2012-04-02

[Android] Incorporating Google AdMob Ads into your app

Incorporating Google AdMob Ads into your app is a three step process:
  1. Add the SDK JAR to your Eclipse project.
  2. Declare com.google.ads.AdActivity in AndroidManifest.xml.
  3. Set up required network permissions in the manifest.

Adding the SDK JAR

The decompressed SDK consists of a JAR, a javadoc folder and a README.
1. Right click on your app project in Eclipse and choose Properties.
2. Select Java Build Path and the Libraries tab. Then click Add External JARs... to add the Google AdMob Ads JAR.

com.google.ads.AdActivity

The AdMob Ads SDK requires that com.google.ads.AdActivity be declared in your app's AndroidManifest.xml:
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?> <manifest xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android" 
          package="com.company" 
          android:versionCode="1" android:versionName="1.0"> 
  <application android:icon="@drawable/icon" android:label="@string/app_name" 
               android:debuggable="true"> 
    <activity android:label="@string/app_name" android:name="BannerExample"> 
      <intent-filter> 
        <action android:name="android.intent.action.MAIN"/> 
        <category android:name="android.intent.category.LAUNCHER"/> 
      </intent-filter> 
    </activity> 
    <activity android:name="com.google.ads.AdActivity" 
              android:configChanges="keyboard|keyboardHidden|orientation|screenLayout|uiMode|screenSize|smallestScreenSize"/> 
  </application> </manifest>

Permissions

Making ad requests requires the networking permissions INTERNET and ACCESS_NETWORK_STATE, so these must also be declared in the manifest:
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?> <manifest xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android" 
          package="com.company" 
          android:versionCode="1" android:versionName="1.0"> 
  <application android:icon="@drawable/icon" android:label="@string/app_name" 
               android:debuggable="true"> 
    <activity android:label="@string/app_name" android:name="BannerExample"> 
      <intent-filter> 
        <action android:name="android.intent.action.MAIN"/> 
        <category android:name="android.intent.category.LAUNCHER"/> 
      </intent-filter> 
    </activity> 
    <activity android:name="com.google.ads.AdActivity" 
              android:configChanges="keyboard|keyboardHidden|orientation|screenLayout|uiMode|screenSize|smallestScreenSize"/> 
  </application> 
  <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.INTERNET"/> 
  <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.ACCESS_NETWORK_STATE"/> </manifest>
You should now be able to rebuild your project without any errors.

Adding a com.google.ads.AdView

Android apps are composed of View objects, Java instances the user sees as text areas, buttons and other controls. AdView is simply another View subclass displaying small HTML5 ads that respond to user touch.
Like any View, an AdView may be created either purely in code or largely in XML.
The five lines of code it takes to add a banner:
  • Import com.google.ads.*
  • Declare an AdView instance
  • Create it, specifying a unit ID—your AdMob publisher ID
  • Add the view to the UI
  • Load it with an ad
The easiest place to do all this is in your app’s Activity.
import com.google.ads.*; 
 public class BannerExample extends Activity { 
  private AdView adView; 
 
  @Override 
  public void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState) { 
    super.onCreate(savedInstanceState); 
    setContentView(R.layout.main); 
 
    // Create the adView 
    adView = new AdView(this, AdSize.BANNER, MY_AD_UNIT_ID); 
 
    // Lookup your LinearLayout assuming it’s been given 
    // the attribute android:id="@+id/mainLayout" 
    LinearLayout layout = (LinearLayout)findViewById(R.id.mainLayout); 
 
    // Add the adView to it 
    layout.addView(adView); 
 
    // Initiate a generic request to load it with an ad 
    adView.loadAd(new AdRequest()); 
  } 
 
  @Override 
  public void onDestroy() { 
    if (adView != null) { 
      adView.destroy(); 
    } 
    super.onDestroy(); 
  } }
Warning: Make sure you're in test mode during development to avoid being disabled for clicking your own ads. See the Best Practices guide for more details on enabling test ads.
You can download an example project containing this code here and may alternately create your banner in XML.

The Result

When you now run your app you should see a banner at the top of the screen:

Note: The very first time AdMob sees your publisher ID it may take up to two minutes to receive an ad. This initial two minute lag will recur every time the ID goes unused for 24 hours.
Warning: All new Android apps created after October 14, 2011 will require an AdMob SDK that was released on or after March 15, 2011. This corresponds to version 4.0.2+ for Android. If you downloaded the library from our official download site, then you're already set. Otherwise you may have an old version of the AdMob SDK that was released prior to March 15, 2011, and your new app will not receive any ad impressions until you update your SDK.




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