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# Zero Plugin

The `zero` plugin allows you to null fields in files’ metadata tags. Fields can be nulled unconditionally or conditioned on a pattern match. For example, the plugin can strip useless comments like “ripped by MyGreatRipper.”

The plugin can work in one of two modes:

- `fields`: A blacklist, where you choose the tags you want to remove (used by default).

- `keep_fields`: A whitelist, where you instead specify the tags you want to keep.

To use the `zero` plugin, enable the plugin in your configuration (see Using Plugins).

## Configuration

Make a `zero:` section in your configuration file. You can specify the fields to nullify and the conditions for nullifying them:

- Set `auto` to `yes` to null fields automatically on import. Default: `yes`.

- Set `fields` to a whitespace-separated list of fields to remove. You can get the list of all available fields by running `beet fields`. In addition, the `images` field allows you to remove any images embedded in the media file.

- Set `keep_fields` to invert the logic of the plugin. Only these fields will be kept; other fields will be removed. Remember to set only `fields` or `keep_fields`—not both!

- To conditionally filter a field, use `field: [regexp, regexp]` to specify regular expressions.

- Set `omit_single_disc` to `True` to omit writing the `disc` number and the `disctotal` number for albums with a single disc (`disctotal == 1`).

- By default this plugin only affects files’ tags; the beets database is left unchanged. To update the tags in the database, set the `update_database` option to true.

For example:

    zero:
        fields: month day genre genres comments
        comments: [EAC, LAME, from.+collection, 'ripped by']
        genres: [rnb, 'power metal']
        update_database: true

If a custom pattern is not defined for a given field, the field will be nulled unconditionally.

Note that the plugin currently does not zero fields when importing “as-is”.

## Manually Triggering Zero

You can also type `beet zero [QUERY]` to manually invoke the plugin on music in your library.

## Preserving Album Art

If you use the `keep_fields` option, the plugin will remove embedded album art from files’ tags unless you tell it not to. To keep the album art, include the special field `images` in the list. For example:

    zero:
        keep_fields: title artist album year track genre genres images