macOS Python Error: OPENAI_API_KEY Environment Variable Not Detected in Script

Below is a concise explanation that covers why the error can occur even though your terminal shows the variable:

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Why the Error Occurs

Even though running echo $OPENAI_API_KEY in Terminal confirms the key is set, the Python process might not be seeing that value. This usually happens when:

• Environment Inheritance Issue:
  The process executing your Python script might not have inherited the shell’s environment. For example, if you launched your script from an IDE or a different shell session where the variable wasn’t exported, then os.environ in Python won’t contain OPENAI_API_KEY.

• Shell vs. GUI:
  When double-clicking a file or running it through a GUI (like certain IDE setups), the environment variables defined in your shell aren’t automatically loaded.

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How to Verify and Fix

1. Check the Environment from Within Python:
   Add a quick test to your script to see if Python can see the variable:

   PYTHONCopied
   import os
   
   print("OPENAI_API_KEY:", os.environ.get("OPENAI_API_KEY"))

   This will let you confirm that the variable is (or isn’t) available in the running environment.

2. Ensure Your Script is Run in the Correct Shell:
   Run your script from the same Terminal session where you verified the variable:

   BASHCopied
   python3 chatgpt/openai-test.py

3. Use dotenv for Local Development (Optional):
   While not required if your environment is properly configured, using a .env file with the dotenv package can help ensure that environment variables are loaded regardless of how you run your script.

   • Install dotenv:

     BASHCopied
     pip install python-dotenv

   • Create a .env file with:

     OPENAI_API_KEY=your_api_key_here
     

   • Update your Python script:

     PYTHONCopied
     from dotenv import load_dotenv
     import os
     
     load_dotenv()
     print("OPENAI_API_KEY:", os.environ.get("OPENAI_API_KEY"))
     
     # Continue with OpenAI API code...

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Conclusion

The sample code from the documentation relies on the API key being present in the environment. The error message indicates that, in your Python execution context, the key isn’t available. By ensuring that you run your script in an environment where the variable is exported (or by using a loader like dotenv), you can resolve the issue.

Feel free to ask if you have further questions about setting up your environment or running OpenAI API requests in Python!