# \[SOLVED\] How can I make Picard NOT use the "full-date" but YEAR only...?
**URL:** https://community.metabrainz.org/t/solved-how-can-i-make-picard-not-use-the-full-date-but-year-only/554993
**Category:** MusicBrainz Picard
**Created:** [October 13, 2021, 5:16pm UTC](https://community.metabrainz.org/t/solved-how-can-i-make-picard-not-use-the-full-date-but-year-only/554993 "2021-10-13T17:16:51Z")
**Posts on this page:** 9
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@leeuniverse](https://community.metabrainz.org/u/leeuniverse)
#### Post date: [October 13, 2021, 5:16pm UTC](https://community.metabrainz.org/t/solved-how-can-i-make-picard-not-use-the-full-date-but-year-only/554993/1 "2021-10-13T17:16:51Z")
I’m assuming I have to do another “script”? Using 13 already ugh LOL.
I’ve looked, but not sure how I can do it.
I’m of course talking about the “Date Tag”, many songs now have a full date there instead of a year, and I want that tag to be kept clean with just a year only.
Help… Thanks.
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### Author:  [@rdswift](https://community.metabrainz.org/u/rdswift)
#### Post date: [October 13, 2021, 5:37pm UTC](https://community.metabrainz.org/t/solved-how-can-i-make-picard-not-use-the-full-date-but-year-only/554993/2 "2021-10-13T17:37:57Z")
Have a look at the [$left()](https://picard-docs.musicbrainz.org/v2.6/en/functions/func_left.html) function. Also, as of Picard 2.7 there is a new [$year()](https://picard-docs.musicbrainz.org/v2.7/en/functions/func_year.html) function.
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### Author:  [@leeuniverse](https://community.metabrainz.org/u/leeuniverse)
#### Post date: [October 13, 2021, 7:45pm UTC](https://community.metabrainz.org/t/solved-how-can-i-make-picard-not-use-the-full-date-but-year-only/554993/3 "2021-10-13T19:45:06Z")
Great, sounds good, thank you.
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### Author:  [@rdswift](https://community.metabrainz.org/u/rdswift)
#### Post date: [October 13, 2021, 7:49pm UTC](https://community.metabrainz.org/t/solved-how-can-i-make-picard-not-use-the-full-date-but-year-only/554993/4 "2021-10-13T19:49:18Z")
> [@leeuniverse](#):
>
> I’m assuming I have to do another “script”? Using 13 already ugh LOL.
On another note, if you always use a few of the same scripts, you can always combine them into a single script. 😉
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### Author:  [@leeuniverse](https://community.metabrainz.org/u/leeuniverse)
#### Post date: [October 13, 2021, 8:03pm UTC](https://community.metabrainz.org/t/solved-how-can-i-make-picard-not-use-the-full-date-but-year-only/554993/5 "2021-10-13T20:03:55Z")
That would definitely be good, can you give me an example of like 3 $unset scripts, for example, “$unset(compilation)” what a group of them combined might look like?
Would definitely help with all the settings I have to change/save in a text file for future reference.
Thanks
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### Author:  [@rdswift](https://community.metabrainz.org/u/rdswift)
#### Post date: [October 13, 2021, 11:51pm UTC](https://community.metabrainz.org/t/solved-how-can-i-make-picard-not-use-the-full-date-but-year-only/554993/6 "2021-10-13T23:51:15Z")
Just put each commend on a new line in the combined script. For example one of my test scripts is:
```auto
$noop( General Test Script )
$set(rds_artists,$if2(%artists%,%artist%,%albumartist%))
$set(rds_artist,$rreplace($if2(%artists%,%artist%,%albumartist%),;.*\$,))
$set(album,%album% [file])
```
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### Author:  [@leeuniverse](https://community.metabrainz.org/u/leeuniverse)
#### Post date: [October 25, 2021, 9:56pm UTC](https://community.metabrainz.org/t/solved-how-can-i-make-picard-not-use-the-full-date-but-year-only/554993/7 "2021-10-25T21:56:15Z")
I don’t have a scripting brain, but could you explain how I can get the $left() function and the new $year() function to work?
I put them in and I’m STILL getting “full dates” instead of the Year only?
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### Author:  [@rdswift](https://community.metabrainz.org/u/rdswift)
#### Post date: [October 25, 2021, 10:09pm UTC](https://community.metabrainz.org/t/solved-how-can-i-make-picard-not-use-the-full-date-but-year-only/554993/8 "2021-10-25T22:09:59Z")
How are you trying to use them? Unless I’m misunderstanding, it should be something as simple as:
```auto
$set(date,$left(%date%,4))
```
---
### Author:  [@leeuniverse](https://community.metabrainz.org/u/leeuniverse)
#### Post date: [October 25, 2021, 10:18pm UTC](https://community.metabrainz.org/t/solved-how-can-i-make-picard-not-use-the-full-date-but-year-only/554993/9 "2021-10-25T22:18:04Z")
> [@rdswift](#):
>
> `$set(date,$left(%date%,4))`
LOL, I’m a scripting idiot… I had no idea about all that “extra” stuff. $set, adding “date” the (( )) etc.
So I used
> $set(date,$year(date,date\_order=“ymd”))
per your information and it worked…
When I used **$unset(compilation)** and others, for example, I didn’t have to do any extra stuff to it, so I figured the above would work the same, hence my confusion. I was trying to use **$year(date,date\_order=“ymd”)** for example and it wouldn’t work.
You gave me what I needed… Thank you. 🙂 😋