Tips for SpO2 Assistant 3.0.0 in Windows

[shawn42]

Just wanted to share my recent experience with the SpO2 Assistant 3.0.0 software that came with my CMS50IW Pulse Oximeter. At first it all seemed simple enough, but I quickly realized there were some quirky things going on with file permissions in Windows. This is because Windows requires elevated privileges to write to any location under your Program Files folders. Most programs understand this and store your user data off somewhere under My Documents, but I guess these guys decided to cut corners or simply ignore safe computing practices.

I connect to my CMS via USB cable, so in the SpO2 Assistant's connections screen, I just disable all the Bluetooth options and then I mark the "View device stored data only" box. In the next screen, when I chose the segment(s) I wanted and clicked "Receive", I monitored my data directory located at "C:\Program Files (x86)\SpO2 Assistant V3.0.0\Data" and noticed that I couldn't see the new files there. However, if I chose to open files from within the SpO2 Assistant program, those files did indeed show up. Since the whole idea is to point SleepyHead to those files for consumption, this was not good enough.

I searched high and low and couldn't find a way to pick a new default data directory for the SpO2 Assistant to save its files. So I managed a little workaround using symbolic links. Here are the steps:

1) Create a new directory called "Data" somewhere where you have appropriate file permissions, like anywhere in or under your Documents folder (e.g. "C:\Users\YOUR_USERNAME\Documents\SpO2\Data")

2) Backup any of your existing SpO2 files from "C:\Program Files (x86)\SpO2 Assistant V3.0.0\Data" (or wherever) into your new Data folder.

3) Delete the "Data" folder located at "C:\Program Files (x86)\SpO2 Assistant V3.0.0\" along with any files inside, since you already backed them up.

4) Open an Administrative Command Prompt, like this for Win 8 or 10 or like this for Win 7.

5) Referencing the mklink command, type the following:

Code:

mklink /J "C:\Program Files (x86)\SpO2 Assistant V3.0.0\Data" "C:\Users\YOUR_USERNAME\Documents\SpO2\Data"

being sure to substitute the paths with the appropriate path for your user. The basic syntax is

Code:

mklink /J NEW_LINK_LOCATION ACTUAL_EXISTING_LOCATION

Now if you followed everything correctly, you should see a new folder icon in your SpO2 Assistant V3.0.0 directory called "Data" which has a little arrow in the icon that makes it look like a shortcut. That's exactly what it is. Now we're tricking SpO2 Assistant into thinking it has a Data folder like it expects to see, but since the actual location is in your user's Documents folder, the program can actually write its files correctly without elevated privileges.

Alternatively, you could just run SpO2 Assistant as an Administrator every time you download files from your device, but this method is safer and more convenient in the long run.

[Crimson Nape]

shawn42,
Since Win 7 there has been an intermittent file ownership problem on certain programs and won't allow the user to access or modify the files. I have a script to modify the registry that will add a command to the options menu to allow you to take file ownership when these problems occur. It also comes with a removal script if you decide to remove it. Although I can't think of a reason that you would want to remove it.

Post or PM me if you're interested.

[beet]

Firmware version?

I received my CMS50IW yesterday. Although shipped directly from the manufacturer Contec (ordered through Alibaba Express), it seems to be an older version because the software disc had the older version 2.7 of SpO2 Assistant.

My firmware version is 0.9 (from the System menu on the wrist device).

I'd be grateful if anyone else who has a CMS50IW would post what firmware version they have.

[Crimson Nape]

I have the CMS-50IW. Both its firmware and software are version 0.9 and the SpO2 Assistant is version 2.7. What versions were you expecting?

[beet]

I have the CMS-50IW. Both its firmware and software are version 0.9 and the SpO2 Assistant is version 2.7. What versions were you expecting?

The OP said his shipped with SpO2 Assistant version 3.0. I was especially interested to know whether the units shipped with the newer software also have newer firmware.

[sydneybird1]

Thanks!  The code suggestion worked perfectly.  My issue in brief, now solved with this redirected code.  Just bought the CMS50F, ver. 3.6A, and was able to upload and review the first data set.  The next and subsequent day's uploading took place but no data on the chart, so I thought it was a recording/storage error or upload error.  I can see the file in the SPO2 Assistant software when clicking "review" to load the data, but the chart was blank after loading.  I couldn't copy the file to put it somewhere else using right click as it said it didn't exist.  Going into the Data file showed no files but for the "this-dir-intentionally-left-blank" file.  I could not unhide the files.  Now, with this code, that the data is written in a folder under my Documents, I can see and load the data.  Thanks for sharing this solution, Shawn42!  Brilliant.

[sleepoverit]

I just bought the oximeter and I was not able to see the saved data.  Google search led me to this page. 
You are right. This issue is because the newer Windows systems doesn't allow the software to write to the default location which is under C:\Program Files

I worked around this problem by uninstalling the software and re-installing it in a different location where the software can write to like just
the top level directory in  C:\SPO2 Assistant