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Google Search Tool

The Google Search tool allows VMPilot to search the web using Google's Custom Search API, enabling access to up-to-date information from the internet.

Overview

The Google Search tool integrates with Google's Custom Search API to provide VMPilot with the ability to search the web and retrieve relevant information. This is particularly useful for:

  • Answering questions that require current information
  • Researching topics not covered in the context or conversation history
  • Finding up-to-date documentation, tutorials, or references
  • Gathering information about recent events or developments

Setup Instructions

1. Create a Google Cloud Project

2. Enable the Custom Search API

3. Create API Key

  • Go to "APIs & Services > Credentials"
  • Click "Create Credentials" and select "API key"
  • Copy your new API key

4. Create a Custom Search Engine

  • Go to Programmable Search Engine
  • In "What to search", select "Search the entire web"
  • Give your search engine a name
  • Click "Create"
  • On the next page, click "Control Panel"
  • Copy your "Search engine ID" (also called CSE ID)

5. Configure Environment Variables

Set the following environment variables:

Bash
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# Add to your ~/.bashrc, ~/.zshrc, or ~/.config/vmpilot.env file
export GOOGLE_API_KEY="your_api_key_here"
export GOOGLE_CSE_ID="your_search_engine_id_here"

Then reload your shell or run:

Bash
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source ~/.bashrc  # or source ~/.zshrc

Configuration

VMPilot's Google Search tool is configured in the config.ini file. The configuration section looks like this:

INI
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[google_search]
enabled = true
api_key_env = GOOGLE_API_KEY
cse_id_env = GOOGLE_CSE_ID
max_results = 10

Configuration Options

Option Description Default
enabled Enables or disables the Google Search tool false
api_key_env Environment variable name for the Google API key GOOGLE_API_KEY
cse_id_env Environment variable name for the Custom Search Engine ID GOOGLE_CSE_ID
max_results Maximum number of search results to return 10

Usage

Once configured, the Google Search tool is available to VMPilot automatically. You can use it by asking questions that require current information from the web.

Example Prompts

  • "Search for the latest news about Python programming"
  • "Find information about recent technological advancements"
  • "What are the current weather conditions in New York?"
  • "Look up documentation for the pandas library"

Tool Parameters

When using the Google Search tool, you can specify the following parameters:

Parameter Description Default
query The search query to execute (required) -
num_results Number of results to return 10

Example Results

The Google Search tool returns results in a formatted list that includes: - The title of each search result - A snippet or description - The URL to the source

Example output:

Text Only
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1. **Python Programming Language**
   Python is a high-level, general-purpose programming language. Its design philosophy emphasizes code readability with the use of significant indentation.
   URL: https://www.python.org/

2. **Learn Python - Free Interactive Python Tutorial**
   Learn Python, a powerful programming language used for web development, data analysis, artificial intelligence, and more.
   URL: https://www.learnpython.org/

Troubleshooting

If you encounter issues with the Google Search tool:

  1. Tool Not Available: Ensure the tool is enabled in config.ini by setting enabled = true in the [google_search] section.

  2. Authentication Errors: Verify your API key and CSE ID are correct and properly set in the environment variables.

  3. Missing Environment Variables: Check that the environment variables specified in api_key_env and cse_id_env are properly set in your environment.

  4. API Usage Limits: Google's Custom Search API has usage limits. If you exceed these limits, you may receive errors. Check your Google Cloud Console for usage statistics.

  5. Connection Issues: Ensure your system has internet connectivity to access Google's API services.