# Replace with regexp filename
**URL:** https://community.mp3tag.de/t/replace-with-regexp-filename/9811
**Category:** Support
**Created:** [February 1, 2010, 3:49pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/replace-with-regexp-filename/9811 "2010-02-01T15:49:46Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@chrisjj](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/chrisjj)
#### Post date: [February 1, 2010, 3:49pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/replace-with-regexp-filename/9811/1 "2010-02-01T15:49:46Z")
This Action has doesn't work. How should I adjust to get it to set the filename to XXX?
```
Replace with regular expression
Field:
_FILENAME
Regular expression:
%_FILENAME%
Replace matches with:
XXX
[X] case-sensitive comparison
```
Thanks.
---
### Author:  [@Tarc](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/Tarc)
#### Post date: [February 1, 2010, 5:01pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/replace-with-regexp-filename/9811/2 "2010-02-01T17:01:34Z")
QUOTE (chrisjj @ Feb 1 2010, 16:49) \<{POST\_SNAPBACK}\>
This Action has doesn't work. How should I adjust to get it to set the filename to XXX?
```
Replace with regular expression
Field:
_FILENAME
Regular expression:
%_FILENAME%
Replace matches with:
XXX
[X] case-sensitive comparison
```
Thanks.
Change
"Regular expression:
%\_FILENAME%"
TO
(.\*?)
It should work.
"Replace with regular expression" finds blocks of characters of the given criteria, (.\*?) matches all characters possible in the given field - you cannot use the name of the field itself, although I see your logic.
---
### Author:  [@ohrenkino](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/ohrenkino)
#### Post date: [February 1, 2010, 5:09pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/replace-with-regexp-filename/9811/3 "2010-02-01T17:09:26Z")
QUOTE (chrisjj @ Feb 1 2010, 17:49) \<{POST\_SNAPBACK}\>
This Action has doesn't work. How should I adjust to get it to set the filename to XXX?
```
Replace with regular expression
Field:
_FILENAME
Regular expression:
%_FILENAME%
Replace matches with:
XXX
[X] case-sensitive comparison
```
Thanks.
I think you have to enter .\* instead of %\_FILENAME% ...
But then again: as this is mainly a filesystem-function I would use either ...
... the function tag - filename and simply enter xxx but no tag-fields
.... or the dos-command-shell
ren \*.mp3 XXX.mp3
---
### Author:  [@chrisjj](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/chrisjj)
#### Post date: [February 1, 2010, 5:18pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/replace-with-regexp-filename/9811/4 "2010-02-01T17:18:32Z")
> [@Tarc](#):
>
> (.\*?)
>
> It should work.
That gives a filename of XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX approximately!
---
### Author:  [@chrisjj](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/chrisjj)
#### Post date: [February 1, 2010, 5:20pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/replace-with-regexp-filename/9811/5 "2010-02-01T17:20:23Z")
> [@ohrenkino](#):
>
> I think you have to enter .\* instead of %\_FILENAME% ...
That fails too: it gives XXXXXX
> [@](#):
>
> But then again: as this is mainly a filesystem-function I would use either ...
> ... the function tag - filename and simply enter xxx but no tag-fields
> .... or the dos-command-shell
Thanks but that is what I'm trying to improve upon - I want the rename included in an existing Action group.
---
### Author:  [@Tarc](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/Tarc)
#### Post date: [February 1, 2010, 5:25pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/replace-with-regexp-filename/9811/6 "2010-02-01T17:25:03Z")
> [@chrisjj](#):
>
> That gives a filename of XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
> XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX approximately!
LOL.
I was sure that the brackets+? forces the search in a text to get the full field..
Anyway I think you should use Format Value then.
Set the format string to XXX and the field to \_FILENAME.
This is the most straightforward solution I believe.
---
### Author:  [@ohrenkino](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/ohrenkino)
#### Post date: [February 1, 2010, 5:26pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/replace-with-regexp-filename/9811/7 "2010-02-01T17:26:38Z")
> [@chrisjj](#):
>
> That fails too: it gives XXXXXX
>
> Thanks but that is what I'm trying to improve upon - I want the rename included in an existing Action group.
have you tried the action "Format field" on the field \_filename and entered XXX for format string?
---
### Author:  [@chrisjj](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/chrisjj)
#### Post date: [February 1, 2010, 5:51pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/replace-with-regexp-filename/9811/8 "2010-02-01T17:51:56Z")
> [@ohrenkino](#):
>
> have you tried the action "Format field" on the field \_filename
That works thanks.
Still it would be nice to have the flexibility of regexp... if anyone can show how to get this simple case working.
---
### Author:  [@chrisjj](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/chrisjj)
#### Post date: [February 1, 2010, 5:53pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/replace-with-regexp-filename/9811/9 "2010-02-01T17:53:56Z")
Thanks for the solutions people, but can anyone explain why my first attempt does not work.
