# How do I replace the third character in a string?
**URL:** https://community.mp3tag.de/t/how-do-i-replace-the-third-character-in-a-string/10357
**Category:** Support
**Created:** [April 27, 2010, 1:08pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/how-do-i-replace-the-third-character-in-a-string/10357 "2010-04-27T13:08:28Z")
**Posts on this page:** 6
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Black\_Milk](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/Black_Milk)
#### Post date: [April 27, 2010, 1:08pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/how-do-i-replace-the-third-character-in-a-string/10357/1 "2010-04-27T13:08:28Z")
Hi,
I want to replace the third character in \_Filename with ' '.
How do I do it?
Thanks a lot,
David
---
### Author:  [@ohrenkino](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/ohrenkino)
#### Post date: [April 28, 2010, 6:29am UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/how-do-i-replace-the-third-character-in-a-string/10357/2 "2010-04-28T06:29:34Z")
> [@Black Milk](#):
>
> ... third character in \_Filename with ' '.
> How do I do it?
>
> Thanks a lot,
> David
create a format tag field action:
format %\_filename% with
$left(%\_filename%,2) $mid(%\_filename%,3,$len(%\_filename%))
(the blank between the 2 $-commands is your inserted blank).
---
### Author:  [@Black\_Milk](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/Black_Milk)
#### Post date: [April 28, 2010, 12:52pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/how-do-i-replace-the-third-character-in-a-string/10357/3 "2010-04-28T12:52:36Z")
> [@ohrenkino](#):
>
> create a format tag field action:
> format %\_filename% with
> $left(%\_filename%,2) $mid(%\_filename%,3,$len(%\_filename%))
>
> (the blank between the 2 $-commands is your inserted blank).
Hi,
Thanks for your reply.
Maybe I did something wrong, but that just added a blank to the left of the third character.
i.e. if filename is 12a4, it's now 12 a4.
Here's what I did:
1. Created a new action.
2. Action type: Format Value.
3. Field: \_FILENAME.
4. Format string: $left(%\_filename%,2) $mid(%\_filename%,3,$len(%\_filename%))
Is that what you meant?
Thanks,
David
---
### Author:  [@ohrenkino](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/ohrenkino)
#### Post date: [April 28, 2010, 3:11pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/how-do-i-replace-the-third-character-in-a-string/10357/4 "2010-04-28T15:11:58Z")
> [@Black Milk](#):
>
> ...
> Here's what I did:
>
> 1. Created a new action.
> 2. Action type: Format Value.
> 3. Field: \_FILENAME.
> 4. Format string: $left(%\_filename%,2) $mid(%\_filename%,3,$len(%\_filename%))
> ...
Basically that's right.
Now you may experiment a little with the second part and move the starting point of the "middle string" more to the right:
Format string: $left(%\_filename%,2) $mid(%\_filename%, **4** ,$len(%\_filename%))
---
### Author:  [@Black\_Milk](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/Black_Milk)
#### Post date: [April 29, 2010, 12:05pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/how-do-i-replace-the-third-character-in-a-string/10357/5 "2010-04-29T12:05:02Z")
> [@ohrenkino](#):
>
> Basically that's right.
> Now you may experiment a little with the second part and move the starting point of the "middle string" more to the right:
> Format string: $left(%\_filename%,2) $mid(%\_filename%, **4** ,$len(%\_filename%))
I'm not really sure I understand but it works 😛
Thanks a lot! 
---
### Author:  [@system](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/system)
#### Post date: [February 9, 2026, 12:22pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/how-do-i-replace-the-third-character-in-a-string/10357/6 "2026-02-09T12:22:20Z")