# Actions and batch-operations

**URL:** https://community.mp3tag.de/t/actions-and-batch-operations/967
**Category:** FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)
**Created:** [April 16, 2004, 7:46am UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/actions-and-batch-operations/967 "2004-04-16T07:46:06Z")
**Posts on this page:** 1
**Showing post:** 9

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### Author: ![dano](https://community.mp3tag.de/user_avatar/community.mp3tag.de/dano/32/6_2.png) [@dano](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/dano)
#### Post date: [April 16, 2004, 2:05pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/actions-and-batch-operations/967/9 "2004-04-16T14:05:46Z")

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### How to remove specific leading characters?

Some titles start with "The", others with "Der" or "Die". Mass-deleting the first 3 characters doesn't have the desired result, because all other tags/filenames will be shortened too.

To remove specific leading chars, create a [new action](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/actions/967/2) in an existing action group and choose Replace with regular expression as action type.

- **Field** : choose where you want to remove the chars.
- _Regular expression_\*: enter **`^The\s+`**
- **Replace matches with** stays empty.

If you execute this action on your selected files, all **`The`**'s and following spaces will be deleted. Of course, it works the same way with any other word.

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_[View the full topic](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/actions-and-batch-operations/967)._