# Suggested Feature: Allow User To Add Items To Drop-Down Boxes
**URL:** https://community.mp3tag.de/t/suggested-feature-allow-user-to-add-items-to-drop-down-boxes/18317
**Category:** General Discussion
**Created:** [October 11, 2016, 4:41am UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/suggested-feature-allow-user-to-add-items-to-drop-down-boxes/18317 "2016-10-11T04:41:26Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@JerryTag](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/JerryTag)
#### Post date: [October 11, 2016, 4:41am UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/suggested-feature-allow-user-to-add-items-to-drop-down-boxes/18317/1 "2016-10-11T04:41:26Z")
Hi
I am currently adding tags to a lot of Latin America audio tracks. In the tag panel I have added fields such as MOOD, COMPOSER, etc.. Due to the nature of the Tag information there is a lot of information duplication, especially MOOD (which I titled Rhythm/Mood). Therefore, the reason for this enhancement proposal.
In the next version of MP3TAG, it would be useful to allow the User to create their own drop-down lists, similar to the "Genre:" field. As in Genre, the "empty", and items would still be there, but followed by any User's items.
As a developer myself, I see the mechanism for adding User defined items to the Genre: field being expanded to any field that now has a drop-down box. Also, I see no restrictions as to which fields have the ability to add items.
Jerry B
---
### Author:  [@ohrenkino](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/ohrenkino)
#### Post date: [October 13, 2016, 12:08pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/suggested-feature-allow-user-to-add-items-to-drop-down-boxes/18317/2 "2016-10-13T12:08:02Z")
In a way you already have this feature.
Create a field for MOOD in the tag panel.
Load an example track for a particular MOOD.
Load also the other tracks that should get the right MOOD data.
Select the example track and the tracks that should get this mood.
Select the mood in the dropdown list in the tag panel.
You could store the Example tracks in a playlist and load them prior to loading the files that will get new tag data.
---
### Author:  [@JerryTag](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/JerryTag)
#### Post date: [November 1, 2016, 4:19pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/suggested-feature-allow-user-to-add-items-to-drop-down-boxes/18317/3 "2016-11-01T16:19:27Z")
Hi ohrenkino
> [@ohrenkino](#):
>
> In a way you already have this feature.
> Create a field for MOOD in the tag panel.
> Load an example track for a particular MOOD.
> Load also the other tracks that should get the right MOOD data.
> Select the example track and the tracks that should get this mood.
> Select the mood in the dropdown list in the tag panel.
>
> You could store the Example tracks in a playlist and load them prior to loading the files that will get new tag data.
Sorry I did not get back sooner, but I was sick for a couple of weeks.
I realize I can do what you say and, essentially, that is what I have been doing. However, what I am proposing as an "enhancement" is for the ability to create User defined items for MP3Tag drop-down lists. That way, if one exits MP3Tag and then re-executes it for a new set of audio files, the stored custom lists that the User created will be available.
---
### Author:  [@ohrenkino](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/ohrenkino)
#### Post date: [November 1, 2016, 5:39pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/suggested-feature-allow-user-to-add-items-to-drop-down-boxes/18317/4 "2016-11-01T17:39:40Z")
I hope you are well again.
Could you elaborate a little more:
How should the lists be maintained? I mean: how do you add items or remove them?
Should there be some kind of automatism like for the Convert functions and their format strings or the filter expressions?
How long should the lists become?
Just to give a rough idea: there are some users on the forum who try to load more than 100,000 files from their libraries. I would assume that this could create some 10,000 entries for ARTIST, COMPOSER and ALBUM.
Scrolling through a list with 10,000 entries does not look like an enhancement to me.
The GENRE field has pre-defined entries for the genres as laid down in the ID3 standard which describes 255 different ones. The dropdown list helps you to get the correct spelling (e.g. hip-hop vs. hip hop) for the V1 genres as otherwise the mis-spelled genre would become "other" in V1.
So this list has a technical background.
