Tag Editor Overview

The Tag Editor is the primary tag editing tool in Helium, allowing you to quickly edit multiple files simultaneously using a spreadsheet-style interface.


The key advantage of this editor is its ability to provide an overview of all your files' tags at once, unlike the Advanced Tag Editor, which focuses on editing one file at a time.


Tag Editor Integration

The Tag Editor’s user interface is reused across various tools in Helium for consistency, including:



Modes of Operation

The Tag Editor functions in two modes, depending on the input file selection:


1. Album Mode

  • Activated if you select an album where all files share the exact same album name.
  • Enables an extra pane on the right side, listing fields common to all files in the album (e.g., album name, album artist, release type).
  • Changes made in these fields automatically apply to all files in the album, allowing for rapid editing of album-level details.


2. Track Mode

  • Used when files comes from multiple albums.
  • Does not include the extra right-side pane or its features.


Working with the Tag Editor

The Tag Editor displays one file per row with its attributes as columns. You can customize which columns appear by selecting Settings > Select Columns from the top toolbar.


Editing Tags

  • Select a cell and start typing to edit its contents.

  • Some cells include a button with an ellipsis icon (...) for accessing specific editors tailored to the data type.


Speeding Up the Tagging Process

Helium offers several commands to accelerate the tagging process:


  • Apply: Copies the selected cell value to all cells in the column. Shortcut: Ctrl+D.
  • Apply Down: Copies the current cell value to the remaining cells in the column. Shortcut: Shift+Ctrl+D.
  • Auto Track: Fills a numeric column (e.g., track numbers) with sequential values starting from 1. Shortcut: Ctrl+T.
  • Apply Sort Order to Fields: Automatically generates sort order fields based on existing data (e.g., "The Promise" → "Promise, The").
  • Switch Menu: Provides methods to switch data between cells.
  • Extract Menu: Offers tools to extract data from one cell into others.
  • Calculate: Performs calculations for selected files.


Additional Tools and Settings

  • Filename to Tag: Generates tag information from filenames.
  • Settings:
    • Select Columns: Choose which columns to display in the Tag Editor.
    • Edit Right Sidebar Fields: Select and order fields displayed in the right pane (Album Mode).
    • Settings: Configure text formatting, capitalization, and word replacements.


Built-in Player

The bottom toolbar includes a player with controls for:


  • Volume (quickly set to a static value via the arrow)
  • Play/Pause/Stop
  • Smart Play: Jumps to specific track positions (e.g., start, break, outro). Offsets are configurable in Options.


Right Sidebar (Album Mode)

When in Album Mode, the right sidebar becomes available, allowing you to:


  • Change or download the album picture.
  • Edit fields common to all tracks (e.g., Release Type). Changes are applied to all tracks in the album.

You can customize which fields appear and their order using the Settings button in the top toolbar.


Downloading Information

When in Album Mode, you can easily download track and album information:


  • Command: Click Download > Download Track Information or press Ctrl+I.


This will start the Tag Downloader which automatically fetches album details from various sources, with Discogs being a powerful option.


Using Discogs as a source streamlines tagging by:


  • Downloading precise tag information.
  • Reducing manual data entry.
  • Storing Discogs IDs on tags and in your library, which can be reused for other operations in Helium.


For more information on automating with Discogs, click here.