Getting Started

Connect a data source and plot your first signal.

If you would rather be shown than read, the app offers a guided tour once a new install has signed in and joined an organization. It walks one real investigation end to end against a simulated site. Nothing it shows you is written to disk or sent anywhere, and it removes everything it made when it ends.

Initial Setup

Authentication

On first launch, choose your authentication method:

Choose your preferred authentication method.

OAuth Providers

1. Click your provider - GitHub, Google, or Microsoft
2. Authorize in browser - Review permissions and approve
3. Return to app - Authentication completes automatically

The browser shows Login Successful when the app has your session. Close the window and return to Zelos.

Device Code

Eight-character code for device verification.

1. Click Log in with code
2. Copy the 8-character code (shown as T9WK-VR2P)
3. On any device, open the URL the app shows — https://console2.zeloscloud.io/device
4. Enter the code and approve the device

Codes aren't case-sensitive.

Confirm the device.

Organization access

The first time you sign in without an organization, Zelos asks you to create one or join your team. You can come back to it later from Set up your organization on Home or in Settings. See Organizations.

After authentication, the app will:

• Create a default workspace - Your starting point for visualization
• Check for updates - Ensure you have the latest features
• Initialize local storage - Set up configuration and cache
• Start the local agent - Enable data reception on port 2300

Interface Overview

The app interface consists of:

• Command Palette (Cmd+K / Ctrl+K) - Run commands from anywhere in the app
• Left Sidebar (Cmd+\ / Ctrl+\) - Browse signals, actions, extensions, and notebooks; launch Settings and app extensions from its rail
• Main Area - Workspace tabs for panel layouts, notebooks, Settings, and app extensions
• Right Sidebar (Cmd+J / Ctrl+J) - Manage layouts, connections, and AI chat
• Timeline (bottom) - Navigate time and control playback

All sidebars are resizable and their states persist across sessions.

Basic Workflow

Step 1: Connect to Data

You have two options for getting data into the app:

Option A: Live Connection

Connect to a running agent streaming real-time data:

1. Click Connect localhost on Home
2. The app connects to localhost:2300 by default
3. Your signal tree (left sidebar) populates with available data

Remote Agents:

To connect to a remote agent:

1. Open the right sidebar (Cmd+J / Ctrl+J)
2. Go to the Data Sources section
3. Click New agent (it reads Add agent once one is connected)
4. Enter the agent address (e.g., 192.168.1.100:2300)
5. Press Enter or click "Connect"

Your connection is saved for quick access later.

Option B: Open a Trace File

Load previously recorded data for analysis:

1. Click Open trace on Home, the welcome screen Zelos opens to
2. Select your .trz file
3. The timeline adjusts to the trace's time range
4. Workspace switches to Trace mode

Quick Open

Double-click any .trz file to automatically launch the app and load the trace.

Step 2: Visualize Data

Once connected, add signals from the left sidebar to create visualizations:

Adding Signals

The Explorer view in the left sidebar lists every source, message, and signal:

📁 Source
  └── 📁 Event
      └── 📊 Field

Quick Methods:

Drag & Drop

1. Expand sources and events to find your field
2. Drag a field to the workspace
3. Drop it into an existing panel to add it there, or drop it on empty layout space / a row boundary to create a new Plot panel automatically

Double-Click

• Double-click any field to create a new Plot panel with that signal

Multi-Select

• Cmd+Click / Ctrl+Click to select multiple fields
• Drag any selected field to add them all at once

Folder Drag

Drag entire folders to add all signals within. This works at any level (source, event, or folder).

Starting with other panel types

Signal-first interactions create Plot panels. If you want to start with a Table, Log, or Value panel, use Add Panel in the timeline toolbar first, then drag signals into that panel.

Your first panel appears with the signal plotted over time. If it lands below the visible part of the current layout, Zelos scrolls it into view and briefly outlines it so you can see where it was added. Zelos stores the most portable binding it can for that panel, so the view is easier to reload and reuse later.

Essential Concepts

Workspaces, Tabs, and Panels

• Workspace: Your entire Zelos session, auto-saved continuously
• Tabs: Different views within a workspace (like browser tabs)
• Panels: Individual visualizations within a tab

Workspace
├── Tab 1: "System Overview"
│   ├── Plot Panel: CPU & Memory
│   ├── Table Panel: Current Values
│   └── Log Panel: System Events
└── Tab 2: "Detailed Analysis"
    ├── Plot Panel: All Sensors
    └── Plot Panel: Derived Metrics

Live Mode vs Trace Mode

Aspect	Live Mode	Trace Mode
Data Source	Real-time stream	Recorded file
Time Range	Moving window	Fixed range
Playback	Play/pause current data	Navigate entire recording
Use Case	Active debugging	Post-mortem analysis

Signal Organization

Signals follow a hierarchical structure with support for nested events:

Source (Device/Application)
└── Event (Logical Group, supports nesting)
    └── Field (Individual Value)

Example: robot/motors/left.rpm

• Source: robot
• Event: motors/left (nested events)
• Field: rpm

Events can be nested to organize related data logically.

Account Management

Check Your Status

Open Settings (gear icon in the sidebar rail). Your team sits at the top of the settings sidebar and your account at the bottom. See Team and account.

Once signed in, you can:

• Save and share layouts - Layouts sync to Zelos Cloud so your team can use them
• Access team layouts - Use layouts created by your team
• Upload traces and publish notebooks - Keep them in your organization's cloud storage and share them by link
• Carry your identity - Your account and team membership follow you to any machine you sign in on; local preferences (theme, panel defaults) stay with each installation

Sign Out

1. Click Settings in the sidebar rail
2. Click your account row at the bottom of the settings sidebar
3. Pick Log out — it takes effect immediately

Local Work Preserved

Signing out doesn't delete local workspaces. Your work remains on your computer.

What's Next?

Now that you've created your first visualization, explore these key features:

• Workspace

  Master tabs, modes, and workspace management

• Sidebars

  Discover all sidebar features and shortcuts

• Panels

  Explore Plot, Table, Value, Log, and Action panels

• Command Palette

  Open one launcher for tabs, timeline, settings, and more

• Layouts

  Save and share panel arrangements with your team

• Timeline

  Navigate time ranges and control playback

• Search

  Use powerful glob patterns to find signals