All other strings in the tags are not defined by a standard - and could be anything.
Where do you thing the limits should be?
---
### Author:  [@coyote425](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/coyote425)
#### Post date: [November 2, 2016, 3:46am UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/suggested-feature-allow-user-to-add-items-to-drop-down-boxes/18317/5 "2016-11-02T03:46:37Z")
> [@JIB](#):
>
> Hi
>
> I am currently adding tags to a lot of Latin America audio tracks. In the tag panel I have added fields such as MOOD, COMPOSER, etc.. Due to the nature of the Tag information there is a lot of information duplication, especially MOOD (which I titled Rhythm/Mood). Therefore, the reason for this enhancement proposal.
>
> In the next version of MP3TAG, it would be useful to allow the User to create their own drop-down lists, similar to the "Genre:" field. As in Genre, the "empty", and items would still be there, but followed by any User's items.
>
> As a developer myself, I see the mechanism for adding User defined items to the Genre: field being expanded to any field that now has a drop-down box. Also, I see no restrictions as to which fields have the ability to add items.
>
> Jerry B
I would also like to have the ability to add custom items to the drop-down boxes! Please make this a feature in a future update. I listen to 5-6 podcasts and would love to be able to add the artist names and album names etc. to the drop-down boxes so I don't have to type them out every-time I import a new podcast to my htpc.
---
### Author:  [@ohrenkino](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/ohrenkino)
#### Post date: [November 2, 2016, 5:24am UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/suggested-feature-allow-user-to-add-items-to-drop-down-boxes/18317/6 "2016-11-02T05:24:30Z")
> [@zorro425](#):
>
> ... I listen to 5-6 podcasts and would love to be able to add the artist names and album names etc....
I suggest actions of the type "Format value" for the respective tracks and fields.
If there are just 5 or 6 of them, the actions list does not become too long.
Executing an action leads much quicker to the desired result than editing each field individually with data from a dropdown list and then save the modifications.
---
### Author:  [@JerryTag](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/JerryTag)
#### Post date: [November 3, 2016, 12:58pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/suggested-feature-allow-user-to-add-items-to-drop-down-boxes/18317/7 "2016-11-03T12:58:02Z")
> [@ohrenkino](#):
>
> I hope you are well again.
>
> Could you elaborate a little more:
> How should the lists be maintained? I mean: how do you add items or remove them?
> Should there be some kind of automatism like for the Convert functions and their format strings or the filter expressions?
> How long should the lists become?
> Just to give a rough idea: there are some users on the forum who try to load more than 100,000 files from their libraries. I would assume that this could create some 10,000 entries for ARTIST, COMPOSER and ALBUM.
> Scrolling through a list with 10,000 entries does not look like an enhancement to me.
>
> The GENRE field has pre-defined entries for the genres as laid down in the ID3 standard which describes 255 different ones. The dropdown list helps you to get the correct spelling (e.g. hip-hop vs. hip hop) for the V1 genres as otherwise the mis-spelled genre would become "other" in V1.
> So this list has a technical background.
> All other strings in the tags are not defined by a standard - and could be anything.
> Where do you thing the limits should be?
Hi ohrenkino
In Genre, I am able to add my own item via Tools | Options. Therefore, I know it is not according to Hoyle, I am able to create my own "list".
I understand your concerns for extra long lists, and it is a point well taken. I write NET code for myself and some others. I have one application in which I have 5 lists of pre-defined items. Via an editor a User may add, change or delete any item. The editor also allows the User to create their own List and later use that list in the application. I place no restrictions on the number of items in a list. The drop-down has a built-in function for "partial" entries. Therefore, if the user wanted the name François, the user would type "F" or "f", and only those entries beginning with F are displayed in the drop-down list. If the user then types "R" or "r", the drop-down list is further refined to only those items that begin with FR, or any combination of upper and lower case letters. This action is built into the drop-down box and one simply selects a box property(s). Therefore, it is immaterial how many items are in the list. If a User wants the whole list, so be it.
