# Copying music by file type
**URL:** https://discourse.beets.io/t/copying-music-by-file-type/1872
**Category:** Help
**Created:** [September 19, 2021, 3:21pm UTC](https://discourse.beets.io/t/copying-music-by-file-type/1872 "2021-09-19T15:21:38Z")
**Posts on this page:** 10
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@apastuszak](https://discourse.beets.io/u/apastuszak)
#### Post date: [September 19, 2021, 3:21pm UTC](https://discourse.beets.io/t/copying-music-by-file-type/1872/1 "2021-09-19T15:21:38Z")
Is there a way to have beets automatically copy music on import into different directories based on file type?
So, for example, can we get a structure like this:
```auto
music
|
|-flac
|
|-artists
|
|-album
|-mp3
|
|-artist
|
|-album
```
---
### Author:  [@jackwilsdon](https://discourse.beets.io/u/jackwilsdon)
#### Post date: [September 19, 2021, 4:21pm UTC](https://discourse.beets.io/t/copying-music-by-file-type/1872/2 "2021-09-19T16:21:10Z")
I think adding `$format` to your [`paths` configuration](https://beets.readthedocs.io/en/stable/reference/config.html#path-format-configuration) should work.
---
### Author:  [@apastuszak](https://discourse.beets.io/u/apastuszak)
#### Post date: [September 19, 2021, 5:11pm UTC](https://discourse.beets.io/t/copying-music-by-file-type/1872/3 "2021-09-19T17:11:10Z")
It did!
I really need to read the documentation before I post simple questions like this.
Now, to figure out how to resort everything without reimporting it all.
---
### Author:  [@jackwilsdon](https://discourse.beets.io/u/jackwilsdon)
#### Post date: [September 19, 2021, 5:15pm UTC](https://discourse.beets.io/t/copying-music-by-file-type/1872/4 "2021-09-19T17:15:26Z")
> [@apastuszak](#):
>
> Now, to figure out how to resort everything without reimporting it all.
[`beet move` should take care of that for you](https://beets.readthedocs.io/en/v1.5.0/faq.html#rename-my-files-according-to-a-new-path-format-configuration)
---
### Author:  [@apastuszak](https://discourse.beets.io/u/apastuszak)
#### Post date: [September 19, 2021, 6:39pm UTC](https://discourse.beets.io/t/copying-music-by-file-type/1872/5 "2021-09-19T18:39:04Z")
You are just incredibly helpful. Thank you!
---
### Author:  [@apastuszak](https://discourse.beets.io/u/apastuszak)
#### Post date: [September 24, 2021, 2:47am UTC](https://discourse.beets.io/t/copying-music-by-file-type/1872/6 "2021-09-24T02:47:42Z")
So, doing this procedure, I learned that I have some APE files I will need to convert.
What’s interesting is that the top level folders now are:
AAC
APE
Compilations
FLAC
MP3
I’m surious why Compilations is being picked up as format? Is this expected behavior or a bug I should report?
---
### Author:  [@jackwilsdon](https://discourse.beets.io/u/jackwilsdon)
#### Post date: [September 24, 2021, 7:58am UTC](https://discourse.beets.io/t/copying-music-by-file-type/1872/7 "2021-09-24T07:58:14Z")
What is your current `paths` configuration? There are separate options for normal tracks, singletons and compilations:
```auto
paths:
default: $albumartist/$album%aunique{}/$track $title
singleton: Non-Album/$artist/$title
comp: Compilations/$album%aunique{}/$track $title
```
---
### Author:  [@apastuszak](https://discourse.beets.io/u/apastuszak)
#### Post date: [September 24, 2021, 1:09pm UTC](https://discourse.beets.io/t/copying-music-by-file-type/1872/8 "2021-09-24T13:09:11Z")
```auto
paths:
default: $format/$albumartist/$album %if{%aunique{},($year - $label)}/%if{$multidisc,$disc- }$track $title
```
I ony have default set.
I assume I should set one for comp: and singleton:
---
### Author:  [@jackwilsdon](https://discourse.beets.io/u/jackwilsdon)
#### Post date: [September 24, 2021, 1:16pm UTC](https://discourse.beets.io/t/copying-music-by-file-type/1872/9 "2021-09-24T13:16:24Z")
Yep, those will fall back to the default configuration values if not set.
---
### Author:  [@apastuszak](https://discourse.beets.io/u/apastuszak)
#### Post date: [September 24, 2021, 3:22pm UTC](https://discourse.beets.io/t/copying-music-by-file-type/1872/10 "2021-09-24T15:22:18Z")
Ok, when this beet move is done, I will configure them and do another beet move.
Thanks again for the help!