LoopFollow

LoopFollow is an open-source DIY (do-it-yourself) iPhone app that combines your T1D’s display information and alerts into a single easy-to-use interface.  It requires iOS 15.6 (or newer) and works with both Loop and Trio. Update to the latest version to enjoy the new features and improvements. As usual, this is a team effort consisting of coding, testing, inspiration, and copious amounts of coffee! 

The Toolbar

The toolbar at the bottom of your screen reveals 5 screens.  We’ll review each screen from left to right as they appear in your toolbar, but when you set up LoopFollow, start with the Settings menu.

1. Home

A dashboard of important information for managing your T1D.  

• Supports Glucose display when Dexcom is available but Nightscout is not
• Supports Loop and Trio when Nightscout URL is provided
  • Loop: Loop status, Loop Prediction, Profile Name
  • Trio: Trio status, Trio Predictions, Autosens, TDD

Once you’ve configured your settings, your Main screen will look as beautiful as the example below!

4.  Nightscout

Easy access to Nightscout and its amazing reports

5.  Settings

You’ll set up LoopFollow using the Settings Screen, which contains 5 groupings:

• • Data Settings
  • App Settings
  • Integrations
  • Advanced Settings
  • Build Information

Authentication Token

Those who secure their Nightscout site will need to use an authentication/access token for LoopFollow to be able to display the information in the LoopFollow Information Table. Your token requires “readable” as a role to be able to display data from Nightscout. (That will make sense when you read the docs at the link.)

Trio users who plan to control remote overrides using LoopFollow must have “readable” and “careportal” as roles.

• This feature is available for Trio users with LoopFollow version 2.2.5 or higher
• This feature may be added for Loop users in the future

5b) App Settings

The App Settings grouping contains 5 options

1. General Settings
2. Graph Settings
3. Information Display Settings
4. Alarms
5. Remote Settings

General Settings

Consist primarily of display-oriented settings, and have 3 groupings.

1. APP SETTINGS
   • Display App Badge
   • Background Refresh
   • Persistent Notification
2. DISPLAY SETTINGS
   • Force Dark Mode (Restart App)
   • Display Stats
   • Use IFCC A1C
   • Display Small Graph
   • Color Main BG Text
   • Keep Screen Active
   • Show Display Name
3. SPEAK BG SETTINGS
   • Speak BG

Pro Tip:  If you are experiencing audible and visible glucose alerts every single minute, disable Persistent Notifications.

Graph Settings 

Scrollable/scalable graph display (if you’re on your phone, view using landscape)

Information Display Settings (if you’re on your phone, view using landscape)

Remote Settings

Placeholder for future releases of Trio.

Step-by-Step Instructions to Set Up LoopFollow Contact Complication on Your Apple Watch

Video, How to add a complication for real-time watch display

Bullet List with Instructions:

1. Enable BG Updates in Loop Follow
   • Open the Loop Follow app on your iPhone
   • Go to Settings > Integrations > Contact
   • Toggle on “Enable Contact BG Updates”
   • If a permission prompt appears, tap “Allow” to let Loop Follow access your contacts
   • (The app will automatically create a contact named LoopFollow – BG for you.)
2. Open the Watch App
   • On your iPhone, open the Watch app
   • Tap “My Watch” at the bottom, if it isn’t already selected
3. Choose a Watch Face
   • Scroll down and tap “Face Gallery” or choose an existing watch face under My Faces
   • Pick a watch face that supports complications (e.g., Infograph Modular or Modular)
4. Customize the Complications
   • Tap the watch face you selected to edit its settings
   • Find a Complication slot where you want the glucose contact to appear
   • Select the slot, select the ‘Contacts’ complication, select ‘More…’, scroll through the contacts, and choose LoopFollow – BG
5. Save Your Watch Face
   • Tap “Add” or “Set as Current Watch Face” to apply the changes
   • Check your Apple Watch to confirm the LoopFollow – BG complication is showing your glucose data
6. (OPTIONAL) If you follow more than one Looper
   • Repeat these steps. You can follow up to 3 Loopers using the various LoopFollow-1….-3 builds
   • Each contact will have a distinct name and show up with a different color on your watch face

You’re ready to monitor your glucose data directly on your Apple Watch!

Build LoopFollow

LoopFollow can be built using either the Browser Build or the Mac-Xcode Build method.  A paid Apple Developer account is required to use the Browser Build method.  Regardless of how you build, you can customize your LoopFollow app’s name.

• Browser Build: See LoopDocs: Browser Build for Other Apps
• Mac-Xcode: Build LoopFollow Script for Mac-Xcode

Build LoopFollow Script for Mac-Xcode

Carefully read the information in the terminal before making any choices.

