# Why are square brackets proscribed characters in writing tag to filename?
**URL:** https://community.mp3tag.de/t/why-are-square-brackets-proscribed-characters-in-writing-tag-to-filename/55592
**Category:** Support
**Created:** [December 22, 2021, 12:29pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/why-are-square-brackets-proscribed-characters-in-writing-tag-to-filename/55592 "2021-12-22T12:29:02Z")
**Posts on this page:** 7
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@TennissippiTom](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/TennissippiTom)
#### Post date: [December 22, 2021, 12:29pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/why-are-square-brackets-proscribed-characters-in-writing-tag-to-filename/55592/1 "2021-12-22T12:29:02Z")
Hi music friends,
This is a fine program, but I can't write my syntax without square brackets. Why are they disallowed in writing tag to filename?
My syntax is:
Syntax=Filenamevenueinfo[info]
example,
OneDollaBillLeft[live,1-15-14@JungleJam,DocelunasResort,Jaco,CostaRica](2014,ZachDeputy,AKAZachry Deputy,Bluffton,SC)
Also, I read all the help file thoroughly but haven't figured out how to search and replace characters in only one column. Any suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks Tom Z, [windking@gmail.com](mailto:windking@gmail.com)
---
### Author:  [@ohrenkino](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/ohrenkino)
#### Post date: [December 22, 2021, 12:43pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/why-are-square-brackets-proscribed-characters-in-writing-tag-to-filename/55592/2 "2021-12-22T12:43:12Z")
The square brackets serve to enclose optional parts of a filename (very useful as it shortens otherwise lengthy $IF() statements).
To get the bracket, use them with apostrophes around them : '[' and ']' - then they are taken as literals
> [@TennissippiTom](#):
>
> Also, I read all the help file thoroughly but haven't figured out how to search and replace
This is the help on "replace":
> **[Replace – Mp3tag Documentation](https://docs.mp3tag.de/actions/replace/)**
>
> Documentation on the Replace action type that can be performed as Quick Action or as reusable workflow from Action Groups. Mp3tag is the universal Tag Editor.
---
### Author:  [@LyricsLover](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/LyricsLover)
#### Post date: [December 22, 2021, 12:55pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/why-are-square-brackets-proscribed-characters-in-writing-tag-to-filename/55592/3 "2021-12-22T12:55:42Z")
> [@TennissippiTom](#):
>
> Also, I read all the help file thoroughly but haven't figured out how to search and replace characters in only one column.
You can't select "this column only" in Mp3tag to search & replace content. You always choose one or more songs.
If you want to search and replace one specific tag in multiple files you can do it by
a) adding this field to the [tag panel](https://docs.mp3tag.de/customization/tag-panel) and adjust it for the selected songs
or
b) create a new [replace action](https://docs.mp3tag.de/actions/replace) for this tag and replace the content of the given tag
---
### Author:  [@TennissippiTom](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/TennissippiTom)
#### Post date: [December 22, 2021, 9:11pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/why-are-square-brackets-proscribed-characters-in-writing-tag-to-filename/55592/4 "2021-12-22T21:11:02Z")
Thanks very much; this is a very fine program, especially now that I don't have to graft the brackets to the title field manually!
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### Author:  [@TennissippiTom](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/TennissippiTom)
#### Post date: [December 23, 2021, 1:51am UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/why-are-square-brackets-proscribed-characters-in-writing-tag-to-filename/55592/5 "2021-12-23T01:51:35Z")
Thanks much. I've used ID3TagIt for many years, which had an excellent search/replace feature.
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### Author:  [@ohrenkino](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/ohrenkino)
#### Post date: [December 23, 2021, 8:28am UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/why-are-square-brackets-proscribed-characters-in-writing-tag-to-filename/55592/6 "2021-12-23T08:28:48Z")
> [@TennissippiTom](#):
>
> which had an excellent search/replace feature
MP3tag HAS an excellent search/replace function - you find it (as a one off) in Actions(quick).
The advantage of this concept is that you can use such an action as part of a more complicated batch job, an action group.
Searching in MP3tag usually means "filtering".
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### Author:  [@system](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/system)
#### Post date: [February 9, 2026, 12:29pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/why-are-square-brackets-proscribed-characters-in-writing-tag-to-filename/55592/7 "2026-02-09T12:29:34Z")