Name does not get replaced

Hello!
I am pretty new to using programs like this.
So, a long time ago I converted music files from my iPod on to my computer, and all the names got messed up.
I watched a tutorial on how to set up the scripts and everything, but even now, the TITLE works but the NAME of the file isn’t the same. Here is the screenshot…

So you have a couple of files with cryptic names and want to use Picard to clean up the file names, did I get this right?

In Picard you have to enable file renaming and / or file moving. You can do this in Options > File Naming.

If you enable just the file renaming Picard will only change the file name according to the script, but it willleave the files in the folder they are. If you also enable moving files Picard will also move your files to new folders, which names can also be specified using the Naming script.

See also https://picard.musicbrainz.org/docs/options/

As we are talking iTunes, do I guess that you have dozens and dozens of scattered files, not whole albums, just various tracks from various places? I can see from your screenshot that most of your tracks don’t have album names next to them.

Picard may not be the easiest option this time. Picard will want to do lookups into the MusicBrainz database and name things correctly, but this may be a bit of an excess faff when all you want is your filenames corrected based on your current tagging. Lack of album names, etc is going to cause you a headache.

I would look at using MP3TAG from https://mp3tag.de/en/

There is a neat option on there that will allow you to just rename your files using their current tags.

It really is very simple - even if that help page looks a bit geeky.

If I was you, I’d try it out on a few files.

  • Open MP3TAG
  • Select a few dozen tracks
  • Hit the menu CONVERT
  • Select TAG TO FILENAME
  • For the “Format String” use $num(%track%,2) - %artist% - %title%
  • Check the [Preview] to see if it looks like it is what you want
  • Finally hit OK and the files are renamed.

A bonus step would be to use the renaming scripts to also put files into better folders, etc

Don’t forget that as you rename these music files iTunes and your other music players will loose track of them. So you’ll need to re-import them into iTunes after renaming. (This includes updating any playlists)

Come back and ask for help - assuming I am not chased away for being a traitor to the lovely Picard. :wink:

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