Not picking up settings file correctly in Django app

Hi there,

There are several factors to consider when diagnosing this issue with your Django app deployed on DigitalOcean’s App Platform. Here are a few things that I could suggest checking:

1. Environment Variables:

   • Ensure that the environment variable API_KEY is correctly set in your DigitalOcean’s App Platform deployment environment.
   • Access the dashboard, select your app, then select your Django service/component. In the component settings, there should be an option to manage environment variables. Make sure API_KEY is present.

2. DJANGO_SETTINGS_MODULE Environment Variable:

   • Confirm that DJANGO_SETTINGS_MODULE is correctly set. Remember, if your settings file is located at myproject/mysettings.py, DJANGO_SETTINGS_MODULE should be set to myproject.mysettings.

3. Check Settings File:

   • Ensure there’s no typo in the settings file. It’s easy to overlook the name of the variable. For example, if you define API_KEY, make sure you’re not referencing it as GOOGLE_MAPS_API_KEY or vice-versa.

4. Error Location:

   • The error message seems to indicate that somewhere in your code, you’re attempting to access settings.GOOGLE_MAPS_API_KEY. If API_KEY is the name in your settings file, then you should be accessing settings.API_KEY in your code. Verify you are accessing the correct variable name.

5. Settings File Loading:

   • If you have multiple settings files or configurations, ensure that the correct file is being loaded for the environment you’re running on App Platform. You can add a print statement or a logger in your settings file to confirm if it’s being loaded.

6. Local Testing:

   • Test locally by setting the environment variables API_KEY and DJANGO_SETTINGS_MODULE to mimic the production environment, and see if you can reproduce the error.

7. Caching and Deployment:

   • Sometimes, old builds or caching can cause issues. Try re-deploying your app after clearing any cache or build artifacts.

Let me knwo how it goes!

Bobby