# Bold math inside of absolute value gives error

This code

$$\label{eq:test} | \mathbf{v} |$$


gives me the error:

ERROR: LaTeX Error: \mathbf allowed only in math mode.

--- TeX said ---

See the LaTeX manual or LaTeX Companion for explanation.
Type  H <return>  for immediate help.
...

l.430   | \mathbf
{v} |


My question is simply why? Is not equation math mode??

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Please provide a Complete working example that shows the problem. Most likely you have loaded a package that redefines | to do something, but we can't help just given that fragment. –  David Carlisle Apr 23 '12 at 15:55
Welcome to TeX.SE! Please post a complete MWE (minimum working example) that produces the error you're encountering. (The above code, preceded by \documentclass{article}\begin{document} and succeeded by \end{document}, does not generate an error.) It may be that the error is caused by a missing math delimiter somewhere prior to the equation you're showing. –  Mico Apr 23 '12 at 15:55
It works for me. Did you try your code in a MWE file without additional packages or definitions? –  Christian Apr 23 '12 at 15:56
Hi abbec, Welcome to TeX.SE! I edited your question to indent the log message too. Your snippet works fine for me- could you post a few more details about your distribution? Welcome to the group :) –  cmhughes Apr 23 '12 at 15:56
I actually found the problem... It was the package program that redefined the | to something as you said @David Carlisle. Thanks guys! –  abbec Apr 23 '12 at 16:00
You already know that many packages redefine |. Thus I usually recommend using amsmath and its commands \lvert and \rvert for left and right pipe delimiters. Besides protection against redefinition of |, this also makes better spacing when | is indeed a delimiter.