# Regex to extract Date from filename (4digit beginning with 19 or 20) **URL:** \ **Category:** Support\ **Created:** [December 19, 2022, 4:45pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/regex-to-extract-date-from-filename-4digit-beginning-with-19-or-20/59446 "2022-12-19T16:45:51Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![rdmp3](https://community.mp3tag.de/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/r/eada6e/32.png) [@rdmp3](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/rdmp3)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2022, 4:45pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/regex-to-extract-date-from-filename-4digit-beginning-with-19-or-20/59446/1 "2022-12-19T16:45:51Z")
I'm trying to create an action for the Date tag where the four digit date is extracted from the filename, such that it will satisfy both these conditions: - any number string of 4 digits ( ignoring number strings that are either more or less than 4 digits ) - string must start with either 19 or 20 AND failing to meet these conditions, the Date tag won't be replaced. ---
**Author:** ![LyricsLover](https://community.mp3tag.de/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/l/c6cbf5/32.png) [@LyricsLover](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/LyricsLover)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2022, 4:47pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/regex-to-extract-date-from-filename-4digit-beginning-with-19-or-20/59446/2 "2022-12-19T16:47:31Z")
You are looking for numbers between 1900 until 2099? There are never classical pieces from 18xx or earlier? ---
**Author:** ![rdmp3](https://community.mp3tag.de/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/r/eada6e/32.png) [@rdmp3](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/rdmp3)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2022, 4:50pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/regex-to-extract-date-from-filename-4digit-beginning-with-19-or-20/59446/3 "2022-12-19T16:50:06Z")
I suppose 17 - 20 would be fine as well... Id seldom come across anything 18 or before. so Yes, 1900-2099 , but 1700-2099 is fine too. ---
**Author:** ![LyricsLover](https://community.mp3tag.de/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/l/c6cbf5/32.png) [@LyricsLover](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/LyricsLover)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2022, 4:54pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/regex-to-extract-date-from-filename-4digit-beginning-with-19-or-20/59446/4 "2022-12-19T16:54:20Z")
What, if your filename has multiple valid dates, like `Filename with date from 1701 over 1971 to 2022.mp3` Do you want the first or the last date in such a case? ---
**Author:** ![rdmp3](https://community.mp3tag.de/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/r/eada6e/32.png) [@rdmp3](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/rdmp3)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2022, 4:55pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/regex-to-extract-date-from-filename-4digit-beginning-with-19-or-20/59446/5 "2022-12-19T16:55:43Z")
only the first if more than one . ---
**Author:** ![LyricsLover](https://community.mp3tag.de/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/l/c6cbf5/32.png) [@LyricsLover](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/LyricsLover)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2022, 5:18pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/regex-to-extract-date-from-filename-4digit-beginning-with-19-or-20/59446/6 "2022-12-19T17:18:03Z")
You can try this action: Type: Format Value Field: `DATE` (or whatever you want as tag to save the year into it) Format string: `$regexp(%_FILENAME%,.*?((17|18|19|20)\d{2}).+,$1)` to fullfill your condition > AND failing to meet these conditions, the Date tag won't be replaced. you have to (mandatory!) FILTER your songs BEFORE you use the above action, with `%_FILENAME% MATCHES ((17|18|19|20)\d{2})` otherwise you get the full filename for those not matching (not including 1700 until 2099) into your DATE. As always for regular expressions: Please test it on your backuped test data before you use it on your collection. ---
**Author:** ![rdmp3](https://community.mp3tag.de/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/r/eada6e/32.png) [@rdmp3](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/rdmp3)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2022, 5:26pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/regex-to-extract-date-from-filename-4digit-beginning-with-19-or-20/59446/7 "2022-12-19T17:26:08Z")
Thank you very much for your time and expertise, I will test this as you suggested, and will return to edit this comment and click "solution" . ---
**Author:** ![LyricsLover](https://community.mp3tag.de/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/l/c6cbf5/32.png) [@LyricsLover](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/LyricsLover)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2022, 5:28pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/regex-to-extract-date-from-filename-4digit-beginning-with-19-or-20/59446/8 "2022-12-19T17:28:00Z")
Hint: I had to update the expression to get the FIRST (not the LAST) year as wished. ---
**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:** [December 19, 2022, 5:53pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/regex-to-extract-date-from-filename-4digit-beginning-with-19-or-20/59446/9 "2022-12-19T17:53:03Z")
> [@LyricsLover](#): > > you have to (mandatory!) FILTER your songs BEFORE you use the above action, with > `%_FILENAME% MATCHES ((17|18|19|20)\d{2})` And once you have done that you could easily import the date data with Convert\>Filename-Tag Mask: %year% %dummy% ---
**Author:** ![system](https://community.mp3tag.de/uploads/default/original/2X/c/ce7035d426cb755a7916793326d23b465222a407.png) [@system](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/system)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2023, 5:53pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/regex-to-extract-date-from-filename-4digit-beginning-with-19-or-20/59446/10 "2023-01-18T17:53:45Z")
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