In MP3Tag drop-downs, it seems this drop-down function already exists in the Genre drop-down. I am proposing that the feature be extended to all drop-down boxes. The list can be maintained via Tools|Options, as is the Genre list. I have to check, but I believe a drop-down box of this type can have up to 32K list items.
Jerry B
---
### Author:  [@poster](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/poster)
#### Post date: [November 3, 2016, 4:55pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/suggested-feature-allow-user-to-add-items-to-drop-down-boxes/18317/8 "2016-11-03T16:55:26Z")
I personally see no benefits in drop-down-lists. These lists would disturb my workflow.
I like very much the possibility to see all contents of the marked files in the tag-panel. With a predefined list like in genres this is not possible anymore.
Therefore I even created my own additional genre-field in the tag-panel to overcome this restriction.
[Genre Field - feature request](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/18037/5)
---
### Author:  [@Stem75](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/Stem75)
#### Post date: [March 11, 2018, 10:08am UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/suggested-feature-allow-user-to-add-items-to-drop-down-boxes/18317/9 "2018-03-11T10:08:16Z")
I can't explain it with words but I would like something like this.
---
### Author:  [@ohrenkino](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/ohrenkino)
#### Post date: [March 11, 2018, 11:42am UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/suggested-feature-allow-user-to-add-items-to-drop-down-boxes/18317/10 "2018-03-11T11:42:38Z")
As you can see, this is a request that is on the list for quite some time.
Just recently ther was this one:
> [@Defined values for 'Period' field](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/defined-values-for-period-field/40962):
>
> I nave created a field for 'Period' as I have a classical music collection. It has fixed values of Medieval, Renaissance, Baroque, Classical ... etc I would really like to be able to be able to utilise a periods.ini file similar to that used with genre. Any chance of this being enabled? This would prevent creating fields such Renaisance as a result of mis-typing! Any help on this greatly appreciated.
which also includes a way to get a similar feature right now.
---
### Author:  [@Stem75](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/Stem75)
#### Post date: [March 11, 2018, 12:14pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/suggested-feature-allow-user-to-add-items-to-drop-down-boxes/18317/11 "2018-03-11T12:14:18Z")
OK. what I understand is that you suggesting me to use :
right click - convert - actions - Action group A - format value - ( tag name ) - string A
Action group B - format value - ( tag name ) - string B
but that is not helpful because when I have 30 strings as a choice for a tag, that would
result in a very large Actions list.
Am I right or am I wrong?
---
### Author:  [@ohrenkino](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/ohrenkino)
#### Post date: [March 11, 2018, 12:54pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/suggested-feature-allow-user-to-add-items-to-drop-down-boxes/18317/12 "2018-03-11T12:54:26Z")
you can structure the menu by inserting a # in the name, e.g.
My\_genres#Hot stuff
My\_genres#New
My\_genres#Play again
and so on.
The # creates a submenu.
And yes, if you need 30 strings then you get a list of 30 items. That's the same for dropdown lists and submenus.
Just to make this clear: all explanations of the current functionality are not intended as a verdict on your feature suggestion. They are merely a hint on how to get the same result (select from pre-defined values) with the already available functions.
---
### Author:  [@Stem75](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/Stem75)
#### Post date: [March 11, 2018, 1:17pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/suggested-feature-allow-user-to-add-items-to-drop-down-boxes/18317/13 "2018-03-11T13:17:11Z")
This is awesome! I didn't knew you can do that.
It is a rough solution to my problem but it is way more messy than what I suggest.
Anyway thank you for pointing this out and I am very sorry if I was a pain in the ass.
---
### Author:  [@incifinci](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/incifinci)
#### Post date: [June 23, 2018, 3:44am UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/suggested-feature-allow-user-to-add-items-to-drop-down-boxes/18317/14 "2018-06-23T03:44:44Z")
> [@ohrenkino](#):
>
> you can structure the menu by inserting a # in the name, e.g.
