# Textfile-\>tag with sub-folders

**URL:** <https://community.mp3tag.de/t/textfile-tag-with-sub-folders/17829>\
**Category:** Support\
**Created:** [April 8, 2016, 1:51am UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/textfile-tag-with-sub-folders/17829 "2016-04-08T01:51:00Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![rajanna](https://community.mp3tag.de/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/r/dec6dc/32.png) [@rajanna](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/rajanna)\
**Post date:** [April 8, 2016, 1:51am UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/textfile-tag-with-sub-folders/17829/1 "2016-04-08T01:51:00Z")

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although %\_filename\_ext% is the record location in textfile-\>tag. If there are songs under subfolders, then textfile-\>tag expects absolute path with filename and extension record location reference by %\_filename\_ext%.

steps to reproduce

mainfolder-\>  
folder1-\>  
song1.m4a  
song2.m4a  
song3.m4a  
folder2-\>  
song21.m4a  
song22.m4a  
song23.m4a

textfile  
song1.m4a,artist1  
song2.m4a,artist2  
song3.m4a,artist3  
song21.m4a,artist21  
song22.m4a,artist22  
song23.m4a,artist23

if all the songs under mainfolder is pulled inside mp3tag. then textfile-\>tag fails to import tags with %\_filename\_ext%,%artist%

but if subfolders are pulled individually say folder1, then the same textfile applies the tag with no problem.

Please review and fix it, if you consider this as a bug.

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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:** [April 8, 2016, 3:32am UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/textfile-tag-with-sub-folders/17829/2 "2016-04-08T03:32:53Z")

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> [@rajanna](#):
>
> although %\_filename\_ext% is the record location in textfile-\>tag. If there are songs under subfolders, then textfile-\>tag expects absolute path with filename and extension record location reference by %\_filename\_ext%.  
> ...

You might want to have a look at the definition of partially or fully qualified filenames in Windows:  
[https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/wi...v=vs.85%29.aspx](https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/desktop/aa365247%28v=vs.85%29.aspx)

MP3tag assumes the current directory. So if you want to address files that cannot be found in that directory directly, you have to add the path information. MP3tag cannot guess where the file may be, you have to help MP3tag.

When writing an export, the instruction to write %\_filename\_ext% will lead to writing really only the filename and not path information, as the filename is a local attribute/property of the current file.  
If you want to include the path, you have to modify the export instruction to:  
%\_path%\%\_filename\_ext%

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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, 12:26pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/textfile-tag-with-sub-folders/17829/3 "2026-02-09T12:26:11Z")

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Closed on February 9, 2026, 12:26pm UTC