# Plot.ly Python Setup Fail at the Beginning

**URL:** <https://community.plotly.com/t/plot-ly-python-setup-fail-at-the-beginning/4663>\
**Category:** 📊 Plotly Python\
**Created:** [June 27, 2017, 10:11pm UTC](https://community.plotly.com/t/plot-ly-python-setup-fail-at-the-beginning/4663 "2017-06-27T22:11:12Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Lindsey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/da6949/32.png) [@Lindsey](https://community.plotly.com/u/Lindsey)\
**Post date:** [June 27, 2017, 10:11pm UTC](https://community.plotly.com/t/plot-ly-python-setup-fail-at-the-beginning/4663/1 "2017-06-27T22:11:12Z")

</div>

Hello!

I just installed [plot.ly](http://plot.ly) and when I am trying to do the next step, which is using your credential: username and API code, I keep getting an error.

Ive typed in :  
$ plotly.tools.set\_credentials\_file(username= **username** , api\_key= **apikey** )  
However I keep getting the error:

-bash: syntax error near unexpected token `username= **username** ,’

I am following along the [Getting Started Guide](https://plot.ly/python/getting-started/)