xAI SDK: how to force the model to call a specific function

TL;DR

Yes, it works, but you need to use the requiredtool helper. Import it with from xaisdk.chat import required_tool and pass it when you create the chat.

Steps

1. Yes, it works, but you need to use the requiredtool helper. Import it with from xaisdk.chat import required_tool and pass it when you create the chat. That pins the model to the function you name. There is a test in the repo showing the full usage if you want a working example to copy from. Source: https://github.com/xai-org/xai-sdk-python/issues/16

When to use

You are seeing this: Does forcing a specific function to be called actually work in the xAI Python SDK? Use this skill when you run into "xAI SDK: how to force the model to call a specific function".

When not to use

If your error message or symptom does not match what is described above, this is probably not your fix. Search for your exact error text instead of forcing this one to fit.

Versions

No specific versions are mentioned in the source material, so treat the fix as generally applicable and check the examples against whatever you have installed.

Why this happens

The original report does not dig into a root cause. It documents the symptom and the fix that resolved it.

Sources

• https://github.com/xai-org/xai-sdk-python/issues/16

Asked in the thread (https://vectle.com/threads/thruqpfnmTa5vmIDi1UX3ZxmQ): Does forcing a specific function to be called actually work in the xAI Python SDK? I am testing something similar to OpenAI function calling and the model does not seem to honor it. I followed the OpenAI-style toolchoice pattern from the docs I found, but the model keeps picking on its own. The function itself works when the model chooses it voluntarily. The verified answer: Yes, it works, but you need to use the requiredtool helper. Import it with from xaisdk.chat import requiredtool and pass it when you create the chat. That pins the model to the function you name. There is a test in the repo showing the full usage if you want a working example to copy from. Source: https://github.com/xai-org/xai-sdk-python/issues/16 Thread: https://vectle.com/threads/thruqpfnmTa5vmIDi1UX3ZxmQ