl/18287/4 "2017-06-27T08:48:05Z")
> [@zerow](#):
>
> Thank you for the info
>
> But while dealing with some other issues I realized that I had a possible solution to this problem. It seems that all I have to do is to use the FreeCommander as a filehandler and set in it a hotkey for a shortcut in Tools \> Favorite tools \> Favorite tools edit [which is an equivalent to shortcuts from File \> Options \> Tools in Mp3tag]
>
> And if that hotkey is for example "CTRL + 1", then the "CTRL is pushed" and the files are not send to Mp3tag but are added to it; and the window of Mp3tag is put in front. And that is even quicker than having to evoke the shell menu and search in it the MP3tag shortcut
Thanks man! Been using the donate x64 version of FC for years. Overlooked this until now.
You don't even need to select files. Just use %ActivDir% as Start folder and Parameter.
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### Author:  [@Zerow](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/Zerow)
#### Post date: [June 28, 2017, 9:11am UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/shell-ctrl/18287/5 "2017-06-28T09:11:01Z")
> [@stevehero](#):
>
> [...]
> You don't even need to select files. Just use %ActivDir% as Start folder and Parameter.
This seems to be even more convenient
Unfortunately with such settings it always loads up content of the whole folder. So if I would want to for a moment revert to selecting files and send only them tho Mp3tag, this would simply not work [because all of the files would be sent]. So I would have to have to version of shortcuts, one for sending all and second for sending only selected ones
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### Author:  [@stevehero](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/stevehero)
#### Post date: [June 28, 2017, 9:18am UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/shell-ctrl/18287/6 "2017-06-28T09:18:04Z")
> [@zerow](#):
>
> This seems to be even more convenient
>
> Unfortunately with such settings it always loads up content of the whole folder. So if I would want to for a moment revert to selecting files and send only them tho Mp3tag, this would simply not work [because all of the files would be sent]. So I would have to have to version of shortcuts, one for sending all and second for sending only selected ones
Yeah I changed it to Parameter: %ActivSel%
But it's buggy for me sometimes and doesn't add all of the files.
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### Author:  [@Zerow](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/Zerow)
#### Post date: [June 28, 2017, 10:50am UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/shell-ctrl/18287/7 "2017-06-28T10:50:07Z")
> [@stevehero](#):
>
> Yeah I changed it to Parameter: %ActivSel%
>
> But it's buggy for me sometimes and doesn't add all of the files.
Try
**%ActivSelName%**
With such Parameter I do not recall having buggy behavior
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### Author:  [@stevehero](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/stevehero)
#### Post date: [June 28, 2017, 11:15am UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/shell-ctrl/18287/8 "2017-06-28T11:15:58Z")
> [@zerow](#):
>
> Try
>
> **%ActivSelName%**
>
> With such Parameter I do not recall having buggy behavior
I like %ActivSel% better as it allows multiple folder and file selection.
%ActivSelName% only works with multiple folders and not files.
That bug is likely a FC bug anyway (which I can live with) but overall this is a great solution.
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### Author:  [@Zerow](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/Zerow)
#### Post date: [June 28, 2017, 8:07pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/shell-ctrl/18287/9 "2017-06-28T20:07:13Z")
> [@stevehero](#):
>
> I like %ActivSel% better as it allows multiple folder and file selection.
>
> %ActivSelName% only works with multiple folders and not files.
>
> That bug is likely a FC bug anyway (which I can live with) but overall this is a great solution.
Yes, you are absolutely right
I forgot the issues with sending more than one file to old version of Sound Forge. The **%ActivSel%** takes care of and I just do not know, how did I missed that solution in a first place
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### Author:  [@Zerow](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/Zerow)
#### Post date: [July 17, 2017, 6:11pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/shell-ctrl/18287/10 "2017-07-17T18:11:42Z")
Yeah, it's buggy
Aa reported in here: [http://forum.freecommander.com/viewtopic.p...p;t=7106#p25802](http://forum.freecommander.com/viewtopic.php?f=18&t=7106#p25802)
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### Author:  [@system](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/system)
#### Post date: [February 9, 2026, 12:26pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/shell-ctrl/18287/11 "2026-02-09T12:26:27Z")