> ## Documentation Index > Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://devdocs.xbox.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further. # Quickstart GDK > Add the PlayFab Services C SDK extension library to a Microsoft GDK title and make your first PlayFab API call from XBOX or Windows GDK code. # Quickstart: GDK Get started with the PlayFab Services SDK for the Microsoft Game Development Kit (GDK). Follow these steps to include the libraries in your project and try out the sample code for basic PlayFab functionality. This quickstart helps you make your first PlayFab API call using the GDK. Before continuing, make sure you've completed the steps in [Quickstart: Game Manager](/services/playfab/live-service-management/gamemanager/quickstart), which ensure you have a PlayFab account and are familiar with the PlayFab Game Manager. ## Requirements * A [PlayFab developer account](https://developer.playfab.com). * [Visual Studio 2019 or 2022](https://visualstudio.microsoft.com/) installed. * For more information on Visual Studio requirements for GDK development, see [SDK & tools requirements](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/gaming/gdk/_content/gc/getstarted/overviews/sdk-and-tools#install-visual-studio). ## Project setup Similar to other GDK extension libraries, add the PlayFab Services SDK through project properties. In your project's Configuration Properties, under **Gaming Desktop** > **General**, select **Gaming Extension Libraries**. From the prompt, check **PlayFab.Services.C**. Select PlayFab.Services.C Extension Library ## Init and Logging in ### Headers Include **PFServices.h** to get access to all included PlayFab functionality: ```cpp theme={null} #include ``` ### Initialization PlayFab initialization requires two function calls: **PFServicesInitialize** and **PFServiceConfigCreateHandle**. The result of this initialization is a **PFServiceConfigHandle**. You provide this handle to a subsequent login call, directing the call to the correct title in the PlayFab backend. ```cpp theme={null} HRESULT hr = PFServicesInitialize(nullptr); // Add your own error handling when FAILED(hr) == true PFServiceConfigHandle serviceConfigHandle{ nullptr }; hr = PFServiceConfigCreateHandle( "https://ABCDEF.playfabapi.com", // PlayFab API endpoint - obtained in the Game Manager "ABCDEF", // PlayFab Title id - obtained in the Game Manager &serviceConfigHandle); ``` ### Logging in Once you have a **PFServiceConfigHandle**, you can use it to make a player login call. In the GDK, use **PFAuthenticationLoginWithXUserAsync**. This function allows you to log in a player to PlayFab using an **XUserHandle**. To learn more about acquiring and managing an **XUserHandle** see [User Identity and XUser](/build/core-features/common/user/player-identity-xuser). After making a login call, you can check the status of the call with **XAsyncGetStatus**. The status starts as **E\_PENDING** and changes to **S\_OK** after the call completes successfully. If the call fails for some reason, the status reflects that failure. Error handling on all PlayFab Services calls works this way. Along with an **S\_OK** result, you get back a **PFEntityHandle**. You use this handle to make subsequent PlayFab calls as the logged in player. It includes any material required to authenticate with the PlayFab service as that player. ```cpp theme={null} PFAuthenticationLoginWithXUserRequest request{}; request.createAccount = true; request.user = userHandle; // An XUserHandle obtained from XUserAddAsync XAsyncBlock async{}; HRESULT hr = PFAuthenticationLoginWithXUserAsync(serviceConfigHandle, &request, &async); // Add your own error handling when FAILED(hr) == true hr = XAsyncGetStatus(&async, true); // This is doing a blocking wait for completion, but you can use the XAsyncBlock to set a callback instead for async style usage std::vector loginResultBuffer; PFAuthenticationLoginResult const* loginResult; size_t bufferSize; hr = PFAuthenticationLoginWithXUserGetResultSize(&async, &bufferSize); loginResultBuffer.resize(bufferSize); PFEntityHandle entityHandle{ nullptr }; hr = PFAuthenticationLoginWithXUserGetResult(&async, &entityHandle, loginResultBuffer.size(), loginResultBuffer.data(), &loginResult, nullptr); ``` ## Handling suspend and resume GDK games can be suspended for extended periods (for example, via Quick Resume). If the entity token expires during suspension, the SDK detects this on resume and notifies your game. You should register for the **TokenExpiredHandler** early in your game's lifecycle so you can re-authenticate and reconnect services when needed. For full details, see [Handling Token Expiration](/services/playfab/sdks/c/relogin). ## Service Calls After logging the player in, you can now make calls to the PlayFab backend. Here's an example of a call to get files stored in PlayFab for the current player. ### Getting the EntityKey One