typeerror: ‘_environ’ object is not callable

As a programmer, you may have encountered the error message “TypeError: ‘environ’ object is not callable” while running on a Python project.

This error occurs when you are trying to call an object that is not callable.

Especially, it refers to the _environ object, which is related to the environment variables of your system.

In this article, we will discuss the causes of this error message and provide some solutions to resolve it.

What is the “_environ” object?

Before we proceed to the “typeerror: _environ object is not callable” error message, first we need to understand what the “_environ” object is.

In Python, the “_environ” object is a dictionary-like object that consists of the environment variables for the current process.

What Causes the TypeError: _environ object is not callable Error Message?

The “_environ object is not callable” error message typically occurs when you are trying to call the “_environ” object as if it were a function.

In Python, functions are callable objects, which means that you can use parentheses to call them and pass arguments.

Here are the possible causes of the error:

• Forgetting to Include Parentheses
• Accidentally Assigning a Value to “_environ”
• Using the Wrong Method or Attribute

Here is an example of why this error occurs.

import os

env_var = os.environ
value = env_var('SOME_KEY')

In this example code, we’re importing the os module, which gives us access to the _environ object.

Then, we assign this object to the env_var variable.

However, in the next line, we try to call env_var as if it were a function with the argument 'SOME_KEY'.

This is not allowed, because _environ is not callable.

The output will be raised an error:

C:\Users\Dell\PycharmProjects\pythonProject\venv\Scripts\python.exe C:\Users\Dell\PycharmProjects\pythonProject\main.py
Traceback (most recent call last):
File “C:\Users\Dell\PycharmProjects\pythonProject\main.py”, line 4, in
value = env_var(‘SOME_KEY’)
TypeError: ‘_Environ’ object is not callable

How to Fix the TypeError: _environ object is not callable Error?

To fix the “TypeError: ‘_environ’ object is not callable” error message, you will make sure that you are not trying to call the “_environ” object as if it were a function.

Solution 1: Remove the parentheses after “get”

For example, let’s say you have the following code:

import os

path = os.environ.get('PATH')()

This example code gets the value of the “PATH” environment variable using the “get” method of the “_environ” object.

However, when you forget to include the parentheses after “get”, you will get the “TypeError: _environ object is not callable” error message:

To fix this error, simply remove the parentheses after “get”:

import os

path = os.environ.get('PATH')

Solution 2: Remove the assignment to “_environ” and use the “update” method

For example, let’s say you have the following code:

import os

os.environ = {'PATH': '/usr/bin'}
path = os.environ.get('PATH')

This example code assigns a dictionary to the “_environ” object, which overwrites the original environment variables.

When you try to call the “_environ” object using the “get” method, you will get the “TypeError ‘_environ’ object is not callable” error message.

To fix this error, simply remove the assignment to “_environ” and use the “update” method instead:

import os

os.environ.update({'PATH': '/usr/bin'})
path = os.environ.get('PATH')

Solution 3: Using the correct method or attribute

To fix this error, you will make sure that you are using the correct method or attribute for the “_environ” object.

The most commonly used methods and attributes are the following:

• “get(key, default=None)”:
  • Returns the value of the environment variable with the defined key.
  • If the key doesn’t exist, returns the default value (which is None by default).
• “setdefault(key, default=None)”:
  • Returns the value of the environment variable with the defined key.
  • If the key doesn’t exist, set it to the default value (which is None by default) and return the default value.
• “items()”:
  • Returns a list of key-value pairs for all environment variables.

Best Practices for Avoiding the TypeError

To prevent encountering the “_environ” object not callable error in the future.

There are a few best practices you can follow when working with Python:

• You need to double-check your syntax when working with the “_environ” object and other built-in Python objects.
• You can use correct module imports and avoid importing unnecessary modules.
• You can use virtual environments to isolate your code from other modules on your system.
• You can use descriptive variable names to avoid conflicts with other modules or built-in objects.

Additional Resources

Here are the following lists of articles discuss how to solve other common Typeerrors in Python:

• Typeerror: object of type datetime is not json serializable
• typeerror: ‘_axesstack’ object is not callable
• Uncaught in promise typeerror failed to fetch

Conclusion

In conclusion, we’ve discussed the causes of the error and provided solutions to resolve it.

By following the solutions in this article it will be able to help you to resolve the typeerror: ‘_environ’ object is not callable error you encounter.

FAQs