Using the SDK Documentation

To orient you on how to navigate the PHP SDK documentation, it would be helpful to follow the documentation through the steps of getting the name of a person in the Family Tree.

Activity: Open the PHP SDK documentation and enter FamilySearchClient in the Search box to find and display the FamilySearchClient class. From there follow the states listed in the following steps and locate the methods in the documentation. As you go, notice some of the other methods that are available in the various states. You can also examine tutorial.php or the sample app code to see how to code the methods.

Steps to Instantiate a Client

1. You must first populate a FamilySearchClient class array with an app key, a redirect URI, and an access token. The FamilySearchClient class contains the _construct method along with other methods. Click 'public' and '_construct' to examine the structure of the _construct array in the documentation.

2. With the array populated you must use the PHP "new" command to create a FamilySearchClient class instance (see the tutorial.php file to see how this is done). This places you in the FamilySearchClient state. You must transition from one "class" state to another by executing methods that are in the current state.

Steps to Authenticate

1. Examine the getOAuth2AuthorizationURI() method to familiarize yourself with its parameters and return value. This method directs the user to the FamilySearch login page.

2. Examine the authenticateViaOAuth2AuthCode($code) method and the getAccessToken() getter to familiarize yourself with how to obtain authentication. This method retrieves the authorized access token.

Steps to Get a Name

After authenticating with FamilySearch, the following steps will transition you from state to state in order to obtain information about a person you have identified by person ID.

To follow these steps in the documentation, click the link to the state being transitioned to.

1. Use the familytree() method to transition to the FamilyTreeCollectionState.

2. Use the readPersonById() method to transition to the FamilyTreePersonState.

3. Use the getPerson() method to transition to the Person state. The FamilyTreePersonState inherits the getPerson() method from the PersonState. See the "Methods inherited from Gedcomx\Rs\Client\PersonState" heading and click the link to see the PersonState class and its methods.

4. Use the getDisplayExtension() method to transition to the DisplayProperties state.

   The DisplayProperties state is where you can get (or set) the person's information.

5. Use the getName() method (getter) to get the person's name.

What Next?

You might want to examine the sample app as your next step, or simply get started coding on your own.