# Renaming track title

**URL:** <https://community.mp3tag.de/t/renaming-track-title/17722>\
**Category:** Support\
**Created:** [March 6, 2016, 6:18am UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/renaming-track-title/17722 "2016-03-06T06:18:07Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 6\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![asmuzik](https://community.mp3tag.de/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/a/0ea827/32.png) [@asmuzik](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/asmuzik)\
**Post date:** [March 6, 2016, 6:18am UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/renaming-track-title/17722/1 "2016-03-06T06:18:07Z")

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hello friends,  
Greetings to you!

I need to rename MP3 Songs' Title based on following pattern of file-names.

Suppose file-names are of this pattern:  
abc - xyz.mp3

now I need to rename title track as:  
xyz (abc)

How can I achieve this arduous task (at least for me! ☹ )

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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:** [March 6, 2016, 8:04am UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/renaming-track-title/17722/2 "2016-03-06T08:04:20Z")

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> [@asmuzik](#):
>
> ... I need to rename MP3 Songs' Title based on following pattern of file-names.  
> Suppose file-names are of this pattern: abc - xyz.mp3  
> now I need to rename title track as: xyz (abc)

**From FILENAME: 'abc - xyz' To TITLE : 'xyz (abc)' Convert "Tag - Tag" ... or ... Action "Format value" Field: TITLE Formatstring: $regexp(%\_filename%,'^(.+?) - (.+?)$','$2 ($1)') ... or ... Formatstring: $mid(%\_filename%,$add($strstr(%\_filename%,' - '),3),$len(%\_filename%))' ('$left(%\_filename%,$sub($strstr(%\_filename%,' - '),1))')' ... or ... Action #1 "Format value" Field: TITLE Formatstring: $replace(%\_filename%,' - ','\\\\') Action #2 "Format value" Field: TITLE Formatstring: $meta(TITLE,1)' ('$meta(TITLE,0)')'**

DD.20160306.1004.CET, DD.20160306.1538.CET

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**Author:** ![asmuzik](https://community.mp3tag.de/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/a/0ea827/32.png) [@asmuzik](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/asmuzik)\
**Post date:** [March 6, 2016, 10:27am UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/renaming-track-title/17722/3 "2016-03-06T10:27:16Z")

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> [@DetlevD](#):
>
> **Convert "Tag - Tag" ... or ... Action "Format value" Field: TITLE Formatstring: $regexp(%\_filename%,'^(.+?) - (.+?)$','$2 ($1)') From: 'abc - xyz' To : 'xyz (abc)'**
> 
> DD.20160306.1004.CET

Thanks a lot.  
It worked like a charm. 🙂. It's like a magic to me.

But for a beginner like me the expression used in format string is quite intimidating. I am scratching my head thinking that what does these symbols ^ ? $ etc. are doing here in this expression: ^(.+?) - (.+?)$','$2 ($1)'.

Is there any guide/manual on this?

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**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:** [March 6, 2016, 10:34am UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/renaming-track-title/17722/4 "2016-03-06T10:34:34Z")

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> [@asmuzik](#):
>
> ...
> 
> Is there any guide/manual on this?

The help? (Press F1)  
[https://docs.mp3tag.de/actions/replace-regexp](https://docs.mp3tag.de/actions/replace-regexp)  
Th ? switches off the greediness.

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**Author:** ![asmuzik](https://community.mp3tag.de/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/a/0ea827/32.png) [@asmuzik](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/asmuzik)\
**Post date:** [March 6, 2016, 4:45pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/renaming-track-title/17722/5 "2016-03-06T16:45:26Z")

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> [@ohrenkino](#):
>
> The help? (Press F1)  
> [https://docs.mp3tag.de/actions/replace-regexp](https://docs.mp3tag.de/actions/replace-regexp)  
> Th ? switches off the greediness.

Thanks a lot. I am trying to go through it. 🙂

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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, 12:26pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/renaming-track-title/17722/6 "2026-02-09T12:26:08Z")

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Closed on February 9, 2026, 12:26pm UTC