Tech talk: New PDM and Mac users

Diabetes Technology Insulin Pumps
#1

This post is aimed at the more technical folks here. Has anyone tried to read the data from the new PDM on their mac without the abbott software? The pdm shows as a device and I can see a file with the extension ibf on the pdm. I can copy the file to my mac but it’s binary data and I haven’t got much out of it. Maybe Insulet would provide the data format so we could write a program to read it ourselves?

To answer the question ahead of time, yes I have vmware on my mac and I loaded an old copy of windows xp. However the omnipod installer fails trying to copy the mfc42.dll file and I’m not sure why. Unfortunately Microsoft thinks my copy of xp is invalid so I can’t get os updates either. I also wasn’t impressed with the look of the copilot software. I thought a java swing app for the data might be nice plus it would be useful for linux users…

Thoughts?

#2

Hi Paul,
I don’t qualify as technical folk, but I am a mac user. When I purchased the PDM I asked the rep about being able to download to a mac, because of all the talk on this website about it. He was also a mac user and confirmed that even though you can download the abbott software and run it etc, they have not been able to make the PDM communicate with the mac and at this time it will not work. I am sure I didn’t state that correctly, but you probably know what I am trying to say. I just noticed on the Omnipod website it states that you may have to reset your PDM and lose a pod if you try and download info. I think that is what happened to Tony in a earlier post, because I believe he is a mac user. We need technical people like you to call Omnipod and look for ways to make it work. I am actually thinking about buying a cheap computer with windows so I can download my son"s info. I really want this capability. Please keep pursuing this with Omnipod and let us know where it stands. I am to technically challenged to pursue it. : )

Thanks, Lisa

#3

I agree, how could OmniPod think all their clients are PC users. The great thing about the PDM is the capability to download all your information.

Does anyone know why they would not make their software compatible with MAC? I’m curious to know why this continues to be a problem. The software for Lifescan - OneTouch is also not MAC friendly. Do they all have a deal with Microsoft?

#4

Many, many programs are PC-only because of Mac’s small overall market share. This is changing as Apple cuts into PC domination, but it’s still not unusual to find PC-only programs. One option is to run programs like Parallels or Fusion (or even Mac’s built-in Bootcamp) that allow you to run the Windows operating system on a Macintosh machine. Then you can install the software on the Windows side until they come out with a Mac version (if they ever do). It’s cheaper than buying a new computer just to run the Abbott software.

#5

I don’t have anything to add to what’s been already said here, but I figured that it was worth chiming in as another mac/oPod user.

Solidarity my brothers and sisters!

#6

Hi Jim,
I have microsoft office for mac, but the rep said even if you can run windows, bootcamp etc. you still can’t download the info from the new pdm. Have you been successful at downloading it, I’d love to know how.

Thanks,
Lisa

#7

I was able to load, and run, CoPilot utilizing Crossover; however, the OmniPod extension was not recognized after I downloaded it. So close, but this is way more of a pain in the rear than it ought to be.

#8

I don’t have an omnipod for my daughter, but am obsessed with it and follow all your guys discussions here, you have a great, brigt, supportive group.
fyi, we have a minimed paradigm, I had to buy a cheap pc to run her software, it is also not mac compatible, it’s carelink.
Jim describes te overall problem great. much software is simply not mac compatible.

#9

I’ve been contemplating the idea of writing Mac-compatible software. It is encouraging to hear that you can actually connect to the device and get some kind of data off it.
I’ve just written my local sales rep and asked her to call me to discuss; in the past she has been very helpful and more forthcoming with information than I would have expected. I’ll report back whatever I learn from her.

#10

Lisa, I don’t have the new PDM yet (on order), so I haven’t been able to try it yet. I’ll let you know when I do.

#11

Great. I sent an email to customer support today as well. If we can get to the data, we can at least find a way to export it as csv for a spreadsheet. Then work on a gui.

#12

I haven’t been able to download to my Mac using Parallel desktop neither using vmware. So Insulet must make a Mac version for us the mac users.

#13

Hey all, I emailed Insulet about this mac compatibility and this was the response:

Dear Tony sierra,

Thank you for visiting MyOmniPod.com

Currently we do not have a Mac compatible software system for data download. We are aware that many of our users have Mac systems at home. As we investigate options to become Mac compatible keep an eye on our website for any product development updates.

If you have any further questions please contact us again. We look forward to serving your diabetes management needs in the future!

Sincerely,
Tom Peak
Customer Support Representative

#14

I emailed Abbot too about the copilot compatibility and unfortunately this was the response:

Dear Ms. Sierra,

Thank you for contacting Abbott Diabetes Care, maker of FreeStyle and
Precision products.

Unfortunately the CoPilot™ Health Management System is not compatible
with Apple® computers (Macintosh (Mac)). Abbott Diabetes Care has no
plans, at present, to release a version of CoPilot™ that is compatible
with the Mac operating system.

We apologize for any inconveniences this may cause you.

Find product specifications, answers to FAQs, download the owner’s
guides, or contact us for additional help, please visit http://www.abbottdiabetescare.com/.

For CoPilot™ System FAQs use direct link below.

#15

I started with Apple back in the mid-1980s, moved to PCs, and recently returned to the MacPro that I am using to write this (although I also have two PCs at home). I mention my Mac only to say that I recently upgraded to SnowLeopard, so if anyone develops software for the Mac, please be sure that is works with SnowLeopard. Why mention this? Because my Epson printer used to work with my Mac using Leopard, but since I upgraded, my Mac will not recognize my printer and the download from Epson for SnowLeopard drivers also does not work. Apple admits that there are “some issues” with certain printers! Ah, progress…

#16

does omnipod software work with vista?

#17

I usually upload to my work PC that has XP on it (b/c I can get my navigator to talk w/ the bluetooth on that PC as well), but I’m almost certain I’ve hooked up the opod to my laptop (which runs Vista) and it has worked. I’m using co-pilot on both btw. I’ll try this evening and let you know for certain.

#18

yep. the opod works with co-pilot on vista.

#19

A strong warning: I have crashed the Omnipod PDM using Parallels VM software on my Macbook, such that I had to reenter all my parameters into the PDM and start a new Pod. I installed the Abbot Copilot software and the Omnipod extension on my Parallels virtual machine running Windows XP on my Macbook Pro. I have tried this with both Parallels Desktop v. 4 and the recent v. 5 update both times leading to the PDM crash and Pod loss.

The software appeared to run and connect OK with PDM, going thru the download process, but ended with an error that it failed at the end. Upon trying again is when the crash occured.

So try for yourself with other VMs only after carefully recording your PDM settings and choosing a time when you are changing a pod anyway.

It is interesting that Jeff reported getting the software to work properly running Virtualbox under Linux. Was that PC or Mac hardware? There may be subtle but dangerous hardware differences with regards to USB that might be causing this. Has anyone tried thee software using BootCamp on a Mac?

Also, the warning about “compatability” with Apple computers is too vague- I think they mean there is no Mac specific software, but does not address the possibility of running Windows on a Mac as a VM or natively with Bootcamp.

I’ve started a ticket at Insulet about this, so it would be good to update with others experiences so they can address the problem in the future.
Mark

#20

Thank you for the response- that is a great help. I only happened on this randomly after my previous post concerning these issues. Is there anyway to get this awful board structure working in a useful nested fashion with alerts?