Frequently Asked Questions and Tips

How can I speed up the play of the game?
   The default speed is set at the game's slowest play.  After you have played the game for a while and pick up the rhythm of bidding and card play, un-check "Warning Beep" [ in  Windows: Options under the Special Features menu; in Mac use Preferences in the BridgePro menu].  This will speed up play considerably. Also, un-check "Allow Animation" will improve the speed of the game.  Un-check "Sound" in the same menus will have a small effect on some machines.    Un-check "Highlight Card" will further reduce the number of clicks necessary to play a card. 
   The fastest way to speed up the bidding, is to use the keypad to enter your bid.  You can use the keypad and/or the visual bidding (mouse click) at the same time.  Look at your manual to learn which keys control the bidding.
   Finally, if you don't need the Alerts flashing, you can selectively disable them  by going to the Special Features menu and choosing Convention Alerts [in Mac use Preferences -> Convention Alerts tab in the BridgePro menu].  You will then be presented with a series of dialog boxes that will allow you to deactivate specific Alerts. 

How do I set the DPI to the Normal Value of 96 in Windows?
   If you received a warning that your DPI was not set to the normal value of 96, and are using the Updated Windows 10 RIGHT click on any empty spot on the Desktop. Select Display Settings and set the alter text,apps, etc box to 100% [recommended]. If OLD Windows 10 go to the Control Panel and select Display.  Click on the Settings tab and select the Advanced button.  Set the DPI to 96 [normal].  In Windows 7,  DPI setting can be found using Appearances & Personalization -> Display Screen Resolutions. Windows 8 -> Display set to small [default]. Windows 10 -> Display -> Change size of items -> in first sentence click on "use these display settings." Move the slider all the way to the left [100%]. You may set text and resolution to any size you desire. Once you set the DPI correctly to the recommended 100%, icons may appear too small. Simply lower the screen resolution and the icons will enlarge.

In Windows® 10:  Why is BridgePro™ not opening?
   If after double clicking the game icon, BridgePro does not appear on the screen, but is active in the Task Manager, a program is interfering with the graphic performance of the game. Skype is a major offending program. Either shut it down or uninstall it completely. See "Known Conflicts" below and/or contact us for a solution - Click Here.

In Windows® 8+:  Why do I get freezes during card play?
   Freezing is occasionally encountered.  The easiest solution is simply to press the ENTER button.  This usually resolves the freeze.  If not, choose the menu item Replay Cards.

In Windows®:  Why do I get freezes during card play?
   Freezing can occur if you are clicking on an area in the dummy that does not respond. The is usually the top most card in the suit pile.  If this occurs, try going to the Special Features menu -> Options and check "Dummy Cursor Correction."  Reboot the game and play.

Why should I save the initial Installer /.dmg or .sit file after purchase?
   The program that is initially downloaded upon purchase contains code that enables you to reinstall your program  if you re-initialize your hard drive, change computers or install a new hard drive.  It is different from the demo [trial] version. The demo version cannot be properly registered.  Macintosh users 10.4 and below, must save the UNOPENED .sit file and only use a copy of the game contained within this .sit file to actually open and play.  This applies to both the BridgePro™ game and CardStuffer™.
   It is strongly recommended that you save your Installer/.dmg or .sit file to removable media such as a CD or floppy. 

Why can't I open the manual?
   The Manuals are in .pdf format.  If you do not have the appropriate Adobe® program on your computer, download their free Acrobat Reader™ .   This reader will allow you to open the manuals. 

Can I give BridgePro and/or CardStuffer as a gift?
   Yes, it is easy to do (Click Here).

Will there be an Windows 10 compatible version for Windows®?
   Yes, BridgePro™ and CardStuffer™ are now both compatible with the Windows 10 (32 and 64 bit) operating system.  It will NOT operate on the RT system variant.  Recently, specific improvements have been made to animation, performance and scaling.  [see Tip below.]   It will play on any system prior to 10 down to Windows 9X.      
               

In Windows® 8+:  Why do I get "Windows protected your PC" warning?
   If SmartScreen is enabled in Windows 8 or higher, this false alert will appear. More info Click here.

In Windows®:  Why do I get a Security Warning when downloading?
   Some virus protection programs will identify a Security Risk during the install process. This alert appears because you are downloading an .exe file.  Kindly choose "Allow program to Continue."  Our program is scanned by Norton™ and is virus and malware free.

In Windows®:  Why do I get a mouse pointing error?
    Some manufacturers set the default for font size higher than normal [E-machines].  In the Control Panel, select Display and click the Setting tab.  Choose Advanced and make sure the DPI Setting is Normal Size (96) [some systems name this "small"]. If the error is occurring only when selecting dummy cards, then select "Dummy Cursor Correction" in the Special Features Menu under Options.
    Another reason for this error may be that you have a tool bar on the left or top side of your screen.  This must be removed or moved to the right or bottom of your monitor screen when BridgePro™ or CardStuffer™ are in use [An Alert will normally make you aware of this causation.].

In Windows® 8+:  Why do I get a prolonged delay when alerts appear?
    Usually due to a particular program running in the background.  Use the menu item "Stop All Alerts." It can be found in the Special Features Menu under Options [last item]. You can also try and identify the offending program and disable it or turn it off when playing the game.

In Windows®:  Why do the colors look atrocious?
     In Windows® 9x/NT/Me/NT you must set your Display Panel to True Color [24 bit or 32bit] or 256 Color. {Go to your Control Panel then click on Display Panel and choose the Settings tab.  Change Color to True Color (best choice) or 256 Color or 32bit.} Also, see above instructions for disabling Themes in XP.

