ci: gitlab auth failing hint

tools/ci/python_packages/gitlab_api.py

@@ -1,6 +1,5 @@
-# SPDX-FileCopyrightText: 2022-2023 Espressif Systems (Shanghai) CO LTD
+# SPDX-FileCopyrightText: 2022-2024 Espressif Systems (Shanghai) CO LTD
 # SPDX-License-Identifier: Apache-2.0
-
 import argparse
 import logging
 import os
@@ -11,7 +10,12 @@ import tempfile
 import time
 import zipfile
 from functools import wraps
-from typing import Any, Callable, Dict, List, Optional, Union
+from typing import Any
+from typing import Callable
+from typing import Dict
+from typing import List
+from typing import Optional
+from typing import Union
 
 import gitlab
 
@@ -80,7 +84,24 @@ class Gitlab(object):
     def _init_gitlab_inst(self, project_id: Optional[int], config_files: Optional[List[str]]) -> None:
         gitlab_id = os.getenv('LOCAL_GITLAB_HTTPS_HOST')  # if None, will use the default gitlab server
         self.gitlab_inst = gitlab.Gitlab.from_config(gitlab_id=gitlab_id, config_files=config_files)
-        self.gitlab_inst.auth()
+
+        try:
+            self.gitlab_inst.auth()
+        except gitlab.exceptions.GitlabAuthenticationError:
+            msg = """To call gitlab apis locally, please create ~/.python-gitlab.cfg with the following content:
+
+        [global]
+        default = internal
+        ssl_verify = true
+        timeout = 5
+
+        [internal]
+        url = <OUR INTERNAL HTTPS SERVER URL>
+        private_token = <YOUR PERSONAL ACCESS TOKEN>
+        api_version = 4
+        """
+            raise SystemExit(msg)
+
         if project_id:
             self.project = self.gitlab_inst.projects.get(project_id, lazy=True)
         else: