Title: Parse error: syntax error, unexpected '
Last modified: August 21, 2016

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# Parse error: syntax error, unexpected '

 *  [sssona](https://wordpress.org/support/users/sssona/)
 * (@sssona)
 * [12 years, 6 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/parse-error-syntax-error-unexpected-96/)
 * I have just uploaded wordpress via ftp
    and instead of installation it says:
 * Parse error: syntax error, unexpected ‘<‘ in /3w/wz.cz/s/sokol-nasavrky2/index.
   php on line 18
 * I am trying this for the second time from the beginning because in another posts
   they advised clean up
    it cannot be hacked, I’ve just uploaded it to the empty
   domain and run my computer with antivirus program.
 * I am really new with this, thanks for the help.

Viewing 5 replies - 1 through 5 (of 5 total)

 *  [Josiah](https://wordpress.org/support/users/josiahboyd/)
 * (@josiahboyd)
 * [12 years, 6 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/parse-error-syntax-error-unexpected-96/#post-4165038)
 * Hi,
 * Have you checked out this page:
    [http://codex.wordpress.org/Installing_WordPress](http://codex.wordpress.org/Installing_WordPress)
 * Also, a lot of times the web host will have some type of software package that
   will install wordpress for you (usually called fantastico, softaculous, mojomarketplace
   or something like that). I usually go this route because it creates everything
   for you.
 * Regards,
    Josiah
 *  [catacaustic](https://wordpress.org/support/users/catacaustic/)
 * (@catacaustic)
 * [12 years, 6 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/parse-error-syntax-error-unexpected-96/#post-4165126)
 * Have a look at that file and see what’s on line 18 (and line 17 just in case 
   there’s something there as well). If you can’t see anything paste the first 20
   or os lines of the file and we’ll see what we can see. If you want to post a 
   lot of code you should use [pastebin](http://pastebin.com/).
 *  Moderator [t-p](https://wordpress.org/support/users/t-p/)
 * (@t-p)
 * [12 years, 6 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/parse-error-syntax-error-unexpected-96/#post-4165129)
 * **Parse errors:**
 * **Syntax Error**
 * A syntax error means that you have made a mistake while creating your PHP structure.
   You could, for example, be;
    ■ Missing a ; at the end of an individual line. 
   ■ Using curly quotation marks. ■ Missing a curly bracket.
 * When this error appears it will tell you which file the error appears in (in 
   your case “index.php” for example) and approximately which line (it may not always
   be the exact line so be sure to check just before and just after) in the code.
 * **Unexpected**
 * If you are receiving an error which says ‘parse error: unexpected’ this usually
   means that you have forgotten to include a character.
 *  Thread Starter [sssona](https://wordpress.org/support/users/sssona/)
 * (@sssona)
 * [12 years, 6 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/parse-error-syntax-error-unexpected-96/#post-4165200)
 * Hi, thanks you all, but still didn’t find out what to do…
 * these are last lines:
 *  */
    define(‘WP_USE_THEMES’, true); /** * Loads the WordPress Environment and
   Template */ require(‘./wp-blog-header.php’);
 * the last one is number 18
    I’ve tried to move all lines down with double enter
   and error moved as well to number 20 can you see any syntax error?
 * to Josiah:
    my web host is webzdarma.cz – they don’t have any software package,
   I think, and I don’t want to change my web address because I am using it for 
   years, I just wanted upgrade to wordpress
 *  [lloy0076](https://wordpress.org/support/users/lloy0076/)
 * (@lloy0076)
 * [12 years, 6 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/parse-error-syntax-error-unexpected-96/#post-4165201)
 * Hi Ssona,
 * TL;DR
 * The reason why the error moves to line number 20 when you move the ‘require’ 
   from line 18 to 20 is because the error is in something that is ‘required’. The
   most obvious place to look now is the ‘wp-blog-header.php’.
 * …
 * So, there is nothing wrong with the file you are looking at. PHP — which is the
   programming language used in WordPress themes — is trying to ‘require’ the ‘wp-
   blog-header.php’ but there is some type of error in that file or one of the files
   it requires.
 * IF you can access the web-server’s error logs, the error may be more easy to 
   diagnose. It is worth a shot as it might say something nicer such as ‘the require
   in file BLAH failed’ as opposed to just syntax error.
 * Find where ‘wp-blog-header.php’ is and examine that file.
 * Where did you get the ‘original’ WordPress zip, tar.gz (or other archive format)
   file? I’d be happy to look at that if it came from a publicly available web server
   or you could send it to me and I’ll attempt to find the error and, if I do, I’ll
   tell you what it is and how I found it which will help debug the inevitable syntax
   error(s) we all make from time to time.
 * DSL

Viewing 5 replies - 1 through 5 (of 5 total)

The topic ‘Parse error: syntax error, unexpected '’ is closed to new replies.

## Tags

 * [on line](https://wordpress.org/support/topic-tag/on-line/)

 * In: [Installing WordPress](https://wordpress.org/support/forum/installation/)
 * 5 replies
 * 5 participants
 * Last reply from: [lloy0076](https://wordpress.org/support/users/lloy0076/)
 * Last activity: [12 years, 6 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/parse-error-syntax-error-unexpected-96/#post-4165201)
 * Status: not resolved

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