# Tag-Filename option to use '-' instead of nothing

**URL:** <https://community.mp3tag.de/t/tag-filename-option-to-use-instead-of-nothing/14508>\
**Category:** Support\
**Created:** [March 1, 2013, 8:44pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/tag-filename-option-to-use-instead-of-nothing/14508 "2013-03-01T20:44:07Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 9\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![TheDailyVinyl](https://community.mp3tag.de/user_avatar/community.mp3tag.de/thedailyvinyl/32/382_2.png) [@TheDailyVinyl](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/TheDailyVinyl)\
**Post date:** [March 1, 2013, 8:44pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/tag-filename-option-to-use-instead-of-nothing/14508/1 "2013-03-01T20:44:07Z")

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When I do a tag-filename action with a %title%, I noticed that a /slash is simply removed in the filename. Obviously, I get why you can't have a slash in a filename, but could I have it export as a '-' instead?

This Title:  
Embryo [BBC 12/2/68]

is exporting as:  
Embryo [BBC 12268]

would like to see:  
Embryo [BBC 12-2-68]

Thanks so much for your help. I LOVE this program!!!!!!

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**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:** [March 1, 2013, 8:53pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/tag-filename-option-to-use-instead-of-nothing/14508/2 "2013-03-01T20:53:54Z")

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You could have alook at the example in the help.  
"$validate(%artist% - %album% - %track% - %title%,-)"  
replaces illegal characters with the hyphen.

Instead of using only the mask  
%artist% - %album% - %track% - %title%  
enter this one  
$validate(%artist% - %album% - %track% - %title%,-)

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![TheDailyVinyl](https://community.mp3tag.de/user_avatar/community.mp3tag.de/thedailyvinyl/32/382_2.png) [@TheDailyVinyl](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/TheDailyVinyl)\
**Post date:** [March 13, 2013, 2:59pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/tag-filename-option-to-use-instead-of-nothing/14508/3 "2013-03-13T14:59:30Z")

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> [@ohrenkino](#):
>
> You could have alook at the example in the help.  
> "$validate(%artist% - %album% - %track% - %title%,-)"  
> replaces illegal characters with the hyphen.

Thanks for the reply! I did look thru the help file but just didn't see it. Sorry I missed it. That seems helpful.

Here's another twist--  
What about only certain characters. For instance, I often use a ':' in certain audio files but when I do the Tag-Filename, I don't mind it ignoring the the colon. But any other "illegal" characters could be replaced by the hyphen. Is that possible or is that too crazy?

Example:  
Title = The Bottles: 1969 Rooftop Concert/Soundcheck  
Tag-to-Filename = The Bottles 1969 Rooftop Concert-Soundcheck

```
          (not = The Bottles- 1969 Rooftop Concert-Soundcheck)

```

Thanks again. LOVE LOVE LOVE this program.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**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:** [March 13, 2013, 3:41pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/tag-filename-option-to-use-instead-of-nothing/14508/4 "2013-03-13T15:41:59Z")

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> [@TheDailyVinyl](#):
>
> ...  
> Title = The Bottles: 1969 Rooftop Concert/Soundcheck  
> Tag-to-Filename = The Bottles 1969 Rooftop Concert-Soundcheck
> 
> ```
> (not = The Bottles- 1969 Rooftop Concert-Soundcheck)
> 
> ```
> 
> Thanks again. LOVE LOVE LOVE this program.

You could use instead of the plain %title% the expression $replace(%title%,:,)

So if you want to get both, the valid filename plus some characters that get a special treatment:  
$validate($replace(%title%,:,),-)

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![TheDailyVinyl](https://community.mp3tag.de/user_avatar/community.mp3tag.de/thedailyvinyl/32/382_2.png) [@TheDailyVinyl](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/TheDailyVinyl)\
**Post date:** [March 14, 2013, 6:02pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/tag-filename-option-to-use-instead-of-nothing/14508/5 "2013-03-14T18:02:18Z")

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COOL!!!! Thanks!

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![TheDailyVinyl](https://community.mp3tag.de/user_avatar/community.mp3tag.de/thedailyvinyl/32/382_2.png) [@TheDailyVinyl](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/TheDailyVinyl)\
**Post date:** [March 15, 2013, 3:51pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/tag-filename-option-to-use-instead-of-nothing/14508/6 "2013-03-15T15:51:27Z")

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One more....

I like to use an asterisk to denote bonus tracks in the Title, but don't want a - in the filename.

$validate($replace(%title%,:,\*,),-)

didn't seem to work. Any idea on that one?

as always, thanks so much!

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<div class="post-metadata">

**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:** [March 15, 2013, 4:07pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/tag-filename-option-to-use-instead-of-nothing/14508/7 "2013-03-15T16:07:00Z")

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Try  
$validate($replace(%title%,:,,\*,),-)

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![TheDailyVinyl](https://community.mp3tag.de/user_avatar/community.mp3tag.de/thedailyvinyl/32/382_2.png) [@TheDailyVinyl](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/TheDailyVinyl)\
**Post date:** [March 15, 2013, 5:57pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/tag-filename-option-to-use-instead-of-nothing/14508/8 "2013-03-15T17:57:53Z")

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> [@ohrenkino](#):
>
> Try  
> $validate($replace(%title%,:,,\*,),-)

Yep! that's it. wooo-hoo!!! THANK YOU!

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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, 12:24pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/tag-filename-option-to-use-instead-of-nothing/14508/9 "2026-02-09T12:24:22Z")

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Closed on February 9, 2026, 12:24pm UTC