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https://github.com/pcolby/bipolar

Free your data from Polar FlowSync
https://github.com/pcolby/bipolar

c-plus-plus gpx hrm polar qt qt5 tcx

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Free your data from Polar FlowSync

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README 

        
# [![Bipolar Logo](qrc/icon/bipolar30.png)](#) Bipolar



[![Build Status](https://github.com/pcolby/bipolar/actions/workflows/build.yaml/badge.svg?branch=main)](https://github.com/pcolby/bipolar/actions/workflows/build.yaml?query=branch%3Amain)

[![Static Analysis](https://github.com/pcolby/bipolar/actions/workflows/static.yaml/badge.svg?branch=main)](https://github.com/pcolby/bipolar/actions/workflows/static.yaml?query=branch%3Amain)



> [!IMPORTANT]  

> After 10 years, Polar has begun _sunsetting_ the FlowSync (desktop) application,

> and requires the Flow (Android and iOS) app instead for full data sync. From the

> [Polar FLowSync support FAQs](https://support.polar.com/au-en/support/which_products_are_compatible_with_polar_flowsync_software):

> 

> > WHICH PRODUCTS ARE COMPATIBLE WITH POLAR FLOWSYNC SOFTWARE?

> >

> > The following data cannot be synced using the Polar FlowSync software on your

> > computer: skin temperature, wrist ECG and SpO2 (blood oxygen saturation). We

> > recommend syncing with Flow app as **we're gradually sunsetting FlowSync**.

> > FlowSync doesn't support all the features on your watch, which means that some

> > of the data won't be synced. If you continue with FlowSync anyways, you can sync

> > the missing data with Flow app later. For full support, we recommend syncing

> > with Polar Flow app.

> 

> As such, I no longer intend to continue any development on this Bipolar project.

> Thanks for all the support, and interest while the project was active. I personall

> found it very fulfilling 😊



## Introduction



Bipolar a simple GUI application for exporting training sessions from Polar

sync software, such as [Polar FlowSync].  Currently, the following applications

and devices are supported:



* [Polar FlowSync], on both Mac and Windows.

* [Polar V800]

* [Polar Loop]



## Installing Bipolar



### Mac OS X



1. Install [Polar FlowSync], if you haven't already.

2. Close FlowSync, if it's already running.

3. Download the [latest Bipolar release] - you'll want the

   `Bipolar-.dmg` file for OS X.

4. Open the downloaded `Bipolar-.dmg` file.

5. Read the included `README.txt` file.

6. Enter the `Hook` folder.

7. Run the `install.command` script.



See the [How it Works](#how-it-works) for more information about the Hook that

gets installed in that last step.



### Windows



1. Install [Polar FlowSync], if you haven't already.

2. Close FlowSync, if it's already running.

3. Download the [latest Bipolar release] - you'll want the

   `Bipolar-.exe` file for Windows.

4. Run the downloaded `Bipolar-.exe` installer.

5. Follow the usual install wizard prompts.



See the [How it Works](#how-it-works) for more information about the Hook that

gets installed in that last step.



## Using Bipolar



Once installed (see above), the usage pattern is pretty simple:



1. Record some activities on a supported Polar device.

2. Use FlowSync to upload your activities to [flow.polar.com] as usual.

3. Run the Bipolar application, and follow the GUI prompts. Depending on the

   options selected, this will generate GPX, HRM, and/or TCX versions of all

   activities seen.

4. Open/upload the generated GPX, HRM, and/or TCX files to your favorite website

   or application.



## How it Works



### Windows



When Bipolar is installed, it places a custom DLL into the Polar FlowSync

application directory. This custom DLL then writes all training session data it

sees to binary files (in `%LOCALAPPDATA%\Polar\PolarFlowSync\export`).



The installer also installs a separate Bipolar application, which, when exectued

looks through all training session data exported above, and, for any that don't

already have corresponding `*.gpx` and/or `*.tcx` files, converts those sessions

to GPX and/or TCX accordingly.



### OSX



For OSX, Bipolar is provided as a standard disk image (`*.dmg`) file. This file

contains both the Bipolar application (which can run completely standalone), and

the hook library.  However, the hook library is not automatically installed for

OSX. Instead, the disk image includes a simple hook install script to run to

install the hook (which you will want to do, unless using the direct USB option

mentioned below).



### Direct USB Interface



The separate [v800_downloader](https://github.com/profanum429/v800_downloader)

project provides a way of extracting training session data from the V800

directly, without the need for the hook mentioned above. That project extracts

data in a format that is compatible with this project's Bipolar application, so

can be used as a hook alternative if desired.



Of course, that is particularly exciting for Linux users, who otherwise could

not make any significant use of this project, nor the Polar V800 in general.



## Contact



The [issue tracker] is the preferred place for reporting issues, while the

[GitHub Discussions] area is best for questions, comments etc.



There's also an old [Gitter chat room], and even older [Bipolar Google Group]

with some historical content. And finally there's a

[Bipolar open-source project](http://forum.polar.fi/showthread.php?t=29092)

topic on the Polar forums (and [Internet Archive]), which contains quite a lot

of historical information.



[Bipolar Google Group]: http://groups.google.com/d/forum/bipolar-app

[GitHub Discussions]: https://github.com/pcolby/bipolar/discussions

[Gitter chat room]: https://gitter.im/pcolby/bipolar

[issue tracker]: https://github.com/pcolby/bipolar/issues?state=open

[latest Bipolar release]: https://github.com/pcolby/bipolar/releases/latest

[Polar FlowSync]: https://flow.polar.com/start

[Polar Loop]: http://www.polarloop.com/

[Polar V800]: http://www.polarv800.com/

[Internet Archive]: https://web.archive.org/web/20160622120130/https://forum.polar.fi/showthread.php?t=29092