# Copy first 2 characters to field
**URL:** https://community.mp3tag.de/t/copy-first-2-characters-to-field/13631
**Category:** Support
**Created:** [July 10, 2012, 10:10pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/copy-first-2-characters-to-field/13631 "2012-07-10T22:10:25Z")
**Posts on this page:** 5
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@w1nta](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/w1nta)
#### Post date: [July 10, 2012, 10:10pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/copy-first-2-characters-to-field/13631/1 "2012-07-10T22:10:25Z")
Hi,
I know this is going to be simple but I have been searchin the FAQ and forum for an hour and what I have tried isn't working. I want to copy the first 2 characters from the filename to the discnumber.
Filenames look like "36Albumname122.mp3"
I want the 36 to become the discnumber
Thanks.
---
### Author:  [@stevehero](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/stevehero)
#### Post date: [July 10, 2012, 11:55pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/copy-first-2-characters-to-field/13631/2 "2012-07-10T23:55:54Z")
> [@w1nta](#):
>
> Filenames look like "36Albumname122.mp3"
>
> I want the 36 to become the discnumber
>
> Thanks.
Use format action
field: DISCNUMBER
value: $regexp(%\_FILENAME%,'^(d+).+',$1)
---
### Author:  [@DetlevD](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/DetlevD)
#### Post date: [July 11, 2012, 1:34am UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/copy-first-2-characters-to-field/13631/3 "2012-07-11T01:34:01Z")
> [@w1nta](#):
>
> ... I want to copy the first 2 characters from the filename to the discnumber. Filenames look like "36Albumname122.mp3" I want the 36 to become the discnumber ...
**Action: Format value**
... or ...
**Converter: Tag - Tag**
Field: DISCNUMBER
_(fetch two leading characters)_
Value/Format string: **$left(%\_filename%,2)**
... or ...
_(fetch two leading characters)_
Value/Format string: **$reverse($right($reverse(%\_filename%),2))**
... or ...
_(fetch two leading digits)_
Value/Format string: **$regexp(%\_filename%,'^(\d\d).+$','$1')**
... or ...
_(fetch all leading digits)_
Value/Format string: **$regexp(%\_filename%,'^(\d+).+$','$1')**
DD.20120711.0540.CEST
---
### Author:  [@w1nta](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/w1nta)
#### Post date: [July 11, 2012, 3:11am UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/copy-first-2-characters-to-field/13631/4 "2012-07-11T03:11:49Z")
Cheers guys.
This one worked for me
Action: Format value
Field: DISCNUMBER
Format string: $left(%\_filename%,2)
1200 files in 5 seconds. BAM!
---
### Author:  [@system](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/system)
#### Post date: [February 9, 2026, 12:23pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/copy-first-2-characters-to-field/13631/5 "2026-02-09T12:23:56Z")