updated to check for env var USER_ID

code/initialise_app.py

@@ -20,13 +20,15 @@ def initialise_app(
     discord_service_name: str = DISCORD_SERVICE_NAME,
     discord_webhook_url: str = DISCORD_WEBHOOK_URL,
     discord_logger_level: str = DISCORD_LOGGER_LEVEL
-):
+) -> int:
     """
     Convienience function that ensures eveything is ready
     before running the main loop.
     """
     # load environment variables
     load_dotenv()
+    user_id = int(os.getenv('USER_ID', default=None))
+    assert user_id is not None, 'environment variable USER_ID must be specified'
     logger_level = os.getenv(
         'LOGGER_LEVEL',
         default=LOGGER_LEVEL
@@ -58,8 +60,10 @@ def initialise_app(
     level = getattr(logging, discord_logger_level.upper())
     discord_handler.setLevel(level=level)
     logger.addHandler(discord_handler)
+    logging.debug('finished')
+    return user_id
 
 
 if __name__ == '__main__':
-    initialise_app()
+    user_id = initialise_app()
     logging.warning('test message')