Configuring the Output Directory & Using a Custom Naming Scheme

Use metadata from your source files to automatically organize and name your MP3 output.

Both the output directory and custom file naming scheme are specified in the preferences. MP3 Encoder lets you build a custom output file name and folder structure from the properties of the input file. Use keywords enclosed in brackets — called Format Specifiers — to build your folder and file structure. Each specifier is replaced with the actual value from the input file when it is encoded.

You can also include your own literal text outside the brackets, and it will appear unchanged in every output file name. Use forward slashes (/) to separate directories, and MP3 Encoder will automatically create every directory and sub-directory for you.

Text Inside the Brackets

You can also include your own text inside the brackets, before or after the keyword. If the metadata corresponding to the keyword is missing from the source file, everything inside those brackets is omitted from the output file name. This is very useful for building separators that only appear when the data they separate exists.

For example, say your custom naming scheme is:

The dashes sit inside the brackets of discNumber and trackNumber. If your source file does not have a disc number defined, that dash will not appear in the output file name. The output becomes something like:

Nesting Format Specifiers

It is even possible to nest format specifiers inside each other. You might have something as complicated as:

A file that has all of its metadata defined might turn out like:

If that same file did not have its disc number or disc total defined, it would end up as:

Or, if it did not have its disc total or track total defined, it would come out as:

If only the track title was defined, it would come out as:

All of these file names are the result of the same custom naming scheme. As you can see, the custom naming scheme in MP3 Encoder is very powerful.