# Show if external cover file is present **URL:** \ **Category:** Support\ **Created:** [January 29, 2017, 3:30pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/show-if-external-cover-file-is-present/18648 "2017-01-29T15:30:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Hybrixe](https://community.mp3tag.de/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/h/8dc957/32.png) [@Hybrixe](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/Hybrixe)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2017, 3:30pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/show-if-external-cover-file-is-present/18648/1 "2017-01-29T15:30:14Z")
Hey guys and gals, I searched all over the place but I couldn't find an answer. I have all my covers as seperate files and I can't get MP3Tag to show if they exist or not. I tried to make a column that shows it but I didn't succeed. Is it possible to do it in a column? Maybe even two columns, one for cover.jpg and one for folder.jpg? Thanks in advance! ---
**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:** [January 29, 2017, 3:35pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/show-if-external-cover-file-is-present/18648/2 "2017-01-29T15:35:20Z")
I don't think it is possible unless you embed the covers in the files. Isn't this mainly a file system problem? You need a list of folders (which the Windows Explorer can show you and count for you) and a list of picture files. The numbers of folders and picture files should match. You can embed the pictures with a wildcard like \*.jpg and MP3tag takes the first picture it finds for embedding. After that you can filter for files that have no cover with %\_covers% IS "" and treat them the way you like. ---
**Author:** ![Hybrixe](https://community.mp3tag.de/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/h/8dc957/32.png) [@Hybrixe](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/Hybrixe)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2017, 3:37pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/show-if-external-cover-file-is-present/18648/3 "2017-01-29T15:37:29Z")
> [@ohrenkino](#): > > I don't think it is possible unless you embed the covers in the files. > > Isn't this mainly a file system problem? You need a list of folders (which the Windows Explorer can show you and count for you) and a list of picture files. The numbers of folders and picture files should match. > > You can embed the pictures with a wildcard like \*.jpg and MP3tag takes the first picture it finds for embedding. > After that you can filter for files that have no cover with > %\_covers% IS "" > and treat them the way you like. Ahh, thanks nonetheless! I basically want to find out if a file or album has no cover because sometimes it doesn't show up on my music player. ---
**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:** [January 29, 2017, 3:44pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/show-if-external-cover-file-is-present/18648/4 "2017-01-29T15:44:54Z")
> [@Hybrixe](#): > > Ahh, thanks nonetheless! I basically want to find out if a file or album has no cover because sometimes it doesn't show up on my music player. If you have the covers in your files, you can go the brute force approach and open a command shell in the top folder of your collection. There issue the following commands to delete all jpg files from the folders: attrib -h -s \*.jpg /s del /s \*.jpg And then use an action of the type "Export cover" to create the picture files again. You can even export cover.jpg and folder.jpg in one action group. This should fill the folders. * * * I get a little sentimental with this post as it is number 8000 for me. I never would have dreamed that it would sum up to this number, but here we are. And for those who thought: enough is enough I have disappointment: I intend to participate in this forum a little longer. Thanks for your patience. ---
**Author:** ![Hybrixe](https://community.mp3tag.de/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/h/8dc957/32.png) [@Hybrixe](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/Hybrixe)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2017, 3:47pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/show-if-external-cover-file-is-present/18648/5 "2017-01-29T15:47:14Z")
> [@ohrenkino](#): > > If you have the covers in your files, you can go the brute force approach and open a command shell in the top folder of your collection. > There issue the following commands to delete all jpg files from the folders: > attrib -h -s \*.jpg /s > > del /s \*.jpg > > And then use an action of the type "Export cover" to create the picture files again. > You can even export cover.jpg and folder.jpg in one action group. This should fill the folders. > > * * * > > I get a little sentimental with this post as it is number 8000 for me. I never would have dreamed that it would sum up to this number, but here we are. And for those who thought: enough is enough I have disappointment: I intend to participate in this forum a little longer. Thanks for your patience. Thanks again, and let's hope you can say IT'S OVER 9000 somewhere in the future! ---
**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, 12:26pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/show-if-external-cover-file-is-present/18648/6 "2026-02-09T12:26:38Z")