Implementation Steps

The SDK must be initialised in your AppDelegate

To implement the SDK’s Standalone flow within your app, please use the following steps:

Initialise the SDK in your App Delegate

import CarTrawlerSDK

// In application(_:didFinishLaunchingWithOptions:)
CarTrawlerSDK.sharedInstance().initialiseSDK(with: nil,
                               customParameters: nil,
                               production: false)

The production parameter must be set to true when submitting your app to the AppStore.

style: An optional CTStyle object, used to set the fonts as well as the primary, secondary, and accent colors in the SDK. Please ensure any custom fonts used are included in your main bundle.

customParameters: An optional dictionary of parameters, custom to a particular partner. Pass nil unless CarTrawler has given you values to use.

For a full list of property descriptions, please click here

Initialise the CTContext object with the required parameters

This can be done in the view controller the SDK will be presented from.

The implementationID is needed by the SDK to fetch partner specific configuration.

import CarTrawlerSDK
let context = CTContext(implementationID: "your implementation ID", 
                        clientID: "your client ID", 
                        flow: .standAlone)
context.countryCode = "IE" // The country code associated with the device’s system region is used by default.
context.currencyCode = "EUR" // The currency associated with the device’s system region is used by default.
context.languageCode = "EN" // The language associated with the device’s system region is used by default.

The above properties are required, and the countryCode property refers to the country of residency. This is used to make search requests.

Object Description

class CTContext: NSObject {
  let implementationID: String
  let clientID: String
  let flowType: CTFlowType
  let countryCode: String
  let currencyCode: String
  let languageCode: String
  let pickupDate: Date
  let dropOffDate: Date
  let pickupLocation: String
  let dropOffLocation: String
  let pickupLocationID: String
  let dropOffLocationID: String
  let pinnedVehicleID: String
  let passenger: CTPassenger
  let loyaltyToken: String
  let orderID: String
  let flightDetails: CTFlightDetails
  let utmParameters: CTUTMParameters
  let pickupLocationCoordinate: CLLocationCoordinate2D
  let dropOffLocationCoordinate: CLLocationCoordinate2D
}

Click here for an in depth explanation of CTContext’s properties.

Present the SDK via Modal or Push Presentation

The SDK presents the CarTrawler web booking flow configured for your implementationID. The search, vehicle list, extras, insurance, payment and confirmation steps are all rendered by the web booking flow.

In the view controller you wish to present the SDK from, add the following code after configuring your CTContext:

let viewController = UIViewController()
CarTrawlerSDK.sharedInstance().present(from: viewController, context: context)

Alternatively, in the navigation controller you wish to push the SDK from, add the following code after configuring your CTContext:

let navigationController = UINavigationController()
CarTrawlerSDK.sharedInstance().push(fromNavigationViewController: navigationController, context: context)

Start the Standalone flow on the search results

When launching the Standalone flow, it is possible to open the web booking flow directly on the search results by setting the search properties of your CTContext object.
This is entirely optional.

For this alternate starting point in the flow, pick-up and drop-off dates and a pick-up location (IATA code, location ID or coordinates) must be provided.

// Create a context for the Standalone flow
let context = CTContext(implementationID: "your implementation ID", 
                        clientID: "your client ID", 
                        flow: .standAlone)

// Set required properties
context.countryCode = "IE" // The country code associated with the device’s system region is used by default.
context.currencyCode = "EUR" // The currency associated with the device’s system region is used by default.
context.languageCode = "EN" // The language associated with the device’s system region is used by default.

// Set pick-up and drop-off locations using location or IATA codes
// Pick-up at Dublin Airport
context.pickupLocationID = "11" // or context.pickupLocation = "DUB"
// Drop-off at Cork Airport
context.dropOffLocationID = "1316" // or context.dropOffLocation = "ORK"

// Sample dates
var dateComponent = DateComponents()
dateComponent.month = 1
let nextMonth = Calendar.current.date(byAdding: dateComponent, to: Date())
dateComponent.day = 3
let nextMonthPlusThreeDays = Calendar.current.date(byAdding: dateComponent, to: Date())

// Set pick-up and drop-off dates
context.pickupDate = nextMonth! // next month sample date
context.dropOffDate = nextMonthPlusThreeDays! // next month + 3 days sample date

// Set your viewController as the CarTrawlerSDK delegate 
context.delegate = self

A vehicle can be highlighted in the results by setting pinnedVehicleID (adding a vehicle reference ID). To get a reference ID, you can use our Vehicles API.

context.pinnedVehicleID = "1892038" // Vehicle RefID

Click here for an in depth explanation of the relevant CTContext properties

Start the Standalone Flow via URL Deeplink

It is possible to launch the Standalone flow using a URL, which may come from a push notification or native app deep link for example. This is entirely optional.

