# How to skip whitespace when extracting tags from filenames
**URL:** https://community.mp3tag.de/t/how-to-skip-whitespace-when-extracting-tags-from-filenames/11430
**Category:** Support
**Created:** [January 12, 2011, 2:29am UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/how-to-skip-whitespace-when-extracting-tags-from-filenames/11430 "2011-01-12T02:29:49Z")
**Posts on this page:** 4
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@alexworden](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/alexworden)
#### Post date: [January 12, 2011, 2:29am UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/how-to-skip-whitespace-when-extracting-tags-from-filenames/11430/1 "2011-01-12T02:29:49Z")
Hi,
Sorry if this is an obvious question but I've read the FAQ and searched and can't figure this out.
I'm trying to parse tags from filenames / directory hierarchies. Some of the files have the format
```
%track%-%title%
```
and some have
```
%track% - %title%
```
or other variation of whitespace / no whitespace or even underscores instead of hyphens.
How can I write a Format string that will work for all variations? I'm a software engineer by trade, and I'm not stupid, but the FAQ does not explain how to use $replace scripts at all. It needs some concrete examples.
Thanks,
Alex
---
### Author:  [@pone](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/pone)
#### Post date: [January 12, 2011, 3:44am UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/how-to-skip-whitespace-when-extracting-tags-from-filenames/11430/2 "2011-01-12T03:44:19Z")
> [@alexSF](#):
>
> %track%-%title%
> and some have
>
> ```
> %track% - %title%
>
> ```
>
> or other variation of whitespace / no whitespace or even underscores instead of hyphens.
Action: Guess Values
Source: $trim($regexp(%_filename%,(.\*)(-|_)._,$1))@@@$trim($regexp(%\_filename%,._(-|\_)(.\*),$2))
Formatstring: %track%@@@%title%
here is help for the scripting:
[https://docs.mp3tag.de/scripting](https://docs.mp3tag.de/scripting)
and here for the regular expressions:
[https://docs.mp3tag.de/actions/replace-regexp](https://docs.mp3tag.de/actions/replace-regexp)
EDIT:
i used %artist% instead of %track% because i was reading your question not good enough.
i fixed that now.
---
### Author:  [@DetlevD](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/DetlevD)
#### Post date: [January 12, 2011, 8:14am UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/how-to-skip-whitespace-when-extracting-tags-from-filenames/11430/3 "2011-01-12T08:14:46Z")
> [@alexSF](#):
>
> ... I'm trying to parse tags from filenames / directory hierarchies. Some of the files have the format
>
> ```
> %track%-%title%
>
> ```
>
> and some have
>
> ```
> %track% - %title%
>
> ```
>
> or other variation of whitespace / no whitespace or even underscores instead of hyphens.
> How can I write a Format string that will work for all variations?...
This could work ...
Begin Action Group **Test 2011#20110112.Guess**
Action #1
_Actiontype 7:_ **Import tag fields (guess values)**
_Source format:_ **$regexp(%\_FILENAME%,'^ \*(.+?)[\_-]+(.+?) \*$','$1---$2')**
_Guessing pattern:_ **%TRACK%---%TITLE%**
End Action Group **Test 2011#20110112.Guess** (1 Action)
.. and this too ...
Begin Action Group **Test 2011#20110112.Guess.2**
Action #1
_Actiontype 7:_ **Import tag fields (guess values)**
_Source format:_ **$num(%\_FILENAME%,1)---$trimLeft(%_FILENAME%,'0123456789 -_')**
_Guessing pattern:_ **%TRACK%---%TITLE%**
End Action Group **Test 2011#20110112.Guess.2** (1 Action)
.. and this too ...
Begin Action Group **Test 2011#20110112.FormatValue**
Action #1
_Actiontype 5:_ **Format value**
_Field:_ **TRACK**
_Formatstring:_ **$num(%\_FILENAME%,1)**
Action #2
_Actiontype 5:_ **Format value**
_Field:_ **TITLE**
_Formatstring:_ **$trimLeft(%_FILENAME%,'0123456789 -_')**
End Action Group **Test 2011#20110112.FormatValue** (2 Actions)
DD.20110112.1030.CET
Edit.DD.20110112.1915.CET
---
### Author:  [@system](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/system)
#### Post date: [February 9, 2026, 12:22pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/how-to-skip-whitespace-when-extracting-tags-from-filenames/11430/4 "2026-02-09T12:22:49Z")