Remote Commands

Requirements

All remote commands require the configuration steps from Remote Configuration.

• A new One-Time Password (OTP) is required for each remote command that issues a bolus or adds a carb entry
  • The OTP updates every 30 seconds
  • Both the sending device and the Looper's phone must have automatic time enabled
• Remote Overrides do not require a One-Time Password (OTP)
  • There are some versions of  Nightscout  that provide a row for entry of an OTP for  Temporary Override  in the  Nightscout Careportal
  • Leave that row blank

Do I have to use  Loop Caregiver?

There are a number of methods for using remote commands.

Things everyone needs to know are covered on this page, so you should read it regardless of how you plan to issue remote commands.

If you decide on  Loop Caregiver, review both this page and  Loop Caregiver page.

QR Code

On the Looper's phone,  Nightscout  must be included under the Loop -> Settings -> Services section. Navigate to Services and select  Nightscout. Tap on the One-Time Password row to view the QR code.

When you need to configure your authentication method, you can either use a saved QR screenshot or scan the QR on the Looper's phone.

Options:

• Have your Looper (or at least their phone) available
• Save a screenshot of their QR code
  • Keep this secure
  • Do not share the QR screenshot when asking for help

While you are on the Settings -> Services -> NightScout screen, notice that the 6-digit number on the One-Time Password row updates every 30 seconds.

Set up an Authentication App

You need to set up an authentication app to generate one-time-passwords for remote bolus and carbs.

One of the nice features of  Loop Caregiver  is that it handles the one-time password (OTP) requirements for you.

But even if you choose to use  Loop Caregiver, you should configure an authentication app for cases where you don't have access to your  Loop Caregiver  phone.

There are several authentication apps that support one-time passwords.

Apple Keychain

If you are using a iPhone or Mac to issue remote commands through a browser or  Nightscout  app, you can use the  Apple Keychain  which has native support to store passwords and generate one-time passwords.

To setup your  Nightscout  credentials in  Apple Keychain:

On the Caregivers device (iPhone or Mac):

• Go to Apple Settings -> Passwords

• Tap the + Button up top to add a new Password

  

• You will enter your  Nightscout  credentials

  • Website: Enter a portion of the  Nightscout  URL, without the leading “https://”
  • Username: Enter the full  Nightscout  URL including the leading “https://” part
  • Password: Enter the API_SECRET for the Looper's  Nightscout  site
  • Tap Done
• Next, you are offered a screen that allows you to set up a Verification Code
  • If you need to come back later, you can find that screen again
  • Go to Apple Settings -> Passwords -> Tap the row with your  Nightscout  URL
• Tap “Setup Verification Code”
  • This is where you can scan your QR code from the Looper's phone or the saved QR screenshot
  • As soon as the camera reads the QR code, an OTP will begin to appear
  • If the Looper's phone is handy, wait a cycle or two and ensure the 6-digit OTP on the password screen matches that on the Looper's phone and they update at the same time
  • Click Passwords on upper left to return to the prevous screen
• Select Passwords Options
  • Enable the Autofill Passwords and check Keychain

Using Safari

• When you use Safari to view your Looper's  Nightscout  site and choose the Careportal ()
  • Choose a remote command from Event Type drop-down menu (remote commands are at the bottom of the list)
  • The OTP will be offered to you for every row - ignore it when entering Carb amount or Absorption Time, or Bolus Amount
  • Select it for the OTP row
  • Note that OTP is not required for Remote Overrides - leave that row blank

Other Authentication Apps

There are other Authentication apps available. Here’s a few options that you can download from your phone’s app store:

• 1Password
• Authenticator
• Authy

FAQs for all Remote Commands

1. If I have multiple  Nightscout  sites because I support multiple people with T1D looping, do I need multiple APNs Keys?
   Answer: No. If you support multiple people using  Loop, you can use the one APNs key in each of their  Nightscout  sites.

2. How can I tell if it worked?
   Answer: You should see your override pill in  Nightscout, with  the NEXT Loop  cycle, reflecting that the desired remote action took place. If you are near the  Loop  app, you should see the new override within less than 30 seconds or so.

FAQs on Remote Overrides

Don't forget to read Loopdocs: Overrides.

For remote overrides in particular:

1. Can I set a different override in Nighscout than I have programmed into  Loop  app?
   Answer: No. You will only be able to enact override presets already programmed into the Loop app.

