Before invoking LAS operators, you must first generate an API Key for operator authentication. Because API Key information is sensitive, leaking your API Key may result in your model usage being consumed by others, causing losses. Therefore, after obtaining the API Key, it is recommended to store the API Key in an environment variable to facilitate safe and proper usage of the API Key.

After logging in to LAS Console , on the Resource management > API key managementpage, click the Create API key in the upper left corner. Create the API Key according to the interface instructions.

When using the LAS development environment to invoke operators for data processing task development, it is recommended to configure the API Key in environment variables rather than hardcoding it in code. This prevents the API Key from being leaked with the code, which could result in your quota being used by others and incurring additional costs.

Basic concepts #

Environment variables are operating system-level key-value pairs used to store configuration information and can affect the behavior of running processes. They are divided into two categories:

• Temporary variables: Valid only within the terminal session in which they are created. They become invalid after the terminal is closed.
• Permanent variables: Persistently stored in system configuration files and remain valid in new terminal sessions or after system reboot.

Configuration overview examples for mainstream operating systems are as follows.

Detailed configuration guidance can be found below.

macOS & Linux configuration instructions #

In Unix-like systems, environment variable configuration is closely related to the Shell you use.

Understand Shell configuration files #

• ~/.bash_profile: Loaded when Bash login Shell starts. Typically used to define variables intended to be available throughout the entire user session.
• ~/.bashrc: Loaded when Bash interactive non-login Shell starts. Suitable for defining aliases and functions.
• ~/.zshenv: (Recommended for environment variables) Loaded every time Zsh starts, regardless of whether it is a login or interactive Shell. This is the most reliable place to set environment variables.
• ~/.zprofile: Loaded when Zsh login Shell starts, after .zshenv.
• ~/.zshrc: Loaded when Zsh interactive Shell starts. Suitable for configuring Shell interaction-related settings (such as prompts and aliases).

Bash / Zsh configuration #

Temporary configuration

Run the export command in the terminal.

# Example: Temporarily set LAS_API_KEY
export LAS_API_KEY="your-las-api-key-here"

Permanent configuration

1. Open the terminal and use the following command to check the default shell type.

   echo $SHELL
   
   # Returns /bin/zsh: The default shell type is Zsh (Z shell).
   
   # Returns /bin/bash: The default shell type is Bash.
   

2. Open your shell configuration file. For Zsh users, ~/.zshenv is recommended.

   # Zsh users
   nano ~/.zshenv
   
   # Bash users
   nano ~/.bash_profile
   

3. Add an export statement at the end of the file.

   # Set the LAS_API_KEY environment variable
   export LAS_API_KEY="your-las-api-key-here"
   

4. Save the file, then run the source command or restart the terminal to apply the configuration.

   # Zsh users
   source ~/.zshrc
   
   # Bash users
   source ~/.bash_profile
   

PowerShell (macOS / Linux) #

The behavior of PowerShell is generally consistent across all platforms.

Temporary configuration

$env:LAS_API_KEY = "your-las-api-key-here"

Permanent configuration

1. Edit the PowerShell profile file.

   # This will automatically open the configuration file with the default editor
   code $profile
   

2. Add the following line to the file:

   $env:LAS_API_KEY = "your-las-api-key-here"
   

3. Save the file, then run the . command or restart PowerShell.

   . $profile
   

Windows configuration instructions #

Windows divides environment variables into "User variables" and "System variables". The former is only effective for the current user, while the latter applies to all users.

Command Prompt (CMD) #

Temporary configuration

Use the set command.

set LAS_API_KEY=your-las-api-key-here

Permanent configuration

Use the setx command.

:: Set user variables
setx LAS_API_KEY "your-las-api-key-here"

:: Set system variables (requires administrator privileges)
setx LAS_API_KEY "your-las-api-key-here" /m

Caution: Variables set by setx only take effect in new Command Prompt windows and do not affect the current window.

PowerShell #

Temporary configuration

$env:LAS_API_KEY = "your-las-api-key-here"

Permanent configuration

Using the .NET API is the most reliable method.

# Set user variable
[Environment]::SetEnvironmentVariable("LAS_API_KEY", "your-las-api-key-here", "User")

# Set system variable (requires administrator privileges)
[Environment]::SetEnvironmentVariable("LAS_API_KEY", "your-las-api-key-here", "Machine")

Graphical user interface (GUI) #

1. Search for "Edit system environment variables" in the Start menu and open it.
2. In the "System Properties" dialog box, click the "Environment Variables..." button.
3. In the pop-up window, you can add or modify "User variables" for your user account in the upper section, or add or modify "System variables" for all users in the lower section.
4. Click "New..." and enter the variable name LAS_API_KEY and your key as the variable value.
5. Click "OK" at each level to close all dialog boxes.

Verify the configuration #

After completing the configuration, you can verify it in the following ways:

• macOS / Linux:

  echo $LAS_API_KEY
  

• Windows (CMD):

  echo %LAS_API_KEY%
  

• PowerShell (all platforms):

  echo $env:LAS_API_KEY
  # Or
  Get-ChildItem env:LAS_API_KEY
  

For permanent configuration, be sure to restart your terminal or IDE and check again to ensure the configuration is loaded correctly.

Advanced tips and practices #

Security: Protect your key #

Warning: Never commit configuration files containing sensitive information such as LAS_API_KEY to Git or other version control systems.

• Use .gitignore: Ensure that local configuration files containing sensitive information (such as .envrc, .env) are added to the .gitignore file.
• Project-level environment variables: For specific projects, it is recommended to use the .env file to manage environment variables, and to load them at application startup using libraries such as dotenv (Node.js) and python-dotenv (Python).

Directory-level environment variables: direnv #

direnv is a powerful tool that can automatically load or unload environment variables when entering or leaving a project directory.

1. Installation (using macOS Homebrew as an example):

   brew install direnv
   

2. Configuration: Create a .envrc file in the root directory of the project.

   # .envrc
   export LAS_API_KEY="your-project-specific-key"
   

3. Authorization: When entering the directory for the first time, run direnv allow. From then on, each time you enter the directory, the variables in .envrc will automatically take effect.