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4 changes: 2 additions & 2 deletions ai-coding-assistant/mcp-server.md
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Expand Up @@ -76,13 +76,13 @@ The Telerik WinForms [MCP (Model Context Protocol) Server](https://modelcontextp

### Install with Telerik CLI (Recommended)

The easiest way to install and configure the Telerik WinForms MCP Server is through the [Telerik CLI]({%slug winforms/getting-started/telerik-cli%}). A single command line sets up the MCP server for your IDE automatically:
The easiest way to install and configure the Telerik WinForms MCP Server is through the [Telerik CLI]({%slug telerik-cli%}). A single command line sets up the MCP server for your IDE automatically:

```powershell
telerik mcp config winforms
```

This command automatically creates or updates the `.mcp.json` configuration file for all supported IDEs. You can also specify a target IDE with the `--ide` option (for example, `telerik mcp config winforms --ide vscode`). For more details, see [Telerik CLI - Install MCP Server]({%slug winforms/getting-started/telerik-cli%}#install-mcp-server).
This command automatically creates or updates the `.mcp.json` configuration file for all supported IDEs. You can also specify a target IDE with the `--ide` option (for example, `telerik mcp config winforms --ide vscode`). For more details, see [Telerik CLI - Install MCP Server]({%slug telerik-cli%}#install-mcp-server).

### Install with .NET CLI Commands

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Expand Up @@ -174,4 +174,4 @@ Keep provider-specific credentials and HTTP calls inside the provider or an appl
* [BingRestMapProvider]({%slug winforms/map/providers/bingrestmapprovider%})
* [CacheProvider]({%slug winforms/map/providers/cacheprovider%})
* [Map Getting Started]({%slug winforms/map/getting-started%})
* [Map Providers Overview]({%slug winforms/map/overview%})
* [Map Providers Overview]({%slug winforms/map%})
16 changes: 14 additions & 2 deletions docs-builder.yml
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Expand Up @@ -142,6 +142,9 @@ meta:
telerik-presentation-framework/events:
title: Events
position: 6
telerik-presentation-framework/developer-focused-examples:
title: Developer Focused Examples
position: 25
telerik-presentation-framework/layout:
title: Layout
position: 5
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styling-and-appearance:
title: Styling and Appearance
position: 11
telerik-presentation-framework/section-508-compliance:
title: Section 508 Compliance
position: 24
telerik-presentation-framework:
title: Telerik Presentation Framework
position: 10
Expand Down Expand Up @@ -1709,9 +1715,15 @@ meta:
getting-started:
title: Getting Started
position: 2
winformslab:
title: WinForms Labs
getting-started/first-steps:
title: First Steps
position: 0
getting-started/video-onboarding:
title: Video Onboarding
position: 1
getting-started/explore-control-features:
title: Explore Tools and Features
position: 2

redirects:
-
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44 changes: 0 additions & 44 deletions getting-started/change-control-appearance.md

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56 changes: 27 additions & 29 deletions getting-started/explore-control-features.md
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---
title: Explore UI for WinForms Control Features
page_title: Explore UI for WinForms Control Features
title: Explore Tools and Features
page_title: Explore Tools and Features
description: This article provides a short overview of how to get started with finding WinForms control functionality and use them.
slug: winforms/getting-started/explore-control-features
tags: get,started,explore,control,features
published: True
position: 1
position: 2
---

# Explore UI for WinForms Control Features
Once you have the controls [working in your project]({%slug winforms/getting-started/first-steps%}), it's time to see what they can do. This article provides a short overview of how to get started with finding control functionality and use them.
# Explore Telerik UI for WinForms Tools and Features

Once you have Telerik UI for WinForms [working in your project]({%slug winforms/getting-started/first-steps%}), explore the tools and design-time features that help you discover, preview, and customize the available controls.