thing that can be useful for some calls to PlayFab is knowing the **PFEntityKey** of the player. Once you have a **PFEntityToken**, you can retrieve a **PFEntityKey** with **PFEntityGetEntityKey**. ```cpp theme={null} PFEntityKey const* pEntityKey{}; std::vector entityKeyBuffer; size_t size{}; HRESULT hr = PFEntityGetEntityKeySize(entityHandle, &size); // Add your own error handling when FAILED(hr) == true entityKeyBuffer.resize(size); hr = PFEntityGetEntityKey(entityHandle, entityKeyBuffer.size(), entityKeyBuffer.data(), &pEntityKey, nullptr); ``` ### Calling GetFiles All PlayFab calls follow a similar pattern of preparing the request object, making the call (using the **PFEntityHandle** from login), creating an object to receive the response, and then calling a **GetResult** function to fill the newly created container. ```cpp theme={null} XAsyncBlock async{}; PFDataGetFilesRequest requestFiles{}; requestFiles.entity = pEntityKey; HRESULT hr = PFDataGetFilesAsync(entityHandle, &requestFiles, &async); // Add your own error handling when FAILED(hr) == true hr = XAsyncGetStatus(&async, true); // This is doing a blocking wait for completion, but you can use the XAsyncBlock to set a callback instead for async style usage size_t resultSize; hr = PFDataGetFilesGetResultSize(&async, &resultSize); std::vector getFilesResultBuffer(resultSize); PFDataGetFilesResponse* getFilesResponseResult{ nullptr }; hr = PFDataGetFilesGetResult(&async, getFilesResultBuffer.size(), getFilesResultBuffer.data(), &getFilesResponseResult, nullptr); ``` ## Clean up When your game is ready to shut down or you need to clean up PlayFab for some other reason, ensure you close all open handles and call **PFServicesUninitializeAsync**. ```cpp theme={null} PFEntityCloseHandle(entityHandle); entityHandle = nullptr; PFServiceConfigCloseHandle(serviceConfigHandle); serviceConfigHandle = nullptr; XAsyncBlock async{}; HRESULT hr = PFServicesUninitializeAsync(&async); // Add your own error handling when FAILED(hr) == true hr = XAsyncGetStatus(&async, true); // This is doing a blocking wait for completion, but you can use the XAsyncBlock to set a callback instead for async style usage ``` ## Async API pattern The PlayFab Services SDK for the GDK follows the [Asynchronous Programming Model](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/gaming/gdk/_content/gc/system/overviews/async-programming-model) implemented in the GDK. This programming model involves the use of Tasks and Task Queues provided by the [XAsync library](/build/core-features/common/async/async-libraries/async-library-xasync). This model is consistent with other GDK functions and extensions (such as the XBOX Services API). While it does introduce some complexity, it also brings a high degree of control over asynchronous operations. This example shows how to make an asynchronous call to **PFDataGetFilesAsync**. ```cpp theme={null} auto async = std::make_unique(); async->callback = [](XAsyncBlock* async) { std::unique_ptr asyncBlockPtr{ async }; // take ownership of XAsyncBlock size_t resultSize; HRESULT hr = PFDataGetFilesGetResultSize(async, &resultSize); if (SUCCEEDED(hr)) { std::vector getFilesResultBuffer(resultSize); PFDataGetFilesResponse* getFilesResponseResult{ nullptr }; PFDataGetFilesGetResult(async, getFilesResultBuffer.size(), getFilesResultBuffer.data(), &getFilesResponseResult, nullptr); } }; PFDataGetFilesRequest requestFiles{}; requestFiles.entity = m_pEntityKey; HRESULT hr = PFDataGetFilesAsync(m_entityHandle, &requestFiles, async.get()); if (SUCCEEDED(hr)) { async.release(); // at this point, the callback will be called so release the unique ptr } ``` ## Error handling Completed **XAsync** operations return HTTP status codes. An error status code manifests as a failure **HRESULT** such as **HTTP\_E\_STATUS\_NOT\_FOUND** when calling **XAsyncGetStatus()** or one of the **PF\*Get()** APIs. To see detailed error messages returned by the service see the next section on debugging. These detailed error messages can be useful during development to better understand how the PlayFab service reacts to requests from the client. ## Debugging The easiest way to see the results and debug any calls in the PlayFab Services SDK is to enable [Debug Tracing](/services/playfab/sdks/c/tracing). Enabling debug tracing allows you to both see the results in the debugger output window and hook the results into your game's own logs. ## Reference [API reference documentation](/services/playfab/api-references/c/pfauthentication/pfauthentication_members) ## Related topics - [Quickstart C/C++ for GDK](/services/playfab/sdks/playfab-cpp/quickstart-gdk.md) - [Quickstart](/services/playfab/economy-monetization/economy-v2/quickstart.md) - [Quickstart iOS](/services/playfab/sdks/c/quickstart-ios.md) - [Quickstart Linux](/services/playfab/sdks/c/quickstart-linux.md) - [Quickstart Win32](/services/playfab/sdks/c/quickstart-win32.md)