Leica DISTO D1/D110 BLE Reader

Python application to connect to a Leica DISTO D1/D110 laser distance meter via Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) and retrieve distance measurements.

Features

• ✅ Automatic BLE connection to DISTO distance meter
• ✅ Smart timer mode: automatic measurement 1 second after button press (for stabilization)
• ✅ Automatic laser activation for aiming during delay
• ✅ Auto-type: automatic input of measurements into spreadsheets
• ✅ Configurable delay
• ✅ Support for different units (m, ft, in, mm, yd, etc.)
• ✅ Active mode to trigger measurements from PC

Requirements

System

• Python 3.7+
• Linux with Bluetooth LE (BlueZ)
• Bluetooth enabled

Python Dependencies

pip install -r requirements.txt

Or with a virtual environment:

python3 -m venv venv
source venv/bin/activate
pip install -r requirements.txt

For Auto-Type (Optional)

The auto-type feature uses pynput for keyboard simulation. It works out of the box on most systems.

Compatibility:

• ✅ Works perfectly on X11 systems
• ✅ Works with XWayland apps (VS Code, many Electron apps)
• ⚠️ Limited support for Wayland native apps (LibreOffice, Chromium under Wayland)

Note: If you need full Wayland native support, consider using X11 mode for your desktop environment.

Installation

# Clone or download the project
git clone <repo-url>
cd leica

# Install dependencies
pip install -r requirements.txt

# Make script executable (optional)
chmod +x disto_reader.py

Usage

Passive Mode (default)

Listens for measurements when you press the physical button on the distance meter:

python disto_reader.py

Workflow:

1. Script connects to DISTO
2. You press the button on the distance meter
3. Laser turns on automatically
4. After 1 second, an automatic measurement is taken
5. Result is displayed

Auto-Type Mode (for spreadsheets)

Measurements are automatically typed into the active application:

python disto_reader.py --auto-type

Usage with spreadsheets:

1. Open your spreadsheet (LibreOffice Calc, Excel, Google Sheets...)
2. Click on the first cell
3. Launch the script with --auto-type
4. Switch back to spreadsheet (Alt+Tab)
5. Take your measurements!

Each measurement will be automatically typed and validated with Enter.

Custom Delay

Adjust the delay before the final measurement:

python disto_reader.py --delay 2.0    # 2 seconds
python disto_reader.py -d 0.5         # 0.5 second

Decimal Separator

Choose between dot or comma for decimal separator:

python disto_reader.py --separator .    # 1.234 (default)
python disto_reader.py --separator ,    # 1,234 (European format)
python disto_reader.py -s ,             # Short form

Useful for European locales where comma is the standard decimal separator.

Active Mode

Trigger measurements from PC (interactive interface):

python disto_reader.py --active

Available commands:

• m : Measure distance
• a : Measure distance + angle
• l : Turn laser on
• o : Turn laser off
• q : Quit

Full Help

python disto_reader.py --help

Examples

Simple measurements

# Standard passive mode (1s)
python disto_reader.py

# More time to aim (3s)
python disto_reader.py --delay 3

Fill a spreadsheet

# Auto-type with 2s delay
python disto_reader.py --auto-type --delay 2

# Auto-type with comma separator (European format)
python disto_reader.py -t -s ,

# Combine all options: auto-type, 2s delay, comma separator
python disto_reader.py -t -d 2 -s ,

Control from PC

python disto_reader.py --active

Data Format

Measurements

• Format: Number with 3 decimals (e.g., 1.234 or 1,234)
• Supported units: m, ft, in, mm, yd, ft+in
• Decimal separator: Configurable via --separator (dot or comma)

Auto-type

• Typed format: X.XXX or X,XXX (no unit, based on separator setting)
• Default separator: Decimal point . (use -s , for comma)
• Validation: Automatic Enter key press

BLE Protocol

The script implements Leica's proprietary BLE protocol:

• Service UUID: 3ab10100-f831-4395-b29d-570977d5bf94
• Characteristics:
  • Distance: 3ab10101-... (Float 4 bytes, Little Endian)
  • Unit: 3ab10102-... (Integer 1 byte)
  • Command: 3ab10109-... (ASCII strings)

For more details, see CLAUDE.md.

Troubleshooting

Device not found

• Check that DISTO is powered on
• Check that Bluetooth is enabled: bluetoothctl power on
• Make sure DISTO is not connected to another device
• Try with sudo (may fix some permission issues)

Auto-type doesn't work

Check your environment:

echo $XDG_SESSION_TYPE  # x11 or wayland

On X11

Auto-type should work perfectly. ✅

On Wayland

• XWayland apps: Auto-type works normally (VS Code, many Electron apps, older applications)
• Wayland native apps: Limited support - may not work in LibreOffice, Chromium, etc.

Solutions for Wayland:

1. Use X11 mode (recommended if you need full auto-type support):

   # Log out and select "GNOME on Xorg" or "KDE Plasma (X11)" at login screen

2. Use XWayland apps when possible (many apps use XWayland by default)

3. Manual entry: If auto-type doesn't work, measurements are still displayed on screen for manual entry

Bluetooth permission errors

# Option 1: Run with sudo (temporary)
sudo python disto_reader.py

# Option 2: Add user to bluetooth group (permanent)
sudo usermod -aG bluetooth $USER
# Then logout and login

Timeout or missing measurements

• Increase delay: --delay 2
• Check distance between PC and DISTO (Bluetooth range ~10m)
• Avoid metal obstacles between them

Architecture

disto_reader.py
├── BLE Scan (DISTO discovery)
├── GATT Connection
├── Notification setup (critical timing: 950ms + 100ms)
├── Passive Mode (automatic timer)
│   ├── Button press detection → Measurement ignored
│   ├── Immediate laser activation
│   ├── Configurable wait (default: 1s)
│   └── Automatic measurement → Display + auto-type
└── Active Mode (manual commands)
    └── Interactive interface

Contributing

This project was developed by analyzing the official Leica DISTO Android APK through decompilation (jadx).

License

Personal and educational use.

Authors

Developed with assistance from Claude (Anthropic) by analyzing the BLE protocol from the official Android application.

References

• CLAUDE.md - Detailed BLE protocol documentation
• Official Android app: leica.disto.transferBLE (version 1.20)
• Protocol: BLE GATT with Leica proprietary service