Configuration

API Key Setup

The skill requires a search.ch API key stored in the SEARCHCH_API_KEY environment variable.

Get an API Key

Visit https://search.ch/tel/api/getkey.en.html
Fill out the request form
Receive your API key via email

Set the Environment Variable

Temporary (current session):

export SEARCHCH_API_KEY="your-api-key-here"

Permanent (add to shell profile):

# For bash (~/.bashrc or ~/.bash_profile)
echo 'export SEARCHCH_API_KEY="your-api-key-here"' >> ~/.bashrc
source ~/.bashrc

# For zsh (~/.zshrc)
echo 'export SEARCHCH_API_KEY="your-api-key-here"' >> ~/.zshrc
source ~/.zshrc

For Bot Gateway:

Add to your gateway config or environment:

env:
  SEARCHCH_API_KEY: "your-api-key-here"

API Limits

Without API key: Limited queries, no structured data
With API key: More queries per day, full structured data (Atom feed)
Maximum results per query: 200

Troubleshooting

"Invalid API key" error

Verify the key is correctly set: echo $SEARCHCH_API_KEY
Check for extra whitespace or quotes in the key
Ensure the key hasn't expired

"Network Error"

Check internet connectivity
Verify https://search.ch is accessible
Check for firewall/proxy issues

No results found

Try broader search terms
Remove location filter to search nationwide
Check spelling (umlauts matter: ü, ö, ä)
Try different name variations

Terms of Use

By using the search.ch API, you agree to their terms: https://search.ch/tel/api/terms.en.html

Key points:

Attribution required for public-facing applications
Rate limits apply
Commercial use may require special agreement

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