.NET 8 WinForms News

Manage Metadata in PDF Documents

June 26, 2026
Provide WinForms applications with the ability to programmatically manage standard PDF document properties and XMP metadata.

Managing the metadata of PDF documents involves viewing and maintaining information embedded within a PDF file, including standard document properties such as the title, author, subject, keywords, and creation date, as well as custom metadata. Maintaining accurate metadata helps improve document organization, supports search and indexing, simplifies document management, and assists with compliance and record-keeping by ensuring descriptive information remains consistent throughout a document's life cycle.

Several WinForms PDF components allow you to manage metadata, including:

  • ComponentOne WinForms PDF (part of ComponentOne Studio WinForms by MESCIUS) includes standard PDF property management for title, author, subject, and more.
  • ImageGear for .NET by Accusoft supports reading, updating, and writing standard PDF document information and Extensible Metadata Platform (XMP) metadata.
  • XFINIUM.PDF CROSS PLATFORM EDITION supports managing standard PDF document information, custom document properties, and XMP metadata.
  • Syncfusion WinForms PDF (part of Syncfusion Essential Studio Enterprise) lets you manage PDF properties and XMP metadata, including to create, edit, and remove metadata.

For an in-depth analysis of features and price, visit our comparison of WinForms PDF components.

Compare WinForms PDF Components

Convert Web Content to PDF

June 24, 2026
Generate professional PDF documents from HTML while preserving layouts, styling, and images for consistent cross-platform output.

Convert HTML to PDF is a feature in a .NET PDF Viewer component that enables developers to generate PDF documents from HTML content, including text, images, styles, and web-based layouts, while preserving the original formatting. It is commonly used for creating reports, invoices, forms, and archived web content directly within .NET applications. The capability helps maintain consistent document presentation across platforms, supports automated document generation workflows, reduces the need for manual formatting, and allows existing HTML and CSS assets to be reused when producing professional-quality PDF output.

Several .NET PDF components offer convert HTML to PDF including:

  • Document Solutions for PDF .NET by MESCIUS lets you convert HTML content into PDF documents while preserving layouts, styling, images, and formatting accuracy.
  • Telerik UI for WinForms PDF Viewer (part of Telerik UI for WinForms) allows you to display and review PDF files generated from HTML content within WinForms applications.
  • Syncfusion WinForms PDF Viewer (part of Syncfusion Essential Studio Enterprise) facilitates viewing and validating PDF documents created from HTML sources, helping ensure accurate rendering results.

For an in-depth analysis of features and price, visit our comparison of .NET PDF components.

Compare .NET PDF Components

Integrate AI Faster with a Unified LLM Interface

June 22, 2026
SocketTools Subscription connects your applications to cloud and local AI models through a single consistent API.

SocketTools Subscription is a comprehensive suite of Internet components and libraries for Windows development, providing access to every .NET class, ActiveX control, and native Windows library across all SocketTools editions. It enables developers to add networking, security, file transfer, email, web services, and AI capabilities to applications more quickly and with less complexity. Ideal for both modern and legacy software projects, the subscription helps streamline development while providing unlimited priority technical support and free upgrades to new releases.

The SocketTools Subscription new version introduces a Large Language Model client that simplifies the integration of AI capabilities into Windows applications by providing a single, consistent API for connecting to both cloud based and locally hosted AI models. This reduces development effort by eliminating the need to implement and maintain provider specific integrations while handling common tasks such as authentication, conversation management, and token tracking. As a result, developers can more quickly add features such as intelligent assistants, content generation, document summarization, natural language search, and workflow automation while retaining the flexibility to support different AI providers and deployment environments as requirements evolve.

To see a full list of what's new in the latest version, see our release notes.

SocketTools Subscription is licensed per developer and is available as a perpetual license with or without 1 year priority support subscription. See our SocketTools Subscription licensing page for full details.

For more information, visit our SocketTools Subscription product page.

Support Global Users with Multilingual Print Preview

June 22, 2026
LightningChart .NET helps developers create more accessible and localized printing experiences for international audiences.

LightningChart .NET is a high-performance data visualization library designed for .NET developers working with WPF, WinForms, and UWP applications. It offers GPU-accelerated rendering for smooth real-time visualization of massive datasets, exceeding billions of data points. This library supports a wide variety of chart types, including 2D, 3D, polar, and geographic maps, along with extensive customization options for each. LightningChart .NET is a powerful tool for developers creating demanding data visualization applications requiring exceptional performance.

LightningChart .NET provides multilingual support for the WinForms Print Preview dialog, enabling developers to deliver a more localized and user friendly printing experience for international users. With support for English, German, and Finnish, and the option to add additional languages upon request, applications can better meet regional requirements, improve usability, and reduce the learning curve for users working in their preferred language.

LightningChart .NET is available per developer in packages for either WPF, WinForms, UWP or all 3. Each package comes as a subscription license (with 1 or 2 years of limited support), or a perpetual license (with 1 or 2 years of Standard or Premium support). Floating licenses and site licenses are available upon request. See our LightningChart .NET licensing page for full details.

Learn more on our LightningChart .NET product page.

Change the Shape and Design of QR Code Modules

June 19, 2026
FastReport .NET Ultimate enables customizable QR code shapes, angles, and density for more engaging and visually appealing codes.

FastReport .NET Ultimate is a comprehensive reporting solution for developers working within the Microsoft .NET ecosystem. It supports the creation, design, and delivery of rich, interactive reports across Windows Forms, ASP.NET, MVC, and .NET Core applications. The Ultimate edition includes server deployment capabilities and extensive export options, such as PDF, Excel, Word, and HTML. It connects to various data sources, including SQL databases and business objects, providing flexibility for enterprise-level reporting. With the integrated FastReport Online Designer, users can edit reports directly in their browsers, enabling efficient collaboration and modern, full-featured report design across both desktop and web platforms.

FastReport .NET Ultimate offers developers flexibility when generating QR codes, making it easier to adapt their appearance to different applications, reports, and branding requirements. By supporting a wider range of visual styles directly within the reporting engine, it enables teams to create QR codes that integrate more naturally into user interfaces, printed documents, dashboards, and customer facing materials. This helps produce more polished and professional output while maintaining compatibility, readability, and reliable scanning across standard QR code readers and devices.

FastReport .NET Ultimate is licensed per named user and is available as a perpetual license with a one-year subscription for updates and support. See our FastReport .NET Ultimate licensing page for full details.

For more information, visit our FastReport .NET Ultimate product page.