Getting set up is now into day 3, with zero progress

[rlovell3]

I have been fighting for 3 days now, to get Gemini-CLi to a point where I can ask a question and receive an answer. I'm still not there yet. I've got a Pro account, I've got a project. I've basically opened and enabled every api available from Google. I've set and triple-checked my exports in .zshrc. They are exactly as they should be. They map to my project id in all lowercase, just as shown on the Google Cloud dashboard. Everything I can find related to Gemini, Vertex AI, and countless others have been enabled for the project within Google Cloud. I've installed google cloud cli tools, I've gone through the auth steps on both tools. I have added principal roles covering basically every possible role a project principal can have. I have been discussing this with the Gemini 2.5 Flash via the Web chat interface for all 3 days. And I still can't get to a point of submitting a question about my codebase without receiving an error. I am ready to give up. And this should not be so difficult.

This all started a few days ago when the Gemini extension I use with VS Code began returning an error message about truncated code (but not returning any code). That led to me troubleshooting the extension for several days - and getting nowhere.

I eventually decided to throw money at the problem, and pay for a standard license on Google cloud, paying for their developer program, paying for 2 Gemini lcenses, and still. I am at nothing but frustration, and completely unable to interact with Gemini-cli.

As for the licenses, I purchased 2 licenses, assigned them, set them in a project, and followed the entire instructional flow from this Google instruction set

If anyone would like to look at this error that is returned by the Gemini-CLI, and give me some feedback, I'd appreciate it.

[API Error: [{
    "error": {
      "code": 403,
      "message": "Permission denied on resource project redacted.",
      "errors": [
        {
          "message": "Permission denied on resource project redacted.",
          "domain": "global",
          "reason": "forbidden"
        }
      ],
      "status": "PERMISSION_DENIED",
      "details": [
        {
          "@type": "type.googleapis.com/google.rpc.ErrorInfo",
          "reason": "CONSUMER_INVALID",
          "domain": "googleapis.com",
          "metadata": {
            "containerInfo": "redacted",
            "service": "cloudaicompanion.googleapis.com",
            "consumer": "projects/redacted"
          }
        },
        {
          "@type": "type.googleapis.com/google.rpc.LocalizedMessage",
          "locale": "en-US",
          "message": "Permission denied on resource project redacted."
        },
        {
          "@type": "type.googleapis.com/google.rpc.Help",
          "links": [
            {
              "description": "Google developers console",
              "url": "https://console.developers.google.com"
            }
          ]
        }
      ]
    }
  }
  ]]

[rlovell3]

Update: When I subscribed to Gemini Code Assist (with 2 licenses), immediately after I paid, I was forwarded to another Google web page for Google Developer Program. It cost $300/year, and I paid for it. It mentioned including Gemini Code Assist, support scheduling, $500 in free Cloud credit, and other things. So, I did it. And then, Gemini Code Assist never worked.

Today, I spent about 40 minutes in a chat with Billing. I had to provide screenshots of the Developer package I had paid for, along with credit card receipts. I don't know what got fixed on Google's side, but once I had that chat, the Gemini-Cli began working. I didn't reboot, didn't restart my terminal, didn't touch a single setting or config. It apparently was something in the background of the bowels of Google. It should be pointed out, the Cloud subscription crew seems to not have any idea what the Developer Subscription crew is up to, and they somehow don't communicate. All I know is that when I started explaining how I paid for the Developer package after having subscribed to the monthly Code Assist billing, I miraculously got access to the api. The person in chat didn't mention it. And like I said, I didn't change anything on my end, not even a restart of my terminal.

To wrap up, there was no way for me to determine what was wrong, because it was apparently a back-office thing involving the Developer package handling my subscription right after I had first subscribed for it through the Cloud links. I'm disappointed that I had to finally give up and contact billing about refunding my order before it got cleared up. Google. Not nice. Getting too big for your own good. And really telling that your Developer Team is selling services that reach into the Cloud Team's back yard without apparently telling them.... As usual, the customer takes the pain. I hope this will remain in the Discussion list for anyone after me who sees that seductive ad from the Developer program for Cloud credits, Vertex credits, and an included Code Assist Subscription (and support too!!!) only to find out that the Developer Subscription never informed the Cloud guys that the service has, in fact, been paid for. If only I could bill Google for 3.6 lost days of billable coding time as I fought through this untenable break.

[WIZARDELF]

I would try:

• execute /auth command.
• execute /clear command.
• a brand new project for testing your licenses.
• delete temp files if there are some in the project dir.
• move large binary files outside of the project dir.

[Manamama]

It may sound naive, but try it first as "naive user". Just the token from your account:
export GEMINI_API_KEY= (yes, unset) and have it ask for Google Account Authentication. I am not sure why so but it often works more reliably (does not break session) than the potentially "pro" (API Keys) accounts.

[WIZARDELF]

I am not completely sure whether I understand correctly what you post, but whatever: in the same bash session, execute export GEMINI_API_KEY=[YOUR_GEMINI-API-KEY-HERE], then start `GEMINI CLI, and then use its /auth command to login with API-KEY mode---GEMINI CLI does pick up your API KEY automatically in this way.