---
### Author:  [@ohrenkino](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/ohrenkino)
#### Post date: [February 1, 2010, 5:57pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/replace-with-regexp-filename/9811/10 "2010-02-01T17:57:32Z")
you cannot enter a field value variable in the find string. you have to use a regular expression like $if(%\_filename% = %\_filename%) which then becomes true to indicate that MP3tag should continue with the replace action.
(Note: Probably I miss a 1 or comma in my reg-exp)
---
### Author:  [@chrisjj](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/chrisjj)
#### Post date: [February 1, 2010, 6:24pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/replace-with-regexp-filename/9811/11 "2010-02-01T18:24:32Z")
> [@ohrenkino](#):
>
> you have to use a regular expression like $if(%\_filename% = %\_filename%)
Um, that's not a valid regular expression.
Whereas my %\_FILENAME% is.
---
### Author:  [@Florian](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/Florian)
#### Post date: [February 1, 2010, 7:58pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/replace-with-regexp-filename/9811/12 "2010-02-01T19:58:49Z")
> [@chrisjj](#):
>
> Whereas my %\_FILENAME% is.
Looks like an Mp3tag format string to me.
---
### Author:  [@chrisjj](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/chrisjj)
#### Post date: [February 1, 2010, 8:07pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/replace-with-regexp-filename/9811/13 "2010-02-01T20:07:55Z")
> [@Florian](#):
>
> Looks like an Mp3tag format string to me.
It is that too. But are you implying it is not a valid regular expression???
---
### Author:  [@Florian](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/Florian)
#### Post date: [February 1, 2010, 8:12pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/replace-with-regexp-filename/9811/14 "2010-02-01T20:12:05Z")
It definitely is a valid regular expression -- only that it matches the string "%\_FILENAME%" only (which doesn't help you much).
Just tried to focus on the problem at hand.
---
### Author:  [@chrisjj](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/chrisjj)
#### Post date: [February 1, 2010, 8:22pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/replace-with-regexp-filename/9811/15 "2010-02-01T20:22:11Z")
> [@Florian](#):
>
> It definitely is a valid regular expression -- only that it matches the string "%\_FILENAME%" only (which doesn't help you much).
Ah, so Mp3tag does not treat it as a placeholder.
Home come? Given the Help says scripting functions (presumably including placeholders) are allowed in this Action type.
---
### Author:  [@Florian](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/Florian)
#### Post date: [February 1, 2010, 8:59pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/replace-with-regexp-filename/9811/16 "2010-02-01T20:59:32Z")
> [@chrisjj](#):
>
> Ah, so Mp3tag does not treat it as a placeholder.
Yes, placeholders and scripting functions are not evaluated in the regular expression field.
---
### Author:  [@chrisjj](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/chrisjj)
#### Post date: [February 1, 2010, 9:10pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/replace-with-regexp-filename/9811/17 "2010-02-01T21:10:09Z")
> [@Florian](#):
>
> Yes, placeholders and scripting functions are not evaluated in the regular expression field.
Well, this suggests they are
[https://docs.mp3tag.de/scripting](https://docs.mp3tag.de/scripting)
The scripting functions are available at these parts of Mp3tag:
Action, Replace with regular expressions
and I saw nothing to suggest they are not.
I think the Help and program should be made to accord.
Thanks Florian for the explanation.
---
### Author:  [@Tarc](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/Tarc)
#### Post date: [February 1, 2010, 9:12pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/replace-with-regexp-filename/9811/18 "2010-02-01T21:12:24Z")
> [@chrisjj](#):
>
> Well, this suggests they are
>
> [https://docs.mp3tag.de/scripting](https://docs.mp3tag.de/scripting)
> The scripting functions are available at these parts of Mp3tag:
> Action, Replace with regular expressions
>
> and I saw nothing to suggest they are not.
>
> I think the Help and program should be made to accord.
>
> Thanks Florian for the explanation.
The help topics are not too detailed anyway. could do with an update/rework, starting from sketch rewriting things so more things are clear and covered
---
### Author:  [@chrisjj](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/chrisjj)
#### Post date: [February 1, 2010, 9:28pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/replace-with-regexp-filename/9811/19 "2010-02-01T21:28:24Z")
Agreed, but detail is one thing. Accuracy is another... worth addressing now, I suggest! 🙂
---
### Author:  [@Tarc](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/Tarc)
#### Post date: [February 1, 2010, 9:39pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/replace-with-regexp-filename/9811/20 "2010-02-01T21:39:36Z")
Well, true. The (relatively) small amount of info contains stuff like you jsut described. i THOUGHT %\_FILENAME% would not work but was just intuition, had not learnt anywhere from the Help or anything.
[Next page](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/replace-with-regexp-filename/9811.md?page=2)