2. If I didn't start the override in  Nightscout  (it was started in  Loop  itself), can I still use  Nightscout  to cancel it?
   Answer: Yes. You can cancel an override set in  Loop  with a Nightscout-set cancel "temporary override" command in the careportal.

3. Can I replace an override set in  Loop  with an override set in  Nightscout?
   Answer: Yes.

4. Can I see on  Nightscout  when a temporary override has been set using the looper’s phone?
   Answer: Yes. There will be a grey bar with the name of the override noted and the   Loop  Pill  will display the targets and duration. Remember, there is a KNOWN issue with the grey bars, so use the pill as your best guide.

5. Can a looper cancel a remote override?
   Answer: Yes. They can tap the heart icon in  Loop  so that it is no longer highlighted. This turns off the override, regardless of where it was initiated.

6. I set a remote override in  Nightscout  but the Looper tapped the heart symbol in the  Loop  app, so the override turned off. Will the override get reinstated the next time  Loop  completes with internet access?
   Answer: No. The APN is only sent once. You can set the remote override again if need be.

7. Can I schedule a remote override ahead of time using Nightscout?
   Answer: No. When you set a remote override in  Nightscout, it starts immediately and lasts for the duration programmed for that override in the  Loop  app. You can only set an override in advance using the  Loop  app.

Remote Commands

Remote Commands to deliver a bolus or add a carb entry require a  One Time Passcode  (OTP).

Minimum Versions: Loop 3  and  Nightscout 14.2.6

If your Nightscout version does not meet that minimum requirement, remote commands might be accepted but if they are, the time for the commands is always the current time. In other words, Carbs in the Past or Future might be accepted, but would be entered at the current time on the looper's phone.

Warnings on Remote Commands

Duplicate Delivery Risk

We want to highlight a very important risk before you get started.

For safety, always assume a previous remote carbs/bolus was delivered. For motivation think of the following example:

• You send a 5-unit remote bolus.
• The bolus is delivered to the Looper.
• Nightscout  is having a temporary technical issue and doesn't show the bolus was received.
• You are watching  Nightscout  and you don’t see a delivery so you assume it failed.
• You send another remote 5-unit bolus.
• The second 5-unit bolus is delivered to the Looper (10 Units total).

You can see the danger of sending duplicate bolus/carbs so be careful. If a remote bolus/carb entry doesn’t show in  Nightscout, use your own judgment on whether enough time has passed to try again.

Remote Bolus, Then Remote Carb

If sending both, choose Bolus then Carbs

If you plan to send a carb command remotely and later decide to issue a bolus command - STOP and consider.

There are 2 scenarios of concern that could lead to too much insulin:

• Looper is using the Temp Basal (temporary basal) Dosing Strategy
  • Loop  will initiate a max Temp Basal when it receives the carbs remote command
  • Your bolus will be accepted and take place in addition to the high temporary basal
• Looper is using Automatic Bolus Dosing Strategy
  • Loop  will initiate 40% of the recommended dose when it receives the carbs remote command
  • Your bolus will be accepted and take place in addition to an automatic boluses

Typically, sending a remote carb entry alone is sufficient for  Loop  to know about the carbs and begin to dose for them.

If you really want to both bolus for carbs and enter carbs, then do it in that order.

1. The bolus, when accepted, will cause  Loop  to issue a 0 Temp Basal (temporary basal) (which is "safer")
2. The carbs, when accepted, will cause  Loop  to respond to the carbs while including the bolus already delivered and included in the Looper' IOB

❗️ Remember - you should pause at least 60 seconds between remote commands or the One-Time-Password (OTP) will be rejected as having already been used.

Using Remote Commands

There are four ways you can trigger your commands remotely;  Loop Caregiver (link takes you to a new page), Nightscout Careportal, Shortcuts, and IFTTT.

Loop Caregiver

Click the link above to read more about  Loop Caregiver.

Nightscout Careportal

To use remote commands in the  Careportal, you must configure  Nightscout  site according to the directions here in  Loopdocs  in addition to setting up the Remote Configuration.

Pay particular attention to these entries in the ENABLE line: override careportal Loop. The order of the words in the ENABLE line is not important.

You'll also need to have your site authenticated so that your  Careportal  is active to send remote overrides .

