How can I upload a PDF and have ChatGPT summarize its content in one request?

Below is an explanation of the current approach and best practices when working with files and ChatGPT through the OpenAI API.

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Separate Endpoints for File Uploads and Chat Completions

At the moment, file uploads (using client.files.create) and chat completions (using client.chat.completions.create) are handled by separate endpoints. This means that you cannot directly send a file together with your chat request in a single API call.

• File Uploads:
  Use the /v1/files endpoint to upload your data. This process returns a file ID that you can later reference if needed—for example, when performing fine-tuning.

• Chat Completions:
  Use the /v1/chat/completions endpoint to interact with ChatGPT. This endpoint is not designed to incorporate file payloads directly.

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GPT Actions – A Unified Request with File References

There is a different mechanism using GPT Actions that lets you include file references in your API request. When working with GPT Actions, you can attach files by using the openaiFileIdRefs parameter. This involves:

• Including an array of JSON objects that specify the files (with attributes like name, id, mime_type, and download_link).
• These file URLs are valid for five minutes once generated, making them part of your POST request.

Below is an example structure for the openaiFileIdRefs parameter when including files in a GPT Action call:

TEXTCopied
[
  {
    "name": "example-image",
    "id": "file-12345",
    "mime_type": "image/webp",
    "download_link": "https://files.oaiusercontent.com/file-12345?..."
  },
  {
    "name": "example-data.jsonl",
    "id": "file-67890",
    "mime_type": "application/jsonl",
    "download_link": "https://files.oaiusercontent.com/file-67890?..."
  }
]

Note: This approach is available when using GPT Actions (a different interface/endpoint designed to integrate multiple functionalities in one request). It is not part of the standard chat completions API.

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Best Practice for Uploading Data Files

As of now, the recommended approach is to:

1. Upload Files Separately:
   Use client.files.create (or the corresponding /v1/files endpoint) to upload your files first. This ensures that your files are properly stored and referenced.

2. Reference Files When Needed:

   • For fine-tuning or other tasks that require file input, reference the file using its file ID.
   • For chat-based interactions through GPT Actions, if supported, attach the files through the openaiFileIdRefs parameter.

3. Processing File Data:
   If you need ChatGPT to "watch" or interact with the content of a file, you might explicitly extract the necessary content from the file and include it in your prompt message. Alternatively, where GPT Actions are supported, use the file references to provide context.

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Summary

• Direct file inclusion:
  Currently, you cannot combine file uploads and chat completions in a single API request using the base endpoints.

• Using GPT Actions:
  When available, GPT Actions support including files in your request using the openaiFileIdRefs parameter.

• Recommended flow:
  Upload your files via the file endpoint first, then reference them in your subsequent API calls (either by referencing the file IDs for fine-tuning or using GPT Actions when available).

This separation is intentional as it allows each endpoint to be optimized for its specific purpose. If future updates integrate these functionalities more seamlessly, it will be clearly documented in the OpenAI API documentation.