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Sync Fitbit on Ubuntu 16.04 with Galileo

Summary

This tutorial describes how to synchronize a Fitbit device on Ubuntu 16.04 with the galileo software.

These instructions were written based on the more complicated way to install galileo which permits running as a non-root user.

Update 2021-09-01: Update with steps for Kubuntu 20.04

Contents

Install Galileo
Run Galileo
References

Install Galileo

Open a terminal window.
For Kubuntu 20.04:
- Install galileo
```
sudo apt install galileo
```
For Kubuntu 16.04:
- Install python-pip.
```
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install python-pip
```
  Accept any additional package installs.
- Install galileo and required dependencies.
```
pip install galileo pyusb requests
```
  Note that pip installs packages into the ~/.local/ directory.
Create the file /etc/udev/rules.d99-fitbit.rules in order to be able to run the utility as a non-root user.

Start editor
```
sudo nano /etc/udev/rules.d/99-fitbit.rules
```
Copy and paste the following lines into the editor.

---- begin 99-fitbit.rules -----
```
# udev rules.d entry for running as a daemon under the "galileo" account.
SUBSYSTEM=="usb", ATTR{idVendor}=="2687", ATTR{idProduct}=="fb01", SYMLINK+="fitbit", MODE="0660", OWNER="galileo", GROUP="galileo"
```
---- end 99-fitbit.rules -----

Change OWNER and GROUP galileo to your Ubuntu Linux userid (not your fitbit userid) and groupid.
Note that you can view what your Linux userid (uid) and groupid (gid) is with the id command.

Save the file with:
- CTRL-X
- Save modified buffer (ANSWERING "No" WILL DESTROY CHANGES) ? Y
- File Name to Write: /etc/udev/rules.d/99-fitbit.rules Enter
Restart the udev service.
```
sudo service udev restart
```
Unplug and re-insert the fitbit USB dongle to activate the new rule.

Run Galileo

Run galileo.

For Kubuntu 20.04:
```
galileo
```
For Kubuntu 16.04:
```
~/.local/bin/galileo
```
If all works as planned, this should synchronize the fitbit with the Internet fitbit servers.

References

The Medusa Deception novel - free first in series

News Documentation Copyright (c) 2013-2025 Curtis Gedak