# Drop leading zeros and items in parenthesis?

**URL:** <https://community.mp3tag.de/t/drop-leading-zeros-and-items-in-parenthesis/16919>\
**Category:** Support\
**Created:** [May 25, 2015, 3:59am UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/drop-leading-zeros-and-items-in-parenthesis/16919 "2015-05-25T03:59:50Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![robo\_cap](https://community.mp3tag.de/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/r/9fc348/32.png) [@robo\_cap](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/robo_cap)\
**Post date:** [May 25, 2015, 3:59am UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/drop-leading-zeros-and-items-in-parenthesis/16919/1 "2015-05-25T03:59:50Z")

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I have several podcast episodes with weirdly formatted Titles. To save some time, I was hoping that MP3Tag could help me automate this. I've dug a bit in the forums here but so far the correct syntax for the replace with expression action is elusive.

Example Title as is: My Podcast 071 (08-Aug-2008)

Preferred final Title: My Podcast 71

In other words, I'd like to drop the leading zero and completely remove the date. To further complicate things, some of these podcasts range in the 100 range and don't have a leading zero.

Has anyone had luck in doing similar?

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**Author:** ![DetlevD](https://community.mp3tag.de/user_avatar/community.mp3tag.de/detlevd/32/123_2.png) [@DetlevD](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/DetlevD)\
**Post date:** [May 25, 2015, 4:42am UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/drop-leading-zeros-and-items-in-parenthesis/16919/2 "2015-05-25T04:42:40Z")

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> [@robo\_cap](#):
>
> ... Example Title as is: My Podcast 071 (08-Aug-2008)  
> Preferred final Title: My Podcast 71  
> In other words, I'd like to drop the leading zero and completely remove the date. To further complicate things, some of these podcasts range in the 100 range and don't have a leading zero. ...

**Action: Format Value Field: TITLE Formatstring: $regexp(%TITLE%,'^(.+?)\s0\*(\d+)\s(.+?)$','$1 $2') From: My Podcast 071 (08-Aug-2008) To : My Podcast 71 From: My Podcast 999 (08-Aug-2008) To : My Podcast 999 From: My Podcast 012 345 abc To : My Podcast 12 From: My Podcast 012 To : My Podcast 012 From: My Podcast abc def To : My Podcast abc def From: My 20 th Podcast or so To : My 20**

... or ...

**Action: Format Value Field: TITLE Formatstring: $regexp(%TITLE%,'^(.+)\s0\*(\d+)\s(\(.+\))$','$1 $2') From: 01234 007 Podcast 071 (08-Aug-2008) To : 01234 007 Podcast 71**

... or ...

**Action: Format Value Field: TITLE Formatstring: $regexp(%TITLE%,'\b0\*(\d+)\s\(.+\)$','$1') From: 01234 007 Podcast 071 (08-Aug-2008) To : 01234 007 Podcast 71**

DD.20150525.0921.CEST

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**Author:** ![system](https://community.mp3tag.de/uploads/default/original/2X/c/ce7035d426cb755a7916793326d23b465222a407.png) [@system](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/system)\
**Post date:** [February 9, 2026, 12:25pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/drop-leading-zeros-and-items-in-parenthesis/16919/3 "2026-02-09T12:25:41Z")

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Closed on February 9, 2026, 12:25pm UTC