Python: Add load_dotenv() to samples for .env file support (#4043)

* Initial plan

* Add load_dotenv() to 303 Python samples for environment variable loading

Co-authored-by: TaoChenOSU <12570346+TaoChenOSU@users.noreply.github.com>

* Update SAMPLE_GUIDELINES.md to document load_dotenv() requirement

Co-authored-by: TaoChenOSU <12570346+TaoChenOSU@users.noreply.github.com>

* Update samples README.md to document .env file usage

Co-authored-by: TaoChenOSU <12570346+TaoChenOSU@users.noreply.github.com>

* Run ruff format on all changed sample files

Co-authored-by: TaoChenOSU <12570346+TaoChenOSU@users.noreply.github.com>

* Clarify load_dotenv() usage in README - local dev vs production

Co-authored-by: TaoChenOSU <12570346+TaoChenOSU@users.noreply.github.com>

* Remove deprecated getting_started folder as requested

Co-authored-by: TaoChenOSU <12570346+TaoChenOSU@users.noreply.github.com>

* Document env_file_path parameter for per-client configuration

Co-authored-by: TaoChenOSU <12570346+TaoChenOSU@users.noreply.github.com>

* Merge main branch to resolve conflicts

Co-authored-by: TaoChenOSU <12570346+TaoChenOSU@users.noreply.github.com>

* Fix run_evaluation.py file that was empty in merge commit

Co-authored-by: TaoChenOSU <12570346+TaoChenOSU@users.noreply.github.com>

* Remove dotnet changes from merge - out of scope for this PR

Co-authored-by: TaoChenOSU <12570346+TaoChenOSU@users.noreply.github.com>

* Remove package and test changes from merge - only sample changes needed

Co-authored-by: TaoChenOSU <12570346+TaoChenOSU@users.noreply.github.com>

* Remove test_func_utils.py - only sample changes needed

Co-authored-by: TaoChenOSU <12570346+TaoChenOSU@users.noreply.github.com>

* Revert sample files not in original changeset - keep only load_dotenv additions

Co-authored-by: TaoChenOSU <12570346+TaoChenOSU@users.noreply.github.com>

* Move load_dotenv() outside snippet tag in 06_host_your_agent.py

Co-authored-by: TaoChenOSU <12570346+TaoChenOSU@users.noreply.github.com>

* Fix comment placement - move load_dotenv before code comments

Co-authored-by: TaoChenOSU <12570346+TaoChenOSU@users.noreply.github.com>

* Fix load_dotenv() placement across all samples - after docstring, before code comments

Co-authored-by: TaoChenOSU <12570346+TaoChenOSU@users.noreply.github.com>

* Merge latest main branch with load_dotenv changes

Co-authored-by: TaoChenOSU <12570346+TaoChenOSU@users.noreply.github.com>

* Remove non-sample changes from merge - keep only load_dotenv additions

Co-authored-by: TaoChenOSU <12570346+TaoChenOSU@users.noreply.github.com>

* Revert non-load_dotenv sample changes from merge

Co-authored-by: TaoChenOSU <12570346+TaoChenOSU@users.noreply.github.com>

* Fix run_evaluation.py - use main's improved version (file already had load_dotenv)

Co-authored-by: TaoChenOSU <12570346+TaoChenOSU@users.noreply.github.com>

* Manual update

* Manual update 2

* Fix Role usage and load_dotenv placement per PR review feedback

Co-authored-by: eavanvalkenburg <13749212+eavanvalkenburg@users.noreply.github.com>

* Fix Role usage - use string literals not enum attributes

Co-authored-by: eavanvalkenburg <13749212+eavanvalkenburg@users.noreply.github.com>

* Fix SAMPLE_GUIDELINES.md example - load_dotenv before docstring per guidance

Co-authored-by: eavanvalkenburg <13749212+eavanvalkenburg@users.noreply.github.com>

* Move load_dotenv() before docstrings in all samples per SAMPLE_GUIDELINES ordering

Co-authored-by: eavanvalkenburg <13749212+eavanvalkenburg@users.noreply.github.com>

* Address PR review: rename files, fix placement, add session usage, remove note

Co-authored-by: eavanvalkenburg <13749212+eavanvalkenburg@users.noreply.github.com>

* Update Redis README to reference renamed file redis_history_provider.py

Co-authored-by: eavanvalkenburg <13749212+eavanvalkenburg@users.noreply.github.com>

