pycharm doesn't see python3.7 interpreter

Question

I'm using Pycharm Community 2018.1.4 on Linux Mint 19 Tara Xfce.

It works well with Python 3.5 interpreter. I installed Python 3.7 to be the default Python interpreter on the system.

python -V command returns Python 3.7.0b3 I would like to use Python 3.7 in Pycharm.

I've tried :

which python

/usr/bin/python

which python3.7

/usr/local/bin/python3.7

When I go to File > Settings > Project and Interpreter > Add and there is no /usr/local folder and there is no python3.7 in /usr/bin

I can cd to /usr/local/bin folder in the terminal, but Pycharm just can't. I restarted, uninstalled/reinstalled Pycharm, refreshed its inner browser, restarted my pc. Nothing changed.

What am I missing?

Answer 1

You will need to add the interpreter to the list of available interpreters.

Use which python to find out the path of the interpreter, then in the Settings > Project Interpreter > Add > System Interpreter window hit the "..." button and add that interpreter. (The screenshot below is from macOS, but it should be the same on Linux.)

Answer 2

I had the same issues with Pycharm Community Edition 2020.1, Linux Mint 19.3.

For reasons I don't know, the Flatpak version, which is only provided in Linux Mint's repositories can't see and access most of the directories which are beyond the user's home.

Pycharm 2020.1 Flatpak comes with a Python 3.7 interpreter, which seems to live in the virtual environment, located in the user's home. I tried to change for the default python3 compiler of Linux Mint 19.3, which is version 3.6 and lives in /usr/bin - no chance, neither by navigating with Pycharm's file browser, nor by copy and paste to the path field.

Strangely also most of the directories e.g. below /usr/lib weren't displayed.

I then installed Pycharm via a ppa (alternative package repository for some Linux flavors), to be specific this one

Voilà! Any installed interpreter is accessible and can be selected.