Feature request: xDrip+ Sync follower to receive low battery alert for master phone

[olorinmaia]

We are using xDrip+ Sync Follower as data source to follow our sons phone. In the system status page we can now see the battery % which is useful.

There is an alert regarding low battery already in xDrip.

However it doesn't work when using xDrip+ Sync Follower as data source.

When using this data source the phone set as master in the sync group is the actual collector.

Therefor it would be a nice improvement if data source is xDrip+ Sync Follower and app is not setup as master, then consider master phone battery % as value for this alert.

[Navid200]

There are different factors that could have a negative impact on a master phone, causing the follow process to fail:
1- Drained battery
2- Disconnect from internet
3- A runaway process bringing the phone down to its knees.
4- Full disk
5- An interfering app or utility stopping xDrip
...

You have identified only one and requested an alert for it.
If we address your request, what is going to address the other possible failures?

You need to set up the missed reading alert on the follower phone. If you do that, you will never end up waking up in the morning being surprised that you have had no readings all night regardless of the failure mechanism. It will work as long as you use an xDrip release of 2025.06.17 or more recent.

If you have already set up the missed reading alert, I question the value of an added alert to alert you that your child's phone's battery is too low. What will then alert you if xDrip is not running on the master for the other mentioned reasons?

[olorinmaia]

Thanks for your reply Navid. We do and have always used missed reading alert and I can't say I have noticed the issue that was fixed in the release you mention.

Missed reading alert addresses issue 2,3,4,5 you mention as far I'm concerned.

Low battery alert already exist but does not consider the master phone battery % as collector when xDrip is a follower in a sync group using xDrip sync follower as data source. This feature request is about adding that to the alert in this spesific scenario. I don't see any down sides with it.

Low battery alert will be an preemptive alert that can stop the phone from shutting down due to flat battery. In such cases relying on the missed reading alert will bring a downtime of the phone reading the cgm and the loop system with at least the minutes you have as a threshold for missed reading alert + the minutes charging phone and bring it online again.

[Navid200]

Someone will have to create a new alert for this. And considering there are other failure factors such an alert cannot address, it is not a good idea in my opinion.

There are existing alerts in xDrip that I am in the process of cleaning up.
I don't think anyone uses parakeet any longer. That is just one example.

I think you agree that such an alert cannot address all the factors I have mentioned. So, I have to assume you are going to make sure none of that will ever happen. But, making sure the battery of your child's phone is not going to drain is even easier because you can easily see what it is by looking at the status page on your phone.
You will have no way of checking what percentage of storage is occupied on the master phone other than either asking your child or accessing the phone yourself.
Why can you not address the battery exactly the same way?

We cannot keep adding new features to xDrip. Every new feature will have to be maintained. And every new feature will make xDrip even more complicated.

[olorinmaia]

The alert we could use for this is already there, I don't want to add a new alert.

Other xDrip Alerts -> Collector battery alerts could do the job, if when using xDrip+ Sync Follower and being a follower it would consider the master phone battery % as collector battery. I haven't looked at it myself yet, but if you are sure it's impossible to modify the existing alert to do this in this scenario I will look at other options.

When sleeping I'm not able to monitor the battery % of the phone, in case charger plug doesn't get put in for some reason after bed time. If for some reason the scenarios 2,3,4,5 happen like you mention, we already have missed reading alert for that. Missed reading will also help for scenario 1, but it would be nice to be able to prevent this, especially during night.

[olorinmaia]

I managed to create an alarm through Nightscout and AAPSClient. I didn't think it was possible but turns out it was! Then I have an alarm for this and since this doesn't seem to be an idea worth pursuing for xDrip this discussion can be closed! 😉

[Navid200]

Awesome