The URL should have the following pattern:
schema://host?param1=123&param2=abcd&paramN=xyz

This example will open the web booking flow on the search results:
schema://ct-car-rental?type=search-result&client_id=123456&pt=2023-09-08T09:44:35+0100&dt=2023-09-10T10:44:35+0100&pkIATA=DUB

A client ID (client_id) must be provided as part of your URL in order for the SDK to function properly.

Similar to the methods listed previously for launching the Standalone flow, the URL is used by CTContext. A separate initialiser exists for this purpose:

let url = "airline://ct-car-rental?type=search-result&client_id=123456&pt=2023-09-08T09:44:35+0100&dt=2023-09-10T10:44:35+0100&pkIATA=DUB"
let context = CTContext(implementationID: "your implementation ID", appDeeplinkURL: url)

You can then present the SDK:

CarTrawlerSDK.sharedInstance().present(from: self, context: context)

See here for more details

Start Standalone flow on the web search page

To open the web booking flow on its search page, simply set the type to landing: type=landing

Start Standalone flow on the search results

To open the web booking flow on the search results, set the type to search-result: type=search-result

Make sure to provide pickup and drop off dates, and a pickup location ID, IATA code or coordinates. If any of these are missing, the SDK will instead open the web search page.

Import a booking

Set the type to booking-details: type=booking-details and provide the booking id and the email used for the booking. Both are required. The booking is imported into the SDK’s local storage and the web booking flow is presented.

List of Parameters

Below are all the available parameters for use in the URL.

Landing

Import a booking

Search Results

Adding Flight Information

Partners can optionally add flight data when initialising the SDK. The following CTFlightDetails values are forwarded to the web booking flow:

//Example CTFLightDetails initialisation

let flightDetails = CTFlightDetails()
flightDetails.pnr = "TEYI89"
flightDetails.visitorID = "abc123-visitor-id"
flightDetails.flightFareSize = "M"
        
//Use CTFLightDetails as part of the context
let context = CTContext(implementationID: "your implementation ID",
clientID: "your client ID",
flow: .standAlone)
    
context.flightDetails = flightDetails

For the full list of flight values used by the Grid View, see In Path Grid View property descriptions.

Adding UTM tracking data

For enhanced reporting partners can optionally add tracking data in the form of UTM parameters, which are sent with the SDK analytics events. The meaning and usage of these parameters are as standard.

A new CTUTMParameters object is added with the following parameters.

//Example CTUTMParameters initialisation
let utmParameters = CTUTMParameters()
utmParameters.source = "partner_utm_source"
utmParameters.medium = "partner_utm_medium"
utmParameters.campaign = "partner_utm_campaign"
utmParameters.term = "partner_utm_term"
utmParameters.content = "partner_utm_content"
        
context.utmParameters = utmParameters

Prepopulate driver age and residency

The driver age and country of residence used for the search can be set by creating a CTPassenger object and setting the passenger property on your CTContext.

//Passenger object
let passenger = CTPassenger(firstName: "Ryan",
                            lastName: "O'Connor",
                            addressLine1: "DunDrum",
                            addressLine2: "Dublin 14",
                            city: "Dublin",
                            postcode: "Dublin 14",
                            countryCode: "IE",
                            age: 25,
                            email: "john.doe@example.com",
                            phone: "0838880000",
                            phoneCountryPrefix: "353",
                            loyaltyProgramNumber: "1234")
context.passenger = passenger

Only age and countryCode are forwarded to the web booking flow. CTPassenger countryCode takes priority over CTContext’s countryCode property when we make search requests.