Using single value from multivalue field

General Discussion
#1

I'm trying to create an action that takes the 1st value from ARTIST and populates the ALBUMARTIST field.

Right now I have:

Format Value
Field: ALBUMARTIST
Format String: $meta(artist,0)

Using this, I'm still getting every value from ARTIST. I also noticed that $meta() isn't in the list of functions in the Actions dialog.

Any ideas?

Convert Tag -> Filename: Multiple Artists (Values)
[X] ARTIST cannot be updated
Determining Tag - Filename when multiple ID3v2 artists tags present
#2

First we have to clear the facts.
As you said there might be a "multi-value" tag-field ARTIST.
Please apply this format string in the converter "Tag - Tag" ...

$meta_sep(ARTIST,'\\\\')

Please let us see the resulting string from the preview window.

Second check.
Open the Filter dialog and apply this filter string to the file list ...

NOT "$meta(ARTIST,1)" IS ""

Do you see files with "multi-value" ARTIST in the list view?

DD.20140129.2045.CET

#3

Actually I didn't say their might be. I know they are multi-value since I added them myself in F2K which shows the values correctly. In fact, using the $meta function in F2K works as expected.

C:\Users\Cristov\Music\CDs\My Collection\Christina Aguilera\Bionic\[03] Woohoo.mp3
  "Woohoo" ->
  "Christina Aguilera / Nicki Minaj"

The 2nd test shows no results.

#4

foobar2000 displays a real "multi-value" tag field this way ...
"Christina Aguilera; Nicki Minaj"

Mp3tag displays a real "multi-value" tag field this way ...
"Christina Aguilera\\Nicki Minaj"

This content is not a real "multi-value" tag field ...
"Christina Aguilera / Nicki Minaj"
This is a single text item having two text components separated by the string " / ".

This indicates, there is no tag-field ARTIST of type "multi-value".

You can use the Mp3tag action "Split field by separator" to convert the single value into multi-value ...
Field: ARTIST
Separator: /
Write only one slash character.
If more different characters are used, then each character determines a split point.
Leading and trailing space characters will be automatically removed from the new items.

You can use the Mp3tag action "Merge duplicate fields" to convert "multi-value" into "single-value" ...
Field: ARTIST
Separator: /
The separator string can have more than one character.

Check the list of tag-fields in the dialog "Extended Tags...".

If you do not want to change the existing single-value tag-field ARTIST into multi-value, then you may apply the following format string ...
Action: Format value
Field : ALBUMARTIST
Format string:

$regexp(%ARTIST%,'^(.+?)\s+/\s+(.+?)$','$1') ... gives first part before " / "

... or ...

$regexp(%ARTIST%,'^(.+?)\s+/\s+(.+?)$','$2') ... gives second part behind " / "

... or ...

$left(%ARTIST%,$sub($strstr(%ARTIST%,' / '),1)) ... gives first part before " / "

... or ...

$cutLeft(%ARTIST%,$add($strstr(%ARTIST%,' / '),2)) ... gives second part behind " / "

DD.20140130.1218.CET

#5

So Foobar doesn't write multi-values correctly using a semicolon? Is there some setting I need to change in F2K to make it work properly? Even after I used the split value option in the F2K properties dialog Mp3Tag does not show them as multiple values.

#6

If you use ID3v2.3 tags then foobar and Mp3tag use different ways for multi value tags.

#7

With foobar "properties/context Split values..." it is possible to split the string ...
"Christina Aguilera / Nicki Minaj"
into a multi-value field by split character "/", so foobar displays the field content as ...
"Christina Aguilera; Nicki Minaj".

As Dano has remarked, there is also a difference between the tag-types ID3v2.3 and ID3v2.4.
You should consider this too.

Using tag-type ID3v2.4 there is interoperability between foobar and Mp3tag on "multi-value" tag-fields.

DD.20140130.1444.CET

#8

Ok. I'm using 2.3 so I need to do some research I guess and find out if and how I should convert my existing tags to 2.4. If you have suggestions on that, please advise. Thanks.

#9

Better think twice as V2.4 tags are not supported by many applications, e.g. Windows Explorer or BPMAnalyzer.
To convert: set File>Options>Mpeg write to V2.4.
Close the dialogue.
Select all the files, copy the tags and then paste them.
If this does not work: cut the tags and then paste them.

#10

Good to know. I've been meaning to grab BPM Analyzer. I've been using a F2K component but I like that app better.

If anyone knows a way I could search for multivalue fields in F2K I would be grateful. I can't use the $meta_num function from what I can tell.

#11

If you want to change the tag-type from ID3v2.3 to ID3v2.4 you can do this from within foobar or from within Mp3tag.
In Mp3tag set the options for Mpeg Write to ID3v2.4 UTF-8, then select the loaded files and save them using [Ctrl+S].

On the other hand you can stay with tag-type ID3v2.3 UTF-16.
Above in post #4 there is a scripting solution without $meta functionality to solve the origin problem of splitting a given string into components.

DD.20140130.1849.CET