getting-started.md

title	page_title	description	slug	tags	published	position
Getting Started	Getting Started	Check our "Getting Started" documentation article for the RadOutlookBar {{ site.framework_name }} control.	radoutlookbar-getting-started	getting,started	true	1

Getting Started with {{ site.framework_name }} OutlookBar

Adding Telerik Assemblies Using NuGet

To use RadOutlookBar when working with NuGet packages, install the Telerik.Windows.Controls.Navigation.for.Wpf.Xaml package. The [package name may vary]({%slug nuget-available-packages%}) slightly based on the Telerik dlls set - [Xaml or NoXaml]({%slug xaml-vs-noxaml%})

Read more about NuGet installation in the [Installing UI for WPF from NuGet Package]({%slug nuget-installation%}) article.

tip With the 2025 Q1 release, the Telerik UI for WPF has a new licensing mechanism. You can learn more about it [here]({%slug installing-license-key%}).

Adding Assembly References Manually

If you are not using NuGet packages, you can add a reference to the following assemblies:

• Telerik.Licensing.Runtime
• Telerik.Windows.Controls
• Telerik.Windows.Controls.Navigation
• Telerik.Windows.Data

You can find the required assemblies for each control from the suite in the {% if site.site_name == 'Silverlight' %}[Controls Dependencies]({%slug installation-installing-controls-dependencies%}){% else %}[Controls Dependencies]({%slug installation-installing-controls-dependencies-wpf%}){% endif %} help article.

Adding the RadOutlookBar to the Project

[XAML] Example 1

{{region xaml-radoutlookbar-getting-started_0}} telerik:RadOutlookBar <telerik:RadOutlookBarItem Header="Item 1" Icon="Letter.png"> </telerik:RadOutlookBarItem> <telerik:RadOutlookBarItem Header="Item 2" Icon="Letter.png" IsSelected="True"> </telerik:RadOutlookBarItem> <telerik:RadOutlookBarItem Header="Item 3" Icon="Letter.png"> </telerik:RadOutlookBarItem> </telerik:RadOutlookBar> {{endregion}}

Selecting item

By default the first item will be selected. In order to select another item you can use the IsSelected property.

[XAML] Example 2

{{region xaml-radoutlookbar-getting-started_1}} <telerik:RadOutlookBar > <telerik:RadOutlookBarItem Header="Item 1"> </telerik:RadOutlookBarItem> <telerik:RadOutlookBarItem Header="Item 2"> </telerik:RadOutlookBarItem> <telerik:RadOutlookBarItem Header="Item 3"> </telerik:RadOutlookBarItem> </telerik:RadOutlookBar> {{endregion}}

Handling changes in the selection

To handle the changes in the selection you can use the SelectionChanged event of the RadOutlookBar:

[XAML] Example 3

{{region xaml-radoutlookbar-getting-started_2}} <telerik:RadOutlookBar x:Name="RadOutlookBar1" SelectionChanged="RadOutlookBar1_SelectionChanged"> <telerik:RadOutlookBarItem Header="Item 1" Icon="Letter.png"> </telerik:RadOutlookBarItem> <telerik:RadOutlookBarItem Header="Item 2" Icon="Letter.png" IsSelected="True"> </telerik:RadOutlookBarItem> <telerik:RadOutlookBarItem Header="Item 3" Icon="Letter.png"> </telerik:RadOutlookBarItem> </telerik:RadOutlookBar> {{endregion}}

[C#] Example 4

{{region cs-radoutlookbar-getting-started_3}} private void RadOutlookBar1_SelectionChanged(object sender, RoutedEventArgs e) { RadOutlookBarItem newSelectedItem = (sender as RadOutlookBar).SelectedItem as RadOutlookBarItem; } {{endregion}}

[VB.NET] Example 4

{{region vb-radoutlookbar-getting-started_3}} Private Sub RadOutlookBar1_SelectionChanged(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As RoutedEventArgs) Dim newSelectedItem As RadOutlookBarItem = TryCast(TryCast(sender, RadOutlookBar).SelectedItem, RadOutlookBarItem) End Sub {{endregion}}

Limiting active items

To limit the number of items that can be displayed in the active area you can use the ActiveItemsMaxCount property:

[XAML] Example 5

{{region xaml-radoutlookbar-getting-started_4}} <telerik:RadOutlookBar ActiveItemsMaxCount="2"> <telerik:RadOutlookBarItem Header="Item 1" Icon="Letter.png"> </telerik:RadOutlookBarItem> <telerik:RadOutlookBarItem Header="Item 2" Icon="Letter.png" IsSelected="True"> </telerik:RadOutlookBarItem> <telerik:RadOutlookBarItem Header="Item 3" Icon="Letter.png"> </telerik:RadOutlookBarItem> </telerik:RadOutlookBar> {{endregion}}

Setting a Theme

The controls from our suite support different themes. You can see how to apply a theme different than the default one in the [Setting a Theme]({%slug styling-apperance-implicit-styles-overview%}) help article.

important Changing the theme using implicit styles will affect all controls that have styles defined in the merged resource dictionaries. This is applicable only for the controls in the scope in which the resources are merged.

To change the theme, you can follow the steps below:

• Choose between the themes and add reference to the corresponding theme assembly (ex: Telerik.Windows.Themes.Windows8.dll). You can see the different themes applied in the Theming examples from our {% if site.site_name == 'WPF' %}WPF Controls Examples{% else %}Silverlight Controls Examples{% endif %} application.

• Merge the ResourceDictionaries with the namespace required for the controls that you are using from the theme assembly. For the RadOutlookBar, you will need to merge the following resources:

  • Telerik.Windows.Controls
  • Telerik.Windows.Controls.Navigation

Example 6 demonstrates how to merge the ResourceDictionaries so that they are applied globally for the entire application.

[XAML] Example 6: Merge the ResourceDictionaries

{{region radoutlookbar-getting-started_6}} <Application.Resources> <ResourceDictionary.MergedDictionaries> </ResourceDictionary.MergedDictionaries> </Application.Resources> {{endregion}}

Alternatively, you can use the theme of the control via the {% if site.site_name == 'WPF' %}StyleManager{% else %}StyleManager{% endif %}.

Figure 2 shows a RadOutlookBar with the Windows8 theme applied.

Figure 2: RadOutlookBar with the Windows8 theme

{% if site.site_name == 'WPF' %}

Telerik UI for WPF Learning Resources

• Telerik UI for WPF OutlookBar Component
• [Getting Started with Telerik UI for WPF Components]({%slug getting-started-first-steps%})
• [Telerik UI for WPF Installation]({%slug installation-installing-which-file-do-i-need%})
• [Telerik UI for WPF and WinForms Integration]({%slug winforms-integration%})
• [Telerik UI for WPF Visual Studio Templates]({%slug visual-studio-templates%})
• [Setting a Theme with Telerik UI for WPF]({%slug styling-apperance-implicit-styles-overview%})
• Telerik UI for WPF Virtual Classroom (Training Courses for Registered Users)
• Telerik UI for WPF License Agreement {% endif %}

See Also

• [Visual Structure]({%slug radoutlookbar-visual-structure%})
• [Resizing]({%slug radoutlookbar-resizing%})
• [Selection]({%slug radoutlookbar-selection%})
• [Events]({%slug radoutlookbar-events%})