# Unmarshal failed: toml: invalid character at start of key

**URL:** <https://discourse.gohugo.io/t/unmarshal-failed-toml-invalid-character-at-start-of-key/47172>\
**Category:** support\
**Tags:** cli\
**Created:** [November 20, 2023, 6:58am UTC](https://discourse.gohugo.io/t/unmarshal-failed-toml-invalid-character-at-start-of-key/47172 "2023-11-20T06:58:51Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Steadywork](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b38774/32.png) [@Steadywork](https://discourse.gohugo.io/u/Steadywork)\
**Post date:** [November 20, 2023, 6:58am UTC](https://discourse.gohugo.io/t/unmarshal-failed-toml-invalid-character-at-start-of-key/47172/1 "2023-11-20T06:58:51Z")

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Looking for assistance I am currently having trouble loading a theme through the cli of a theme I’m using called resume. The CLI I’m attempting to execute is ‘hugo -t, --themeDir’. After some testing on the error log for inputting the CLI command, I get an invalid character start at key, or key thme already defined maybe even key description defined, these are all errors. When using only the CLI ‘-t’ command I get an invalid character at start of key. Is this because I need to use the --themeDIr command after it? My objective is to test an exmapleSite folder, and the README dictates that I can.

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**Author:** ![chrillek](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex036/user_avatar/discourse.gohugo.io/chrillek/32/19797_2.png) [@chrillek](https://discourse.gohugo.io/u/chrillek)\
**Post date:** [November 20, 2023, 11:42am UTC](https://discourse.gohugo.io/t/unmarshal-failed-toml-invalid-character-at-start-of-key/47172/2 "2023-11-20T11:42:39Z")

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I doubt that anyone can help you without you showing the relevant code. Are you literally typing `hugo -t, --themeDir`? That can’t work, as it is _either_ `-t` _or_ `--themeDir` – not both, separated with a comma.

And you must provide the _directory of your theme_ with this switch. If you go with the default `themes`, just omit the switch.

Maybe take a look at the Hugo documentation and its “Getting started” section? Following _those_ instructions should get you going. And if an error creeps up, it’s a lot easier to help you here.

In general, you should post errors verbatim, not some kind of interpretation, translation or abbreviation.

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**Author:** ![Steadywork](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b38774/32.png) [@Steadywork](https://discourse.gohugo.io/u/Steadywork)\
**Post date:** [November 21, 2023, 4:35am UTC](https://discourse.gohugo.io/t/unmarshal-failed-toml-invalid-character-at-start-of-key/47172/3 "2023-11-21T04:35:29Z")

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Informative information, will take a look and further analyze the situation.