---------

Co-authored-by: copilot-swe-agent[bot] <198982749+Copilot@users.noreply.github.com>
Co-authored-by: TaoChenOSU <12570346+TaoChenOSU@users.noreply.github.com>
Co-authored-by: Tao Chen <taochen@microsoft.com>
Co-authored-by: eavanvalkenburg <13749212+eavanvalkenburg@users.noreply.github.com>
Co-authored-by: Eduard van Valkenburg <eavanvalkenburg@users.noreply.github.com>

python/samples/03-workflows/human-in-the-loop/agents_with_HITL.py

@@ -20,8 +20,12 @@ from agent_framework import (
 )
 from agent_framework.azure import AzureOpenAIResponsesClient
 from azure.identity import AzureCliCredential
+from dotenv import load_dotenv
 from typing_extensions import Never
 
+# Load environment variables from .env file
+load_dotenv()
+
 """
 Sample: Azure AI Agents in workflow with human feedback
 

python/samples/03-workflows/human-in-the-loop/agents_with_approval_requests.py

@@ -18,8 +18,12 @@ from agent_framework import (
 )
 from agent_framework.azure import AzureOpenAIResponsesClient
 from azure.identity import AzureCliCredential
+from dotenv import load_dotenv
 from typing_extensions import Never
 
+# Load environment variables from .env file
+load_dotenv()
+
 """
 Sample: Agents in a workflow with AI functions requiring approval
 
@@ -196,12 +200,7 @@ class EmailPreprocessor(Executor):
     @handler
     async def preprocess(self, email: Email, ctx: WorkflowContext[str]) -> None:
         """Preprocess the incoming email."""
-        email_payload = (
-            f"Incoming email:\n"
-            f"From: {email.sender}\n"
-            f"Subject: {email.subject}\n"
-            f"Body: {email.body}"
-        )
+        email_payload = f"Incoming email:\nFrom: {email.sender}\nSubject: {email.subject}\nBody: {email.body}"
         message = email_payload
         if email.sender in self.special_email_addresses:
             note = (

python/samples/03-workflows/human-in-the-loop/agents_with_declaration_only_tools.py

@@ -29,6 +29,10 @@ from typing import Any
 from agent_framework import Content, FunctionTool, WorkflowBuilder
 from agent_framework.azure import AzureOpenAIResponsesClient
 from azure.identity import AzureCliCredential
+from dotenv import load_dotenv
+
+# Load environment variables from .env file
+load_dotenv()
 
 # A declaration-only tool: the schema is sent to the LLM, but the framework
 # has no implementation to execute. The caller must supply the result.

python/samples/03-workflows/human-in-the-loop/concurrent_request_info.py

@@ -35,6 +35,10 @@ from agent_framework import (
 from agent_framework.azure import AzureOpenAIResponsesClient
 from agent_framework.orchestrations import AgentRequestInfoResponse, ConcurrentBuilder
 from azure.identity import AzureCliCredential
+from dotenv import load_dotenv
+
+# Load environment variables from .env file
+load_dotenv()
 
 # Store chat client at module level for aggregator access
 _chat_client: AzureOpenAIResponsesClient | None = None

python/samples/03-workflows/human-in-the-loop/group_chat_request_info.py

@@ -36,11 +36,14 @@ from agent_framework import (
 from agent_framework.azure import AzureOpenAIResponsesClient
 from agent_framework.orchestrations import AgentRequestInfoResponse, GroupChatBuilder
 from azure.identity import AzureCliCredential
+from dotenv import load_dotenv
+
+# Load environment variables from .env file
+load_dotenv()
 
 
 async def process_event_stream(stream: AsyncIterable[WorkflowEvent]) -> dict[str, AgentRequestInfoResponse] | None:
     """Process events from the workflow stream to capture human feedback requests."""
-
     requests: dict[str, AgentExecutorResponse] = {}
     async for event in stream:
         if event.type == "request_info" and isinstance(event.data, AgentExecutorResponse):

python/samples/03-workflows/human-in-the-loop/guessing_game_with_human_input.py

@@ -19,8 +19,12 @@ from agent_framework import (
 )
 from agent_framework.azure import AzureOpenAIResponsesClient
 from azure.identity import AzureCliCredential
+from dotenv import load_dotenv
 from pydantic import BaseModel
 
+# Load environment variables from .env file
+load_dotenv()
+
 """
 Sample: Human in the loop guessing game
 

python/samples/03-workflows/human-in-the-loop/sequential_request_info.py

@@ -35,11 +35,14 @@ from agent_framework import (
 from agent_framework.azure import AzureOpenAIResponsesClient
 from agent_framework.orchestrations import AgentRequestInfoResponse, SequentialBuilder
 from azure.identity import AzureCliCredential
+from dotenv import load_dotenv
+
+# Load environment variables from .env file
+load_dotenv()
 
 
 async def process_event_stream(stream: AsyncIterable[WorkflowEvent]) -> dict[str, AgentRequestInfoResponse] | None:
     """Process events from the workflow stream to capture human feedback requests."""
-
     requests: dict[str, AgentExecutorResponse] = {}
     async for event in stream:
         if event.type == "request_info" and isinstance(event.data, AgentExecutorResponse):