diff --git a/changelog.md b/changelog.md
index b4ec99a..1eb05d2 100644
--- a/changelog.md
+++ b/changelog.md
@@ -1,5 +1,13 @@
 # Changelog
 
+## 2025-12-29 - 3.8.0 - feat(dees-appui-base)
+add interactive demo controls to manipulate appui via view activation context
+
+- Store IViewActivationContext on the demo element (this.ctx) during onActivate
+- Add a new "Context Actions" UI section with buttons that call ctx.appui methods (toggle main/secondary menus, content tabs, collapse/expand main menu, set breadcrumbs, navigate to views, add activity entry, set/clear menu badges)
+- Include styles for ctx-actions and button variants (success, danger, hover states)
+- Change is limited to the demo file (dees-appui-base.demo.ts) and is non-breaking
+
 ## 2025-12-29 - 3.7.1 - fix(dees-appui-maincontent)
 migrate main content layout to CSS Grid and enable topbar collapse transitions
 
diff --git a/ts_web/00_commitinfo_data.ts b/ts_web/00_commitinfo_data.ts
index b3deea1..490d99e 100644
--- a/ts_web/00_commitinfo_data.ts
+++ b/ts_web/00_commitinfo_data.ts
@@ -3,6 +3,6 @@
  */
 export const commitinfo = {
   name: '@design.estate/dees-catalog',
-  version: '3.7.1',
+  version: '3.8.0',
   description: 'A comprehensive library that provides dynamic web components for building sophisticated and modern web applications using JavaScript and TypeScript.'
 }
diff --git a/ts_web/elements/00group-appui/dees-appui-base/dees-appui-base.demo.ts b/ts_web/elements/00group-appui/dees-appui-base/dees-appui-base.demo.ts
index 3ab9edb..900ded7 100644
--- a/ts_web/elements/00group-appui/dees-appui-base/dees-appui-base.demo.ts
+++ b/ts_web/elements/00group-appui/dees-appui-base/dees-appui-base.demo.ts
@@ -9,7 +9,10 @@ class DemoDashboardView extends DeesElement {
   @state()
   accessor activated: boolean = false;
 
+  private ctx: IViewActivationContext;
+
   onActivate(context: IViewActivationContext) {
+    this.ctx = context;
     this.activated = true;
     console.log('Dashboard activated with context:', context);
 
@@ -75,6 +78,52 @@ class DemoDashboardView extends DeesElement {
         .metric { font-size: 32px; font-weight: 700; color: #fafafa; }
         .status { display: inline-block; padding: 2px 8px; border-radius: 9px; font-size: 12px; }
         .status.active { background: #14532d; color: #4ade80; }
+
+        .ctx-actions {
+          margin-top: 32px;
+          padding: 24px;
+          background: rgba(255,255,255,0.02);
+          border: 1px solid rgba(255,255,255,0.08);
+          border-radius: 8px;
+        }
+        .ctx-actions h2 { color: #fafafa; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin-bottom: 16px; }
+        .button-grid {
+          display: flex;
+          flex-wrap: wrap;
+          gap: 8px;
+        }
+        .ctx-btn {
+          background: rgba(59, 130, 246, 0.1);
+          border: 1px solid rgba(59, 130, 246, 0.3);
+          color: #60a5fa;
+          padding: 8px 16px;
+          border-radius: 6px;
+          cursor: pointer;
+          font-size: 13px;
+          transition: all 0.15s ease;
+        }
+        .ctx-btn:hover {
+          background: rgba(59, 130, 246, 0.2);
+          border-color: rgba(59, 130, 246, 0.5);
+        }
+        .ctx-btn.danger {
+          background: rgba(239, 68, 68, 0.1);
+          border-color: rgba(239, 68, 68, 0.3);
+          color: #f87171;
+        }
+        .ctx-btn.danger:hover {
+          background: rgba(239, 68, 68, 0.2);
+          border-color: rgba(239, 68, 68, 0.5);
+        }
+        .ctx-btn.success {
+          background: rgba(34, 197, 94, 0.1);
+          border-color: rgba(34, 197, 94, 0.3);
+          color: #4ade80;
+        }
+        .ctx-btn.success:hover {
+          background: rgba(34, 197, 94, 0.2);
+          border-color: rgba(34, 197, 94, 0.5);
+        }
       </style>
       <h1>Dashboard</h1>
       <p>Welcome back! Here's an overview of your system.</p>
@@ -95,6 +144,26 @@ class DemoDashboardView extends DeesElement {
           <p style="color: #737373; font-size: 12px; margin: 0;">All systems operational</p>
         </div>
       </div>
+
+      <div class="ctx-actions">
+        <h2>Context Actions (ctx.appui)</h2>
+        <div class="button-grid">
+          <button class="ctx-btn" @click=${() => this.ctx?.appui.setMainMenuVisible(false)}>Hide Main Menu</button>
+          <button class="ctx-btn success" @click=${() => this.ctx?.appui.setMainMenuVisible(true)}>Show Main Menu</button>
+          <button class="ctx-btn" @click=${() => this.ctx?.appui.setSecondaryMenuVisible(false)}>Hide Secondary Menu</button>
+          <button class="ctx-btn success" @click=${() => this.ctx?.appui.setSecondaryMenuVisible(true)}>Show Secondary Menu</button>
+          <button class="ctx-btn" @click=${() => this.ctx?.appui.setContentTabsVisible(false)}>Hide Content Tabs</button>
+          <button class="ctx-btn success" @click=${() => this.ctx?.appui.setContentTabsVisible(true)}>Show Content Tabs</button>
+          <button class="ctx-btn" @click=${() => this.ctx?.appui.setMainMenuCollapsed(true)}>Collapse Main Menu</button>
+          <button class="ctx-btn success" @click=${() => this.ctx?.appui.setMainMenuCollapsed(false)}>Expand Main Menu</button>
+          <button class="ctx-btn" @click=${() => this.ctx?.appui.setBreadcrumbs(['Dashboard', 'Overview', 'Stats'])}>Set Breadcrumbs</button>
+          <button class="ctx-btn" @click=${() => this.ctx?.appui.navigateToView('projects')}>Go to Projects</button>
+          <button class="ctx-btn" @click=${() => this.ctx?.appui.navigateToView('settings', { section: 'security' })}>Go to Settings/Security</button>
+          <button class="ctx-btn" @click=${() => this.ctx?.appui.activityLog.add({ type: 'custom', user: 'Demo User', message: 'Button clicked from ctx!', iconName: 'lucide:mouse-pointer-click' })}>Add Activity Entry</button>
+          <button class="ctx-btn" @click=${() => this.ctx?.appui.setMainMenuBadge('tasks', 99)}>Set Tasks Badge to 99</button>
+          <button class="ctx-btn danger" @click=${() => this.ctx?.appui.clearMainMenuBadge('tasks')}>Clear Tasks Badge</button>
+        </div>
+      </div>
     `;
   }
 }