# Scripting, a request and a question **URL:** \ **Category:** Support\ **Created:** [October 1, 2019, 5:00pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/scripting-a-request-and-a-question/46614 "2019-10-01T17:00:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Daddy-o](https://community.mp3tag.de/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/d/3bc359/32.png) [@Daddy-o](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/Daddy-o)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2019, 5:00pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/scripting-a-request-and-a-question/46614/1 "2019-10-01T17:00:04Z")
Request: I've read the Mp3tag Help - Scripting Functions and have some limited regex experience. But some of the solutions I see posted demonstrate ability far beyond the Help resources. **What regex implementation (perl? sed?) would be most helpful to refer to when trying to build `replace,` etc., queries?** _It was great when I saw a nested query/replace along the way in my searches._ Question: I'm trying to remove everything non-alphanumeric from a file name to deal with a certain car's CD player display (and play) limitations. `$replace(%artist%,'The ',, ,,-,,.,,';',,\'&',,)` didn't quite work out. (I realize that certain `replace` may not meet syntax canon. It was the last of several stabs and by then I'd decided to place the request for a study guide that started this topic. _Thanks for dynamic preview!_) And what's the escape character? (the character, not the concept.) I've brought it to a "good enough" level, but there's always next time. TIA ---
**Author:** ![ohrenkino](https://community.mp3tag.de/user_avatar/community.mp3tag.de/ohrenkino/32/4843_2.png) [@ohrenkino](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/ohrenkino)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2019, 5:09pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/scripting-a-request-and-a-question/46614/2 "2019-10-01T17:09:49Z")
It is said to be mainly a > [@Daddy-o](#): > > perl flavour. `$replace` is no regular expression but just a simple replace that replaces text constants and not patterns as regular expressions. You can test almost any scripting function with Convert\>Tag-Tag. > [@Daddy-o](#): > > And what's the escape character? it is the backslash `\` is the escape character. You only need it in regular expressions but not in plain replace functions. So > [@Daddy-o](#): > > `,,\'&',` is probably a little over the top and a plain `&` would be enough. ---
**Author:** ![Daddy-o](https://community.mp3tag.de/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/d/3bc359/32.png) [@Daddy-o](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/Daddy-o)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2019, 5:11pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/scripting-a-request-and-a-question/46614/3 "2019-10-01T17:11:40Z")
Thanks for the background, I'll keep trying ---
**Author:** ![Daddy-o](https://community.mp3tag.de/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/d/3bc359/32.png) [@Daddy-o](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/Daddy-o)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2019, 5:16pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/scripting-a-request-and-a-question/46614/4 "2019-10-01T17:16:27Z")
So in the middle of a replacement string does ,,,,x,y, replace a comma with nothing and x with y? Or would that be ,,,,x,y, (there are commas in the tags I want to use to rename the files, that's what started this) TIA ---
**Author:** ![Daddy-o](https://community.mp3tag.de/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/d/3bc359/32.png) [@Daddy-o](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/Daddy-o)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2019, 5:19pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/scripting-a-request-and-a-question/46614/5 "2019-10-01T17:19:41Z")
Sorry, but the literal backslash was not in the posted text. So in the middle of a replacement string does ,backslash,,,x,y, replace a comma with nothing and x with y? Or would that be ,,,,x,y, The forum software is giving me feedback for so many replies, I think this should do it. ---
**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:** [October 1, 2019, 5:28pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/scripting-a-request-and-a-question/46614/6 "2019-10-01T17:28:13Z")
To replace a comma with the $replace() function use such a syntax: `$replace(%title%,',',)` the comma is enclosed in apostrophes (which would be the escape character here) ---
**Author:** ![system](https://community.mp3tag.de/uploads/default/original/2X/c/ce7035d426cb755a7916793326d23b465222a407.png) [@system](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/system)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2019, 5:28pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/scripting-a-request-and-a-question/46614/7 "2019-10-31T17:28:20Z")
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