## Demos
To access the **Live Demo** simply click on the Windows Start button and type WinForms Demo.
If you are not able to find the Live Demos using that approach you can also [download the WinForms Live Demos installer](https://telerik-winforms-demos.s3.amazonaws.com/TelerikWinFormsExamplesLauncher.exe) directly.
![Explore Live Demos](images/overview.png "Explore Live Demos")

## Explore properties and tags
You can **explore** the available properties, events and inner tags of any control through the VS **intellisense** to get a quick glimpse of their concepts and availability.
>caption Figure 1: Explore Control Properties in Form Designer
If you do not see the Property window, go to **View > Properties Windows**

![Explore Control Properties in Form Designer](images/control-properties-in-form-designer.png "Explore Control Properties in Form Designer")
### Preview Custom Theme
Using the Live Demo is an easy and fast way to preview different Telerik WinForms control themes.
>caption Figure 1: Live Demo
![Telerik UI for WinForms Live Demo showing available control themes](images/demos-themes.png)

>caption Figure 2: Explore Control Properties in Code-Behind
## ThemeViewer
[ThemeViewer]({% slug winforms/tools/themeviewer %}) is a tool that gives you the ability to preview a custom or a predefined theme for all controls of the suite. It can be started from the Live Demo under Featured Applications.
>caption Figure 2: ThemeViewer
![Telerik UI for WinForms ThemeViewer previewing predefined and custom control themes](images/tools-themeviewer001.png)

![Explore Control Properties in Code-Behind](images/control-properties-in-code-behind.png "Explore Control Properties in Code-Behind")

## Documentation
In addition to that, the **documentation** provides a section for each control that contains help articles **on distinct features and API reference**.
## Custom Shapes

>caption Figure 3: Typical control documentation structure
The [Custom Shape Editor]({% slug winforms/tools/shapeeditor %}) provides an easy way for creating all kinds of custom shapes only by adding, removing and dragging the points which represent the shape.
>caption Figure 3: Custom Shape Editor
![Telerik UI for WinForms Custom Shape Editor for creating and editing control shapes](images/tools-shapeeditor-overview001.png)

![Typical control documentation structure](images/typical-control-docs-structure.png "Typical control documentation structure")
## Change Control Appearance

## Design-time
[Visual Style Builder]({% slug winforms/tools/visual-style-builder %}) is a stand alone application that allows you to create custom or edit predefined themes. Using Visual Style Builder you can alter, at design-time or run time, a predefined set of properties of a control. Because all Telerik controls are composed of primitives, this customization can be applied at a very fine level of detail.
>caption Figure 4: Visual Style Builder Tool
![Telerik UI for WinForms Visual Style Builder for customizing control themes and properties](images/tools-visual-style-builder-overview.png)

Last, but not least, some most common tasks and configuration options are available under the [**Design Time**]({% slug winforms/buttons/dropdownbutton/design-time %}) folder of each control.
## Design Time Support

>caption Figure 4: Smart Tag features
You can explore the properties, events, and inner tags exposed by a control directly in Visual Studio through the **Properties** window and IntelliSense. This gives you a quick overview of each control's capabilities.

![Smart Tag features](images/smart-tag-features.png "Smart Tag features")
## Next Steps

Below you can find guidance on changing the control appearance as well as next steps:
>caption Figure 1: Explore Control Properties in Form Designer

* [Preview and Change control appearance]({%slug winforms/getting-started/change-control-appearance%})
* [Continue with WinForms next steps]({%slug winforms/getting-started/next-steps%})
![Explore Control Properties in Code-Behind](images/control-properties-in-code-behind.png "Explore Control Properties in Code-Behind")

## See Also

* [First Steps]({%slug winforms/getting-started/first-steps%})
* [Predefined Template Applications](https://www.telerik.com/winforms/winforms-guide)
* [Progress Virtual Classroom](https://www.telerik.com/account/support/virtual-classroom)
* [Predefined Template Applications](https://www.telerik.com/winforms/winforms-guide)
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