API Keys

[linsalrob]

How do you insert the api_key into edirect?

If you are piping between commands (e.g. an epost and then an esummary) does the key need to be supplied to both commands?

[vkkodali]

does the key need to be supplied to both commands?

You can export the NCBI_API_KEY first to avoid providing the api key each time as follows:

export NCBI_API_KEY='abcdef012345'

Better yet, if you can, just add that line to your .bashrc file, go through a login cycle and the api key should be available to all EDirect commands all the time.