# Split field with multicharacter separator

**URL:** <https://community.mp3tag.de/t/split-field-with-multicharacter-separator/15907>\
**Category:** Support\
**Created:** [July 14, 2014, 12:41pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/split-field-with-multicharacter-separator/15907 "2014-07-14T12:41:25Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![mahkitah](https://community.mp3tag.de/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/m/3d9bf3/32.png) [@mahkitah](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/mahkitah)\
**Post date:** [July 14, 2014, 12:41pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/split-field-with-multicharacter-separator/15907/1 "2014-07-14T12:41:25Z")

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I'm trying to split the artist field using vs. as separator, but it will split at all the individual characters (v, s and .)  
I've tried putting the separator between brackets, single and double quotes, but nothing helps.

As a workaround I can first convert vs. to a rare single character, but is that really the only way to get this done?

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**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:** [July 14, 2014, 2:24pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/split-field-with-multicharacter-separator/15907/2 "2014-07-14T14:24:25Z")

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> [@mahkitah](#):
>
> I'm trying to split the artist field using vs. as separator, but it will split at all the individual characters (v, s and .)...

That is the way it works as designed.

> [@mahkitah](#):
>
> I'm trying to split the artist field using vs. as separator ...

Use converter "Tag - Tag" or action "Format value" ...  
Field: ARTIST  
Formatstring: **$regexp(%ARTIST%,'\s_vs.?\s_','\\')**  
... or ...  
Formatstring: **$replace(%ARTIST%,' vs. ','\\')**  
... this will split the given string by the splitstring " vs. " into multi value items.

DD.20140714.1846.CEST

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**Author:** ![mahkitah](https://community.mp3tag.de/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/m/3d9bf3/32.png) [@mahkitah](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/mahkitah)\
**Post date:** [July 14, 2014, 3:12pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/split-field-with-multicharacter-separator/15907/3 "2014-07-14T15:12:19Z")

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Thanks for the other options.  
I still think it's very strange that the split field action is so limited.  
Why have a special action for splitting fields if you can't use it for all your splitting.

But hey, I know how to do what I want now and mp3tag is still one of the best programs on the planet. Couldn't live without it.

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**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/split-field-with-multicharacter-separator/15907/4 "2026-02-09T12:25:08Z")

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Closed on February 9, 2026, 12:25pm UTC