Unable to use dot env

[aj-in]

while installing we used
pip3 install python-dotenv

but in the main.py file we use
import dotenv

this is giving me errors as VScode says that dotenv is not installed
and when I try to install it I get this error

Collecting dotenv
  Using cached dotenv-0.0.5.tar.gz (2.4 kB)
  Installing build dependencies ... done
  Getting requirements to build wheel ... done
  Installing backend dependencies ... error
  error: subprocess-exited-with-error
  
  × pip subprocess to install backend dependencies did not run successfully.
  │ exit code: 1
  ╰─> [33 lines of output]
      Collecting wheel
        Using cached wheel-0.43.0-py3-none-any.whl.metadata (2.2 kB)
      Collecting distribute
        Using cached distribute-0.7.3.zip (145 kB)
        Installing build dependencies: started
        Installing build dependencies: finished with status 'done'
        Getting requirements to build wheel: started
        Getting requirements to build wheel: finished with status 'done'
        Installing backend dependencies: started
        Installing backend dependencies: finished with status 'done'
        Preparing metadata (pyproject.toml): started
        Preparing metadata (pyproject.toml): finished with status 'error'
        error: subprocess-exited-with-error
      
        × Preparing metadata (pyproject.toml) did not run successfully.
        │ exit code: 1
        ╰─> [6 lines of output]
            usage: setup.py [global_opts] cmd1 [cmd1_opts] [cmd2 [cmd2_opts] ...]
               or: setup.py --help [cmd1 cmd2 ...]
               or: setup.py --help-commands
               or: setup.py cmd --help
      
            error: invalid command 'dist_info'
            [end of output]
      
        note: This error originates from a subprocess, and is likely not a problem with pip.
      error: metadata-generation-failed
      
      × Encountered error while generating package metadata.
      ╰─> See above for output.
      
      note: This is an issue with the package mentioned above, not pip.
      hint: See above for details.
      [end of output]
  
  note: This error originates from a subprocess, and is likely not a problem with pip.
error: subprocess-exited-with-error

× pip subprocess to install backend dependencies did not run successfully.
│ exit code: 1
╰─> See above for output.  ```


I even tried using 

``` pip3 install python-dotenv ``` but I still get the same error

[dkshitij29]

Hello @aj-in, it seems you are having issues loading your environment variables, specifically with your .env.example file in your project. Please edit your .env.example file in this format:

export OPENAI_API_KEY='your-api-key'

After editing, run the command source .env.example to load the environment variables.

Note: The environment variables will be loaded into your current shell only.

[dltharamtzy]

Hello @aj-in, it seems you are having issues loading your environment variables, specifically with your .env.example file in your project. Please edit your .env.example file in this format:

export OPENAI_API_KEY='your-api-key'

After editing, run the command source .env.example to load the environment variables.

Note: The environment variables will be loaded into your current shell only.

same error but in windows, how can I fix it?

[yettey74]

Hi, Are you using windows?
I got this error previously. just use pip instead of pip3 if your in a CMD or PS environment.
pip install python-dotenv

Result:

Collecting python-dotenv
Using cached python_dotenv-1.0.1-py3-none-any.whl.metadata (23 kB)
Using cached python_dotenv-1.0.1-py3-none-any.whl (19 kB)
Installing collected packages: python-dotenv
Successfully installed python-dotenv-1.0.1