In Windows®:  Why do I get bizarre behavior, freezes or pop-up ads with each click?
   Freezing is sometimes easily eliminated by un-checking Warning Beep and Highlight Card in the Option menu under Special Features.  If this does not work, your computer  may have been infected with 'spybots.'  You can rid your computer of these pests and protect yourself by downloading FREE programs that delete these offensive intruders. 
Go to:     Make sure you download the latest update from within the program itself.  Run the program after updating and delete all the identified offending spybots.  The above behavior will be gone!
    Some specific 'spybots' are easily overcome by simply un-checking Highlight Card in the Option menu under Special Features. Even if this ablates the abnormal behavior, you should still run the above program as 'spybots,' in general, are malicious and should be permanently removed from your machine.

A Tip for improving the graphic interface in Windows® XP - Home Edition:
    To improve the look of your cards and, in general, improve the look of all your fonts in all your programs, go to any blank area on your desktop and right-click.  Choose Properties, then select Appearance tab.  Click the Effects button. Check "Use the following method to smooth edges of screen fonts" and choose ClearType from the drop-down menu.

In Windows®, why will BridgePro™ not open?
   You must install and play the game on the boot drive [usually C].

In Windows® 2000, XP, Vista, 7, 8 & 10 why will BridgePro™ not open?
   You must have administrative privileges to properly install and play the game. On rare occasion the video card driver has become corrupted or is out-of-date.

In Windows®, why is installation so slow or hung up?
   Be sure to turn off all anti-spyware programs before beginning the installation.  Turning off virus protection programs is also recommended. 

In Windows®, why is a popup error message occurring asking to replace a battery in the wireless mouse when I don't have one?
   This has been reported to occur on some Hewlett Packard machines.  Please contact us and we will offer a workaround.

Why do I seem to get many "Error in Logic" alerts in Windows?
   You must wait for the watch or hourglass cursor to disappear.  You can only execute a new key or mouse command when the arrow cursor is showing.  Also, this alert will appear if directions for the last card to be played on a board are not exactly followed.  Older and slower computers may experience this problem more frequently.

Can I play BridgePro™ on my Mac with the new Apple M1 chip?
    Yes, our version 4.1.1.7 and above is completely compatible with the new M1 chip on Mac computers 10.9 and above.
                                                   

Can I play BridgePro™ on my Mac with an Intel® chip set?
    Yes, our version 4 and above is completely compatible with the Intel chip on Macintosh computers 10.6 and above.
                                                   

Why do I get a Warning that BridgePro™ is Unauthorized by Apple?
    Gatekeeper is Mountain Lion's and above new privacy system to keep you from installing apps that are not purchased from the Apple Store. In order to use BridgePro™ you must change your Gatekeeper settings.  Open System Preferences and click Security & Privacy. Under the General tab in "Allow applications downloaded from" there are options. You MUST change this setting to "Anywhere" in order to use our software.
     In Sierra, the Gatekeeper does not display the "Anywhere" option. Easiest solution is to Control Key click on the BridgePro™ icon and choose to open the game. In Catalina there are more steps. Click here for details.

Why do I get Freezes &/or Hangs in OS X [10.6 & Above]?
  The easiest method to correct this problem is to simply press the Enter Key on your device.
  On earlier MacOS' the common reason is that the system has become corrupted.  To correct this problem open Disk Utility.  Select the Mac HD and choose the First Aid tab. Finally select the "Repair Disk Permissions" button and then reboot your computer.
   Other less common causes are that your play is too quick [using Hint rapidly and repeatedly or not waiting for animation and/or instructions to complete], the game may crash, freeze or otherwise misbehave!  To recover from the latter, press Command Key + Option + Escape.  This brings up the Force Quit Applications box. Select BridgePro.
   To avoid this annoyance, simply slow your play somewhat and/or institute the suggestions outline in the first item of FAQs [un-checking the various suggested Preferences will allow faster play without freezes or hangs].

Why do I get Frequent "Errors In Logic" in OS X [10.6 & Above]?
   1. Make sure you are NOT playing the game from inside the BridgePro Installer.dmg. If you are, copy the BridgePro app to the desktop and open the game from there.  Store your .dmg file elsewhere.
2. Set your conventions individually using Preferences in the BridgePro menu.
3. Make sure your have corrected your Permissions [open Disk Utility and select the system’s HD. Then select the button “Repair Disk Permissions.”]  3. Download the latest version of BridgePro.  Make sure you trash your current game first. If you are in the free update period, use the second key code you received to access your update.

What is your privacy policy?
    All information given to this web site is kept strictly confidential. We will not provide or sell this information to any other party and you will always control how your information is or is not used.

What is your refund policy?
    Once the purchased game is downloaded a confirmation email is sent requesting acknowledgement of your download.  Your code is usually sent to you within twenty-four hours once the acknowledgement email is return to us.   If you have any doubts, kindly try the free demo version before purchasing.  Thank you.

Known Conflicts:
    In Windows®, programs published by Green Parrot Software[1st QuickRes],  those published by PANTERAsoft [HHD Health] and those published by  RKSSoftware [MightyFax] render BridgePro™ and CardStuffer™ non-functional.  At&t\Yahoo programs [online protection, messenger, etc.] can cause bizarre effects. The Weather Channel Interactive program causes hang-ups. AOL's and Google's free taskbar updaters causes problems on some machines [contact us for a solution - Click Here.].
Audible Manager, a free download from Audible.com [AudibleBooks] causes problems when attempting to reboot your game, simply disable it in the taskbar prior to starting the game. Also, Logitech Alert Commander will prevent the game from appearing even though it is open and on the task bar.  Simply right click on its Task Bar icon and temporarily disable it while BridgePro™ boots up. Skype interference can be handled in the same manner.

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Copyright ©,  2001 - 2024 by Sam Kaplan. All rights reserved.
Revised: January 12, 2024 .