# Subtype TaxonomicClassifier is required

**URL:** https://forum.qiime2.org/t/subtype-taxonomicclassifier-is-required/7764
**Category:** Technical Support
**Created:** [January 10, 2019, 1:49am UTC](https://forum.qiime2.org/t/subtype-taxonomicclassifier-is-required/7764 "2019-01-10T01:49:55Z")
**Posts on this page:** 3
**Page:** 1

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### Author: ![dupremarye](https://forum.qiime2.org/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/d/8c91f0/32.png) [@dupremarye](https://forum.qiime2.org/u/dupremarye)
#### Post date: [January 10, 2019, 1:49am UTC](https://forum.qiime2.org/t/subtype-taxonomicclassifier-is-required/7764/1 "2019-01-10T01:49:55Z")

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Hello all,

I received an error that I have been unable to solve. I understand that I am not using the correct --type format, but have been unable to find the correct format to use. If anyone can lead me to the correct format (with the full command, please) or a tutorial, that would be very helpful! Below is the section of code that brought on the error.

qiime tools import   
--type FeatureData[Taxonomy]  
--input-path UNITE-plus-all-contams.txt  
--input-format HeaderlessTSVTaxonomyFormat   
--output-path UNITE-plus-all-contams-CLASSIFIER.qza

qiime feature-classifier classify-sklearn   
--i-classifier UNITE-plus-all-contams-CLASSIFIER.qza   
--i-reads hits-9-9.qza   
--p-confidence 0.9   
--o-classification taxonomy-hits9-9-c90.qza

Plugin error from feature-classifier:

Parameter 'classifier' received an argument of type FeatureData[Taxonomy]. An argument of subtype TaxonomicClassifier is required.

Debug info has been saved to /var/folders/\_h/xck42wn55x957rpgq54pn\_ph0000gn/T/qiime2-q2cli-err-kqzks6cr.log

Thank you,

Mary Ellyn

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### Author: ![Nicholas\_Bokulich](https://forum.qiime2.org/user_avatar/forum.qiime2.org/nicholas_bokulich/32/19937_2.png) [@Nicholas\_Bokulich](https://forum.qiime2.org/u/Nicholas_Bokulich)
#### Post date: [January 10, 2019, 1:53am UTC](https://forum.qiime2.org/t/subtype-taxonomicclassifier-is-required/7764/2 "2019-01-10T01:53:26Z")

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To use a machine learning taxonomy classifier, you must first train that classifier on your sequences of interest. See [this tutorial](https://docs.qiime2.org/2018.11/tutorials/feature-classifier/). Training a classifier requires both the sequences and their taxonomy annotations. What you have done is import the taxonomy file alone — that is not a `TaxonomicClassifier` artifact type.

Note, you can use the other taxonomy classification methods in `q2-feature-classifier` with the sequence and taxonomy files (see the `classify-consensus-*` methods). These are based on alignment and do not need prior training.

Good luck!

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### Author: ![dupremarye](https://forum.qiime2.org/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/d/8c91f0/32.png) [@dupremarye](https://forum.qiime2.org/u/dupremarye)
#### Post date: [January 10, 2019, 10:09pm UTC](https://forum.qiime2.org/t/subtype-taxonomicclassifier-is-required/7764/3 "2019-01-10T22:09:16Z")

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Thank you for the quick response! I'm glad there was a clear answer, because I was able to continue the workflow this afternoon.

Best,  
Mary Ellyn