How to Use PyCharm with Raspberry Pi Pico W and MicroPython

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Step 1-) Download PyCharm

https://www.jetbrains.com/pycharm/download/#section=mac

The community version is fine for this work.

Step 2-) Install MicroPython on Pico

• Plugin the device into the computer while holding the bootsel button.
• Go to https://micropython.org/download/ and download the latest version for the Pico or Pico W
• Drag the UF2 file onto your Pico once it is done downloading. *It should show up on your Desktop as RP1-RP2.
• Once it is done, the RP1-RP2 will disappear.
• Unplug and replug the Pico (without holding the bootsel). You need to do this so PyCharm can find the device.

Step 3-) Install MicroPython Plugin in PyCharm

• Open PyCharm, go to Plugins, and download the MicroPython plugin.

• Restart the IDE

Step 4-) Write Code

• Go to File > Create Project. Create an environment as shown above.
• Go to Preferences and enable MicroPython as shown here below.

• You can find the device path on a Macbook in the terminal using the command

ls /dev/tty.*

• On a Windows this would be a COM port.
• You can now run code on the device by right-clicking the file and selecting “Run ‘Flash <filename>‘“
• Add the following code to check if it works by blinking the LED

import machine
import time

led_pin = machine.Pin("LED", machine.Pin.OUT)  # GPIO pin 25 controls the onboard LED

while True:
    led_pin.toggle()  # Toggle the LED state
    time.sleep(0.1)    # Wait for 1 second

If you run it and you see the LED blinking you did everything correctly, congrats!

Some Pros:

• Very easy to set up, and benefits of IntelliSense in PyCharm
• Good for very simple projects

Some Cons:

• You cannot edit files directly on the device with the IDE
• You can only run code in the main.py file
• You cannot run files if you are connected with another IDE like Thonny

Conclusion:

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