# Sorts only first character(s)

**URL:** <https://community.mp3tag.de/t/sorts-only-first-character-s/53752>\
**Category:** Support\
**Created:** [July 14, 2021, 11:40pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/sorts-only-first-character-s/53752 "2021-07-14T23:40:39Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![paynter2](https://community.mp3tag.de/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/p/f19dbf/32.png) [@paynter2](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/paynter2)\
**Post date:** [July 14, 2021, 11:40pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/sorts-only-first-character-s/53752/1 "2021-07-14T23:40:39Z")

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I like to load MP3 player with content but many items are named 1-1-itema, 1-2-itemb, 1-3-item3. Then another batch is 1-1-different-item, 1-2-different-item, 1-3-different item.

They sort as

1-1-different-item  
1-1-itema  
1-2-different-item  
1-2-itemb

I want them to sort as

1-1-different-item  
1-2-different-item  
1-1-itema  
1-2-itemb

I want them to play in consecutive order. I have sorted by name - same outcome. I converted title to name and sorted by title - same outcome. I think the sort is only using the first few characters. Is there a way to increase the number of characters that the sort examines? In either name or title? If I could sort by the first 10 characters I'd be fine.

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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:** [July 15, 2021, 4:20am UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/sorts-only-first-character-s/53752/2 "2021-07-15T04:20:52Z")

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Actually, I do no see anything wrong in

> [@paynter2](#):
>
> They sort as
> 
> 1-1-different-item  
> 1-1-itema  
> 1-2-different-item  
> 1-2-itemb

And I would say that this sorting order does not take a specific letter but the whole string and sorts it until there is a difference. And 1-1-d comes before 1-1-i in an alphabetic order.  
What you could try: set up a playlist and see if your player uses that.  
If it does not, then you have to supply a sort criterion that leads to the sorting order that you want.  
E.g. you sort the tracks in the way you want and then you add a number to the front of the sorting property. If that is the filename, use an action of the type "Format value" for \_FILENAME  
Format string: `$num(%_counter%,3)_%_filename%`

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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, 12:29pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/sorts-only-first-character-s/53752/3 "2026-02-09T12:29:18Z")

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