Forced update of API, and now can't authenticate.

[andrew...@belamiinc.com]

Google AdWords API versions last about a year.  That means once a year, I start getting "You are accessing an AdWords API version v201409 that has been discontinued." errors in my logs.  So, I go to NuGet and update my API, and then I get authentication errors.  What happens next is best described as a 2-3 day hunt for the new magic handshake to get what used to work just fine to connect again.

Frankly, I'm tired of Google cutting my service login off with no notice until I sit down and learn their new security paradigm.  I don't want to learn their new security paradigm.  I'm already taking time away from other things to update their annual API version deprecation.  Documenting my process doesn't help, because they actually change how the security works.  What's worse, is their documentation is not any help, so I have to study for a few days and try dozens of complicated secret handshakes until the report request mysteriously starts working again.  Then, I don't touch it until about 12 months goes by, and my logs start filling with "your api version is too old" errors again.

The documentation mentions service (or server to server) accounts, but they rarely explain what you need to do, and those that do have either older interfaces or ask you to make sure your API is enabled, and then don't list AdWords as an API you can enable.

I have no where near this kind of headache with the other APIs I manage (FedEx, Amazon, etc).  How hard is it to:

1. Provide notice before deprecating a version.  Don't tell me "it's in the blogs".  I don't have time to study half a dozen blogs for all the APIs I manage to see if someone somewhere might be deprecating something I might be using.  An email would be much more helpful.
2. Provide real step-by-step instructions that work for me to migrate from the old security scheme to the new one.

Is no one else using a server-side app to download AdWords reports into their database?

[Thanet Knack Praneenararat (AdWords API Team)]

Hello Andrew,

First, thank you for your opinions about the lack of documents about using service accounts with AdWords API.

I apologize for your inconvenience.

As for the authentication errors, I'm not sure what kind of the errors you've got.

Is that related mainly to the authentication with service accounts? Or is it related to the new version of AdWords API in general?

Migrating to a new version of AdWords API typically doesn't require you to change the authentication method.

What you need to do is just changing the version to the new one, i.e., either you use the new version of client libraries or specify the new version in SOAP requests.

You may want to browse deprecation schedule to ensure that existing features you're using are not deprecated as well.

As for your specific comments:

1. Provide notice before deprecating a version.  Don't tell me "it's in the blogs".  I don't have time to study half a dozen blogs for all the APIs I manage to see if someone somewhere might be deprecating something I might be using.  An email would be much more helpful.

We provide notices in advance in many channels, including blog posts, google group, an error message specifying that you send requests to a deprecated version of the API.

If you prefer getting emails, I would recommend you to join this AdWords API Announcements Group and adjust your email notification settings accordingly.

Apart from getting information about schedules of new version releases and old version deprecation, you may get some interesting information about new features as well.

In addition, you can subscribe to a feed of Google Ads Developer Blog if that fits your styles more.

Kindly select a channel you are most comfortable with.

 

2. Provide real step-by-step instructions that work for me to migrate from the old security scheme to the new one.

I'm not sure what the old and new security schemes refer to.

I'm happy to help you on this if you can provide more detailed information.

To the best of my knowledge, not every new version release of AdWords API affects security or authentication schemes.

Chances are these two things have got changed since you checked them last time, so you see as if they changed at the same time.

Cheers,

Thanet, AdWords API Team