# \-bash: syntax error
**URL:** https://forum.mothur.org/t/bash-syntax-error/2600
**Category:** mothur bugs
**Created:** [November 14, 2015, 10:20pm UTC](https://forum.mothur.org/t/bash-syntax-error/2600 "2015-11-14T22:20:32Z")
**Posts on this page:** 2
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@maln](https://forum.mothur.org/u/maln)
#### Post date: [November 14, 2015, 10:20pm UTC](https://forum.mothur.org/t/bash-syntax-error/2600/1 "2015-11-14T22:20:32Z")
Hi there I am working on a bioinformatics assignment and i am new to using mothur and have almost 0 experience using it, i have encountered an error and have absolutely 0 idea how to fix it. Anyways here it is, when i try to run the command fastq.info(fastq=HUMAN\_MICROBIOME.fastq, qfile=F) i get an error saying -bash: syntax error near unexpected token `fastq=HUMAN\_MICROBIOME.fastq,’ I read somewhere that this has something to do with the parenthesis but thing is i have been copying this command and pasting it into mothur and it worked once before as is, but it refuses to work now and i have no idea why! Any help would be greatly appreciated.
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### Author:  [@ilissimo](https://forum.mothur.org/u/ilissimo)
#### Post date: [November 16, 2015, 9:59am UTC](https://forum.mothur.org/t/bash-syntax-error/2600/2 "2015-11-16T09:59:33Z")
Hi,
That error is from the bash shell not mothur.
Bash command prompt:
$ fastq.info(fastq=HUMAN\_MICROBIOME.fastq, qfile=F)
-bash: syntax error near unexpected token `fastq=HUMAN\_MICROBIOME.fastq,’
Start mothur first then run the command
$ mothur
mothur v.1.36.1
Last updated: 7/27/2015
by
Patrick D. Schloss
Department of Microbiology & Immunology
University of Michigan
[pschloss@umich.edu](mailto:pschloss@umich.edu)
[http://www.mothur.org](http://www.mothur.org)
When using, please cite:
Schloss, P.D., et al., Introducing mothur: Open-source, platform-independent, community-supported software for describing and comparing microbial communities. Appl Environ Microbiol, 2009. 75(23):7537-41.
Distributed under the GNU General Public License
Type ‘help()’ for information on the commands that are available
Type ‘quit()’ to exit program
mothur \> fastq.info()
You must provide a file or fastq option.
[ERROR]: did not complete fastq.info.
Alternative ways to call mothur:
[http://www.mothur.org/wiki/General\_operations](http://www.mothur.org/wiki/General_operations)
Regards
Ian