BRIDGES Python Setup Page

BRIDGES(Python): Using PyCharm

Note: These instructions generated with Pycharm 2025 1.3.1 (Mac OSX)

Step 1: Install PyCharm

If you do not have Pycharm installed, download Pycharm and install it on your computer.
Step 2: Create Bridges Account

Visit the Bridges main page and create yourself an account by clicking the login button on the top navigation bar. Please ensure that your user id is devoid of spaces, as it will be used as part of the web link for your projects. After creating your account, click on your profile name in the upper right corner to view your profile. Once in your profile, you will see your API Key; you will need this API key in part 2 of the tutorial(as well as in every BRIDGES program you write).

Step 3a: Pycharm Environment Setup

Open the Pycharm application, you should see something like this:

Step 3b: Create project, check Python interpreter, environment location

Create a new project (using the File Menu), name it appropriately, note its location on your filesystem and click Create
Open File->Settings and look at Python Interpreter button under Project: PythonProject
Note: your system should have python 3.8 or higher installed for BRIDGES to work properly.

Installing Bridges. When you hit the Python Interpreter button, you will see the packages already installed, which currently shows the pip package. Click on the + button. This will will bring up a window and type bridges in the search bar. This will bring up bridges package and you will then hit the install button to install bridges

Step 4a: Load and run an example BRIDGES program

Go to this BRIDGES Tutorial site and copy/paste a python tutorial program into the main window.
Set an assignment number, and your credentials in the line that creates the Bridges object at the beginning of the program.
Run the program by hitting the play
You will see a link printed on the console. Use that to visualize the output.

Running additional BRIDGES programs.

Look at the BRIDGES Tutorials pages for additional BRIDGES programs.
When you create subsequent BRIDGES programs, you can reuse the environment you created above for your first BRIDGES program. During the environment setup (Step 3b) pick the environment you created for the first project. This will let you use the BRIDGES packages from the environment; else you will have to install BRIDGES again!

Step 3a: Pycharm Environment Setup Open the Pycharm application, you should see something like this:
Step 3b: Create project, check Python interpreter, environment location Create a new project (using the File Menu), name it appropriately, note its location on your filesystem and click Create Open File->Settings and look at Python Interpreter button under Project: PythonProject Note: your system should have python 3.8 or higher installed for BRIDGES to work properly.
Installing Bridges. When you hit the Python Interpreter button, you will see the packages already installed, which currently shows the pip package. Click on the + button. This will will bring up a window and type bridges in the search bar. This will bring up bridges package and you will then hit the install button to install bridges
Step 4a: Load and run an example BRIDGES program Go to this BRIDGES Tutorial site and copy/paste a python tutorial program into the main window. Set an assignment number, and your credentials in the line that creates the Bridges object at the beginning of the program. Run the program by hitting the play You will see a link printed on the console. Use that to visualize the output.
Running additional BRIDGES programs. Look at the BRIDGES Tutorials pages for additional BRIDGES programs. When you create subsequent BRIDGES programs, you can reuse the environment you created above for your first BRIDGES program. During the environment setup (Step 3b) pick the environment you created for the first project. This will let you use the BRIDGES packages from the environment; else you will have to install BRIDGES again!