> My\_genres#Hot stuff
> My\_genres#New
> My\_genres#Play again
> and so on.
> The # creates a submenu.
I use 11 years the app, and did not know about it. I think, it must **be added to the help content**. By the way, very nice feature. 🙂
---
### Author:  [@incifinci](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/incifinci)
#### Post date: [April 5, 2019, 6:04pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/suggested-feature-allow-user-to-add-items-to-drop-down-boxes/18317/15 "2019-04-05T18:04:57Z")
Suggestion: this subitem (with **#** ) feature will be nice for _Tools_, for _User defined genres_, too (and so on...).
Why?
**Tools: instead of**
Google, artist+song
Google, composer
...will be...
_Google \>\>_
Google, artist+song
Google, composer
**Genres: instead of**
Folk song, english
Folk song, hungarian
Rockabilly
Rock and roll
Rock later
Rock hard
...will be...
_Folk song \>\>_
Folk song english
Folk song hungarian
_Rock \>\>_
Rockabilly
Rock and roll
Rock later
Rock hard
Now I must to scroll Tools with little arrows, and genres too (fortunately, in genres works mouse scrolling).
---
### Author:  [@moncom](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/moncom)
#### Post date: [January 13, 2022, 2:54pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/suggested-feature-allow-user-to-add-items-to-drop-down-boxes/18317/16 "2022-01-13T14:54:50Z")
Hi
I am a newbie to Mp3tag, In the same vein as the topic question asked, I would like to be able to select from a simple list of years for the YEAR dropdown tag and similarly for the TRACK tag rather than having to manually type in those details each time.
Is this possible anf if so please let me know how it can be done.
Many thanks.
---
### Author:  [@ohrenkino](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/ohrenkino)
#### Post date: [January 13, 2022, 3:11pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/suggested-feature-allow-user-to-add-items-to-drop-down-boxes/18317/17 "2022-01-13T15:11:06Z")
> [@moncom](#):
>
> how it can be done
You still have to create the actions of the type "Format value".
As you say
> [@moncom](#):
>
> I am a newbie
and you don't want to enter the data for
> [@moncom](#):
>
> TRACK
- did you have a look at the track numbering assistant?
---
### Author:  [@MotleyG](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/MotleyG)
#### Post date: [January 13, 2022, 8:08pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/suggested-feature-allow-user-to-add-items-to-drop-down-boxes/18317/18 "2022-01-13T20:08:10Z")
> [@moncom](#):
>
> I would like to be able to select from a simple list of years for the YEAR dropdown tag
To be clear, you are proposing a year selector in this field rather than having to manually type it? Like you would find on a mobile device?
---
### Author:  [@moncom](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/moncom)
#### Post date: [January 13, 2022, 11:24pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/suggested-feature-allow-user-to-add-items-to-drop-down-boxes/18317/19 "2022-01-13T23:24:57Z")
> [@ohrenkino](#):
>
> You still have to create the actions of the type "Format value".
>
> - did you have a look at the track numbering assistant?
Thank you ohrenkino, tried track numbering assistant and it does the job, only with some old albums you have side one, side two or A side and B side can it cater for that?
Not familiar with actions of the type "Format value". can you please direct me to a help page?
---
### Author:  [@moncom](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/moncom)
#### Post date: [January 13, 2022, 11:52pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/suggested-feature-allow-user-to-add-items-to-drop-down-boxes/18317/20 "2022-01-13T23:52:59Z")
Hi and thank you MotleyG
Not sure how it works on a mobile device but when you click on the Year combo box (drop-down box) it only shows and . So similar to the Genre dropdown tag, I would like it filled additionally with a list of each year starting from the 1930s so that the year can be selected and saved in the file rather than having to manually enter it.
In Excel for instance you add drop-down list (combo boxes) with Data Validation or HTML you can create drop-down list with the Tag.
Hope that makes sense.
[Next page](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/suggested-feature-allow-user-to-add-items-to-drop-down-boxes/18317.md?page=2)