Once authenticated by entering your API_SECRET, there is a plus sign () in the upper right corner of your site. That is your Careportal. Tap the Careportal plus sign () and then scroll down in the event type menu to find Temporary Override.
Within there, you will find all your  Loop  override presets already loaded for you.

Start and End Remote Override

The Looper will see a banner notification that a remote command has been sent with details about that command and whether it succeeded (or not).

Canceling an override through Nightscout careportal is as simple as selecting the event type Temporary Override Cancel and submitting.

Command Remote Bolus or Carb Entry

Open your Nightscout site in a browser or app.

• Tap the Careportal plus sign () and then scroll down in the event type dropdown menu to find Remote Carb Entry or Remote Bolus Entry
• Fill out the treatment log until you get to the OTP row
  • When using Safari, the OTP code is automatically offered - might need to tap twice
  • For other authentication apps (Authenticator, 1Password, etc)
    • Tap on the code in the authentication app and copy to your clipboard
    • In Nightscout and paste that code into the OTP box
  • Click “Submit Form”

Note that Loop will honor both the current OTP code and the one that just expired.

If the Looper is with you, you can see the notification on their phone. You can see the entry on the  Loop  carbohydrate or the insulin displays to see if it went through.

If the Looper is not with you, you should see the result in the  Nightscout  dashboard within 5 minutes.

Shortcuts

If you want to make your life SUPER AMAZING, check out using the iPhone's Shortcuts app. The Shortcuts app is for making little automations (like mini apps) that can integrate parts of your life. In this case, we've written a couple of shortcuts for you that integrate  Loop  overrides with  Nightscout.

Important Note

Before you click on the download file below...save yourself some trouble.

1. Download the Shortcuts app if you don't have it yet
2. Choose to run any shortcut from the Gallery. It can be the laundry timer...I don't care, just pick one shortcut and run it.
3. THEN, go to download the shortcut of your choice below.
   ℹ️ The shortcuts that aren't run through the Gallery option are called "untrusted". And you need a slider in your iPhone to trust the "untrusted" shortcuts you would be downloading here.
   But...in a lovely iOS glitch...that slider doesn't appear unless you've run a trusted shortcut first. So, run one now.
4. Then, this slider will now be visible in the iPhone Settings app under the Shortcuts app menu.
5. When you will see the message "This shortcut cannot be opened because your Shortcuts security system settings don't allow untrusted shortcuts"
6. Open iPhone Settings and scroll down the list and tap the Shortcuts menu to turn on "Allow Untrusted Shortcuts".

Click these links on your iPhone and you'll be prompted to download the premade shortcuts (assuming you open the links in Safari browser on iPhone):

Comprehensive  Loop  Shortcut includes Set Remote Override, Cancel Override, Loop Troubleshooting Tips, Quick Text options, Manual BG entry, Bookmarks to websites, etc.

And if you want to save one click to get to these one functions more directly: these shortcuts are simplified to offer only one function:

Set Remote Override only shortcut

Cancel Override  only shortcut

A couple notes about these shortcuts:

You need to open those links in the Safari browser on your iPhone. A confirmation will show to initiate the download.

After the download finishes, tap the button marked AA near your Safari address bar and tap Downloads (downloads) to find and open the downloaded Shortcut.

Wait a bit, and the shortcut's inner guts will be there...scroll ALL the way down to the bottom to click the button to save the untrusted shortcut

1. When you enter your  Nightscout  URL in  the URL field  of the  Loop  shortcut setup, make sure you don't include a  trailing /, or the API calls to Heroku will error out.
2. When a remote override is set properly, you'll see an ok message displayed. If there is an error, you'll see an error message. Most errors will be that you have an API_SECRET wrong (make sure there isn't a space at the end of your API_SECRET that you don't see) or you failed to do the steps to setup  Nightscout  and update your  Loop  app as described in steps 1-3 above.
3. You can absolutely customize these bits and pieces within the shortcut. Change the text messages, and change the links... It is totally up to you.

IFTTT

If you want to walk uphill both ways in the snow carrying bags of uneven groceries, you can also set overrides remotely by using If This, Then That (IFTTT) integration. By using IFTTT, you can have single button presses on your phone that will set an override, log a cannula change, log a sensor change and much more.

• Please see
  • Nightscout: Configurations: IFTTT Maker
  • Nightscout: IFTTT