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Prerequisites

Before you begin, please ensure:
  1. ChatBox is installed
    Download and install the version suitable for your operating system from ChatBox GitHub or visit ChatBox Official Website
  2. APIMart API Key obtained
    Log in to APIMart Console to get your API key (starts with sk-)
Tip: If you don’t have an APIMart account yet, please register at APIMart and obtain an API key first.

Step 1: Launch ChatBox and Start Configuration

When launching ChatBox for the first time or adding a new AI provider:
  1. Launch the ChatBox application
  2. If it’s your first time, a configuration wizard will appear automatically
  3. Click the “Use your own API Key or local model” button
  4. If already configured, click the ⚙️ Settings icon in the bottom left corner, or use the shortcut Ctrl+, (Windows/Linux) / Cmd+, (macOS)
ChatBox Configuration Wizard

Step 2: Configure APIMart API

2.1 Select AI Model Provider

In the settings page:
  1. Find the AI Provider setting
  2. Select OpenAI API from the dropdown menu
ChatBox Settings Page

2.2 Configure API Information

After selecting OpenAI API, fill in the following configuration:
FieldValue
API KeyYour APIMart API key (sk-xxxxxxxxxxxx)
API Host or API Domainhttps://api.apimart.ai
API Configuration
Important:
  • API Host should be https://api.apimart.ai (without /v1 suffix)
  • API Key must be obtained from APIMart console and start with sk-
  • Ensure your API key has sufficient balance

2.3 Select Model

After configuration, select the model you want to use from the Model dropdown: Recommended Models:
Model NameModel IDFeatures
GPT-5gpt-5Latest and most powerful
GPT-4ogpt-4o or chatgpt-4o-latestHigh-quality chat
GPT-4o Minigpt-4o-miniFast and economical
Claude Sonnet 4.5claude-sonnet-4-5-20250929Excellent for code
Claude Haiku 4.5claude-haiku-4-5-20251001Fast response
Gemini 2.0 Flashgemini-2.0-flash-expMultimodal support
Model Selection
Performance Recommendations:
  • 💰 Cost-effective: gpt-4o-mini, claude-haiku-4-5-20251001
  • 🚀 High-performance: gpt-5, gpt-4o, claude-sonnet-4-5-20250929
  • Fast response: gemini-2.0-flash-exp, gpt-4o-mini

Step 3: Start Using

After configuration, you can start using ChatBox to chat with AI:
  1. Return to the main interface
  2. Type your question or requirement in the input box
  3. Press Enter or click the send button
  4. AI will generate a reply using APIMart’s models
Chat Interface

Adjust Model Parameters (Optional)

You can adjust the following parameters as needed:
ParameterDescriptionRecommended Value
TemperatureControls output randomness0.7 (creative) / 0.3 (precise)
Max TokensMaximum output length2000-4000
Top PNucleus sampling parameter0.9

Advanced Features

Multi-Session Management

ChatBox supports creating multiple conversation sessions:
  1. Click the New Chat button
  2. Create independent sessions for different tasks
  3. Switch between conversations in the left session list

Save and Export Conversations

  1. Right-click on a conversation session
  2. Select Export option
  3. Export as Markdown, JSON, or other formats

Using Prompt Templates

  1. Find Prompts settings in the settings menu
  2. Save commonly used prompt templates
  3. Quickly invoke preset prompts in conversations

FAQ

Q1: Cannot connect to APIMart service?

Solution:
  1. Check API Host:
    • Ensure it’s https://api.apimart.ai
    • Don’t add /v1 or other paths
  2. Verify API Key:
    • Confirm API Key starts with sk-
    • Check if the key is valid in APIMart Console
  3. Check Network Connection:
    • Ensure you can access https://api.apimart.ai
    • You may need to configure a proxy if in China

Q2: APIMart models not showing in model list?

Solution:
  1. Manually Enter Model Name:
    • Directly type the model ID in the model input box
    • For example: gpt-4o, gpt-4o-mini, claude-sonnet-4-5-20250929
  2. Refresh Model List:
    • Restart ChatBox application
    • Reconfigure API information

Q3: Error messages during conversation?

Common errors and solutions:
Error MessageCauseSolution
401 UnauthorizedInvalid or expired API KeyRe-obtain API Key and update configuration
429 Too Many RequestsRequest rate limit exceededWait a moment and retry
500 Internal Server ErrorTemporary server issueWait a few minutes and retry
insufficient_quotaInsufficient account balanceTop up in the console

Q4: How to view API usage and costs?

Log in to APIMart Console to view:
  • 📊 API call statistics
  • 💰 Cost details
  • 📈 Usage trend charts
  • 🔍 Detailed request logs

Q5: Which platforms does ChatBox support?

ChatBox supports multiple platforms:
  • 🪟 Windows - Windows 10/11
  • 🍎 macOS - macOS 10.15+
  • 🐧 Linux - Major distributions
  • 🌐 Web - Browser version

Usage Tips

1. Keyboard Shortcuts

Utilize ChatBox keyboard shortcuts for efficiency:
ShortcutFunction
Ctrl/Cmd + EnterSend message
Ctrl/Cmd + NNew chat
Ctrl/Cmd + KSearch conversations
Ctrl/Cmd + ,Open settings
Ctrl/Cmd + /Show keyboard help

2. Optimize Prompts

Write better prompts for better responses: ❌ Poor Prompt:
Write code for me
✅ Good Prompt:
Please help me write a Python function that:
1. Takes a list of strings as input
2. Filters out strings shorter than 3 characters
3. Returns results sorted alphabetically
Please include detailed comments and usage examples

3. Leverage Conversation History

ChatBox saves conversation history:
  • AI remembers context from the current session
  • Can continue asking based on previous responses
  • Suitable for deep discussions and iterations

4. Switch Models

Switch to appropriate models for different tasks:
  • Writing tasks - Use gpt-4o or claude-sonnet-4-5
  • Coding tasks - Use claude-sonnet-4-5
  • Quick Q&A - Use gpt-4o-mini
  • Multimodal - Use gemini-2.0-flash-exp

Features

Using ChatBox + APIMart, you can:
  • 💬 Smooth Conversations - Real-time streaming output for smoother experience
  • 🎯 Multi-Session Management - Manage multiple independent conversations simultaneously
  • 💾 Local Storage - Conversation records saved locally to protect privacy
  • 📤 Export Conversations - Support exporting in multiple formats
  • 🎨 Clean Interface - Simple and beautiful user interface
  • 🔒 Open Source & Free - Completely open source and free to use
  • 🌍 Cross-Platform - Supports Windows, macOS, Linux
  • 🚀 Excellent Performance - Lightweight application, runs smoothly

Support & Help

If you encounter any issues:

Start Using APIMart

Register for APIMart now, get your API key, and start your AI journey in ChatBox!