# Help to Regular expression :) **URL:** \ **Category:** Support\ **Created:** [April 2, 2019, 5:32pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/help-to-regular-expression/45037 "2019-04-02T17:32:05Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Rmortensen84](https://community.mp3tag.de/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/r/9f8e36/32.png) [@Rmortensen84](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/Rmortensen84)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2019, 5:32pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/help-to-regular-expression/45037/1 "2019-04-02T17:32:05Z")
Hello I want help removing the date in the year field (Regular expression): 2010\2010-03-01 --------\>2010 Someone who can help ?? ---
**Author:** ![zappaphone](https://community.mp3tag.de/user_avatar/community.mp3tag.de/zappaphone/32/6308_2.png) [@zappaphone](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/zappaphone)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2019, 6:01pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/help-to-regular-expression/45037/2 "2019-04-02T18:01:22Z")
How about ^[0-9]{4}\K.\* Here we match the first four digits with ^[0-9]{4} Then we use \K to keep the text matched so far out of the overall regex match. And lastly we use .\* to match the rest of the string witch is the part that will be removed. You would use Actions \> Actions (Quick) \> Replace with regular expression **Field** : YEAR **Regular expression** : ^[0-9]{4}\K.\* **Replace matches with** stays empty. ---
**Author:** ![ohrenkino](https://community.mp3tag.de/user_avatar/community.mp3tag.de/ohrenkino/32/4843_2.png) [@ohrenkino](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/ohrenkino)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2019, 8:02pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/help-to-regular-expression/45037/3 "2019-04-02T20:02:33Z")
> [@Rmortensen84](#): > > year field > > 2010\2010-03-01 --------\>2010 If the regular expression is not mandatory, I am a real fan of the action "Guess value" (import tag fields) Source: %year% Target: `%year%\%dummy%` ---
**Author:** ![zappaphone](https://community.mp3tag.de/user_avatar/community.mp3tag.de/zappaphone/32/6308_2.png) [@zappaphone](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/zappaphone)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2019, 8:17pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/help-to-regular-expression/45037/4 "2019-04-02T20:17:57Z")
> [@ohrenkino](#): > > If the regular expression is not mandatory, I am a real fan of the action "Guess value" (import tag fields) Yes, that will work too, but **Guessing pattern** must then be adjusted depending on what is in the **Year** field. For example, if the **Year** field contains **2010-03-01** , then the **Guessing pattern** must be **%year%-%dummy%** , and if the field contains **2010.03.01** it must be **%year%.%dummy%**. If the field actually contains **2010\2010-03-01** , then **%year%\%dummy%** would work. ---
**Author:** ![ohrenkino](https://community.mp3tag.de/user_avatar/community.mp3tag.de/ohrenkino/32/4843_2.png) [@ohrenkino](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/ohrenkino)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2019, 6:28am UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/help-to-regular-expression/45037/5 "2019-04-03T06:28:40Z")
> [@zappaphone](#): > > but **Guessing pattern** must then be adjusted You are right. What about an action of the type "Format value" for YEAR Format string: $num(%year%,1) This should always take that what stands in front of the first non-numeric character. ---
**Author:** ![zappaphone](https://community.mp3tag.de/user_avatar/community.mp3tag.de/zappaphone/32/6308_2.png) [@zappaphone](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/zappaphone)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2019, 1:08pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/help-to-regular-expression/45037/6 "2019-04-03T13:08:15Z")
> [@ohrenkino](#): > > What about an action of the type "Format value" for YEAR True, that is a good one. ---
**Author:** ![Rmortensen84](https://community.mp3tag.de/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/r/9f8e36/32.png) [@Rmortensen84](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/Rmortensen84)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2019, 3:14pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/help-to-regular-expression/45037/7 "2019-04-03T15:14:08Z")
> [@ohrenkino](#): > > This should always take that what stands in front of the first non-numeric character. Thanks for the answer can you explain to me how this command works? ---
**Author:** ![zappaphone](https://community.mp3tag.de/user_avatar/community.mp3tag.de/zappaphone/32/6308_2.png) [@zappaphone](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/zappaphone)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2019, 3:24pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/help-to-regular-expression/45037/8 "2019-04-03T15:24:07Z")
> [@Rmortensen84](#): > > Thanks for the answer can you explain to me how this command works? To use this command, you select **Actions** \> **Actions (Quick)** \> Choose **Format value** \> **OK** **Field** : YEAR **Format string** : $num(%year%,4) The **$num** fuction returns the year number with 4 digits, padding with leading zero(s), in this case if the number is below 4 digits. Another function that could be used is left: $left(%year%,4) This is a string function and returns the leftmost characters of a string, in this case first 4 characters. ---
**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, 12:28pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/help-to-regular-expression/45037/9 "2026-02-09T12:28:00Z")