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# chap - A Python interface to chatgpt, including a terminal user interface (tui)
## System requirements
Chap is developed on Linux with Python 3.9. Due to use of the `list[int]` style of type hints, it is known not to work on 3.8 and newer; it is hoped that it works on newer versions but is untested.
## installation
Install with e.g., `pipx install chap`
## configuration
Put your OpenAI API key in the platform configuration directory for chap, e.g., on linux/unix systems at `~/.config/chap/openai_api_key`
## commandline usage
* chap ask "What advice would you give a 20th century human visiting the 21st century for the first time?"
* chap render --last
* chap import chatgpt-style-chatlog.json
## interactive terminal usage
* chap tui
## Sessions & Commandline Parameters
Details of session handling & commandline arguments are in flux.
By default, a new session is created. It is saved to the user's state directory
(e.g., `~/.local/state/chap` on linux/unix systems).
You can specify the session filename for a new session with `-n` or to re-open
an existing session with `-s`. Or, you can continue the last session with
`--last`.
You can set the "system message" with the `-S` flag.
You can select the text generating backend with the `-b` flag:
* openai\_chatgpt: the default, paid API, best quality results
* textgen: Works with https://github.com/oobabooga/text-generation-webui and can run locally with various models, basic and low quality. Needs the server URL in *$configuration_directory/textgen\_url*.
* lorem: local non-AI lorem generator for testing
## Importing from ChatGPT
The userscript https://github.com/pionxzh/chatgpt-exporter can export chat logs from chat.openai.com in a json format.
This format is different than chap's, especially since chap currently only represents a single branch of conversation in one log.
You can use the `chap import` command to import all the branches of a chatgpt-style chatlog in json format into a series of chap-style chat logs.