Step 1: Open Terminal

Tip: Press Command-Space to open spotlight search. Start typing “term” (without the quotes) and you will see the Terminal application icon in the box. Hit enter to open.

Step 2: Copy the entire line starting with /bin/bash and then Paste the line into Terminal and enter

Click on the line below to copy it. You’ll see Copied to Clipboard briefly.

/bin/bash -c "$(curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/loopandlearn/lnl-scripts/main/BuildLoopFollow.sh)"

Step 3: Choose from one of the options presented by the script

If you are not following multiple Loopers, always choose 1 for the latest release.

• You are prompted to enter a custom name if you want or you can continue using the LoopFollow default name

If you are following up to 3 Loopers, choose option 1, 2 or 3.

• Each Looper can have a unique name displayed for the app
• Each time you download using the script, the name you selected the first time is remembered, but editing instructions are provided

To test a specific feature that is only found in the dev branch, choose option 4. This is not typical, and only builds to the app associated with Looper #1

Run LoopFollow on Mac

Run LoopFollow on Mac using TestFlight

If you used the Browser Build method, follow these instructions to run LoopFollow on your Mac computer. (You can also use an iPad.)

• You need to install the TestFlight app on your computer
• The TestFlight app on the Mac shows the same set of builds and uses the same installation procedure as shown in LoopDocs for installing apps on a phone from TestFlight
• Install on computer from TestFlight
• You need to enter the data source and configuration values into the app on your computer

From Mac system settings/notifications, scroll down to LoopFollow and enable notifications with the options you want.

Run LoopFollow on your Mac with Mac-Xcode Build

1. Build LoopFollow to your Mac with Xcode (choose My Mac (Mac Catalyst) as the device)
2. Click Stop to close the running app that is started by Xcode
3. On the left side of Xcode, click on the Folder icon
4. Click to open the LoopFollow folder list
5. Click to open the LoopFollow/Products folder
6. Right-click (or Control-click) on “LoopFollow.app” and select Show in Finder
7. First time on the Mac:
   • Drag the LoopFollow.app icon to your Applications folder in Finder
   • From Mac system settings/notifications, scroll down to LoopFollow and enable notifications with the options you want
8. When updating on your Mac
   • Make sure you close the LoopFollow app currently running on your computer
   • Drag the LoopFollow.app icon to your Applications folder in Finder
     • Most people choose to replace the application, but you can keep both if you prefer
   • All configurations and settings are maintained

Information for Users

main vs. dev

LoopFollow users should build LoopFollow-main.  New features are tested in the dev branch. Once they are thoroughly tested, they are merged into main.

Volunteers Welcome

If you want to contribute, please make your pull request against the dev branch. If you notice a bug please write an issue report.

Open Source DIY

This is a DIY open-source project that may or may not function as you expect. You take full responsibility for building and running this app and do so at your own risk.

LoopFollow Updates

The release history is located in GitHub.

• https://github.com/loopandlearn/LoopFollow/releases

This code was originally developed by Jon Fawcett who turned over development and management to the Loop and Learn team. We are happy to respond to bug reports or feature requests.

5d) Advanced Settings

Allows you to modify your graph:

1. Download Treatments
2. Download Prediction
3. Graph Basal
4. Graph Bolus
5. Graph Carbs
6. Graph Other Treatments
7. BG Update Delay

Bluetooth Heartbeat

Why was this added?

• LoopFollow can use a background silent audio to keep iOS from killing the app, but this trick puts an extra load on the phone battery and it is known to stop working in some cases, such as using a Timer on your phone
• If the silent tune is working well for you, there’s no need to change
• If you’ve been experiencing significant battery drain you may want to use a Bluetooth Hearbeat

How do it work?

• You can choose to use a RileyLink device or an expired Dexcom device as a heartbeat
• This can save significantly on the battery used by LoopFollow and provides more reliable ability to wake up LoopFollow out of background mode to check for alarm status.

What devices are supported?

These devices can provide a constant Bluetooth connection for your LoopFollow phone:

• Radiolink:  RileyLink, OrangeLink,  Emalink
• Dexcom Device (the battery can last for months after it is no longer in service with a sensor)
  • Dexcom G6/ONE/Anubis transmitter
  • Dexcom G7/ONE+ sensor

If you use LoopFollow on your Looping phone for the features offered, you can connect to your own Dexcom device. You don’t need to use an expired device in addition.

How do I configure Bluetooth Heartbeat?

These graphics walk you through how to select the Background Refresh Type.  The example shows the steps if you choose to use a Dexcom Device (G5/G6/ONE/G7/ONE+). A similar process is used for a RileyLink device.

If the person using LoopFollow is also wearing a Dexcom or radiolink, they should choose their own device. The RSSI is a measure of the strength of the signal. It is normal for the Dexcom device to disconnect. It will reconnect regularly.