DOC_PATH unnecessarily makes a new directory

[jkitchin]

It looks like gpt_researcher automatically makes the doc_path directory (maybe here

gpt-researcher/gpt_researcher/config/config.py

Line 192 in 4687aa2

def validate_doc_path(self):

)

I think that is a bug, or at least it is undesirable; if you don't plan to use it, there shouldn't be a my-docs directory created when you run a search.

[ElishaKay]

welcome @jkitchin

true - green light for the PR for whoever would like to take it

[jkitchin]

well played. Maybe some clarification on the intended purpose for that feature would help. It looks like that function Config.validate_doc_path is only called in one place in Config._set_doc_path which in turn is called one time in Config.__init__. It would only make sense to me to make sure that directory existed and to create it if there was an expectation of adding documents to it during the research?

I guess the least intrusive change would be to check if the directory exists, and raise an exception if not, or at least a warning to indicate the path was not found. WDYT?

[ElishaKay]

True - the Docs directory should not be created unless the user:

• Uploads a file
• runs a GPTR report_type where report_source="local"

May the force be with you

[jkitchin]

is there some scenario where you upload a file after/while running gpt_researcher? It seems like you only point to existing files, and then there should be no reason to make a Docs directory? The first bullet is unclear to me, do you mean upload a file before you run gpt_researcher (as a script, no gui)? Is this a feature for some gui app where you can upload a file before clicking a button to do research? (I have only used the script side).

[BBeast131]

I would like to contribute your project as full stack & AI developer

[gaurav3247]

Yes with the next.js frontend you have to the upload files to use.

gpt-researcher/backend/server/server.py

Lines 91 to 95 in 82b1487

	@app.on_event("startup")
	def startup_event():
	os.makedirs("outputs", exist_ok=True)
	app.mount("/outputs", StaticFiles(directory="outputs"), name="outputs")
	os.makedirs(DOC_PATH, exist_ok=True)

The issue is that the backend creates the my-docs directory on start up (line 95).

[ElishaKay]

I would like to contribute your project as full stack & AI developer

That's great @BBeast131

You can join the discord to discuss new feature ideas or feel free to take a crack at an open issue that interests you

[ElishaKay]

Thanks @jkitchin & @gaurav3247

merged 👏