[IMA SDK for html5] Description url is passed in when requesting vmap, but this param is not forwarded to vast

[Fangbing Liu]

According to https://support.google.com/admanager/answer/10655276?hl=en&ref_topic=10684636&sjid=7680433795479605189-AP, I passed in description_url when requesting vmap, but this param is missing in vast.

Does the description_url suppose to be forwarded to vast? If so, I have already manually passed description_url, what should I do to fix this? Thanks

[Fangbing Liu]

[IMA SDK]

Hi,

Thanks for contacting us.

Yes, the description_url parameter should be forwarded to the VAST ad server if you've included it manually in the VAST tag. Ensure the description_url value is encoded correctly based on the platform.

I can see you are using Non-encoded for web, Kindly encode it and try again.
The description_url value must be URL-encoded for web page video players and CTV/OTT devices and non-encoded for mobile in-app video players.
 

This message is in relation to case "ref:!00D1U01174p.!5004Q02tPJl9:ref" (ADR-00232712)

Thanks,
 

IMA SDK Team

 

[IMA SDK]

Hi, 

Thank you for contacting the IMA SDK support team.

I see that you have already raised this concern on another thread with the subject “Description url is passed in when requesting vmap, but this param is not forwarded to vast” and we have already responded there for this issue. To avoid multiple threads on the same issue, please take a look at that thread and continue the discussion on the same for further updates on the issue.
 

This message is in relation to case "ref:!00D1U01174p.!5004Q02tPJlJ:ref" (ADR-00232713)

Thanks,
 

IMA SDK Team

[Arthur Simon]

Hi,

I hope this email finds you well. My name is Arthur. 

The previous responder, Fangbing, has gone on leave for this week and I will step in to take over the responsibility of responding to new posts. Looking forward to continuing the discussion.

Regards,

Arthur

[Fangbing Liu]

Hi

Thanks for your reply! 

I encoded the description url as in the screenshot. But description_url is still missing in the ads?slotname=... The payload is attached in here as well. From what i understand, this ads?slotname=...  is the call to get the actual. So I assume the description_url is still not successfully forwarded🤔

In addition, as you mentioned `manually include it in VAST tag`?  I passed description_url in ads?cmsid... Does it count as manually included? If not, could you kindly provide some instructions, thanks a lot!

FYI, following is screenshot of ads?cmsid params and the payload of ads?slotname Thanks for your help

slotname=%2F50449293%2FVideo.HTML5.Desktop&sz=640x360&ciu_szs&cust_params=site%3Dlocalhost%3A3000%26ad_settings_web%3D38%26container_id%3D2978c%26vs_id%3Ddemo-vs-id%26sub_lang%3Dpt%26safari_preroll%3Dtrue&url=null&unviewed_position_start=1&output=xml_vast4&env=vp&gdfp_req=1&ad_rule=0&video_url_to_fetch=http%253A%252F%252Flocalhost%253A3000%252F&useragent=Mozilla%2F5.0%20(Macintosh%3B%20Intel%20Mac%20OS%20X%2010_15_7)%20AppleWebKit%2F537.36%20(KHTML%2C%20like%20Gecko)%20Chrome%2F124.0.0.0%20Safari%2F537.36%2Cgzip(gfe)&vad_type=linear&vpos=preroll&pod=1&ppos=1&min_ad_duration=0&max_ad_duration=60000&vrid=1973&sid=FD10AC0E-5CD9-40FA-897D-9FBC39F3C494&adk=595157542&cookie_enabled=1&correlator=1830471457992663&dt=1714101972685&eoidce=1&ged=ve4_td16_tt14_pd16_la0_er8.0.8.0_vi8.0.880.861_vp0_ts13_eb16491&is_amp=0&npa=false&omid_p=Google1%2Fh.3.637.1&osd=2&ptt=20&ref=http%3A%2F%2Flocalhost%3A3000%2F&scor=2146073221640595&sdk_apis=2%2C7%2C8&vis=1&wta=true&u_so=p&eid=418572006%2C44776495%2C44777649%2C44781409%2C95321947%2C95322027%2C95323893%2C95324128%2C95324210%2C95326337&hl=en&frm=0&cmsid=893&media_url=blob%3Ahttp%253a%2F%2Flocalhost%253a3000%2Fc8d29b54-e8b1-4f10-b09c-bf7c77b321cb&mpt=videojs-ima&mpv=2.1.0&sdki=445&sdkv=h.3.637.1&sdr=1&video_doc_id=146202v&vpa=auto&vpmute=0&nel=1&afvsz=200x200%2C250x250%2C300x250%2C336x280%2C450x50%2C468x60%2C480x70%2C728x90&kfa=0&tfcd=0&ctv=0

[IMA SDK]

Hi,

Thanks for contacting again.

I see that there is some confusion with description_url tag. 

Imagine a webpage displaying a recipe video. The description_url could be set to the URL of that webpage itself. This would inform the ad server that the content is recipe related, allowing them to display ads for cooking ingredients or kitchen appliances.

The 'slotname' value is, in fact, an ad unit parameter that is received through the 'ui' vast tag but not the description_url.

In your shared payload i can see whatever description_url you are passing, it is reflecting as expected in 'video_url_to_fetch' payload parameter in ads?slotname.

Kindly get back to us with VAST detail in case facing any other issue related to IMA SDK.

[Arthur Simon]

Hi, 

In the `ads?slotname`, are `description_url` and `video_url_to_fetch` the same? 

Does not that mean that we don't need to pass the `description_url` param explicitly? That the `video_url_to_fetch` is the expected param to pass?

Looking forward to your reply

[IMA SDK]

Hi,

As i mentioned before that description_url might point to a webpage containing a description of the advertised product or service and video_url_to_fetch likely refers to the URL of the video ad itself.

It is required to pass description_url explicitly because it will bring your targeted data from server, and Yes only description_url can be pass it will change to video_url_to_fetch param at SDK level.

If any other issue kindly contact IMA SDK support team again.

[Muhammad Najie]

Hi,

I encountered the same issue explained in the thread. Could you please check on this web vmap sample, it contains a description_url in encoded format. Although the vmap sample has a query param description_url, unfortunately the vast tag URL listed in the vmap does not contain description_url param, means the description_url is not forwarded to the vast tag URL from vmap.

I'm looking forward to hearing back from you.   

Regards,

Najie

[IMA SDK]

Hello Najie,

This is Jackson from the IMA SDK team to help with your issue.

To confirm, the issue is, the ad tag URL for a VMAP ad includes "description_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.vidio.com%2Fwatch%2F8270235&env=instream", but the 'AdTagURI' included in the VMAP do no contain a description_url? (<vmap:AdTagURI templateType="vast3"><![CDATA[https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/...)

See attached screenshots highlighting the issue.

Once I have your confirmation, I can check with the team if the AdTagURI inside VMAP tags is expected to have the description_url included.
 

This message is in relation to case "ref:!00D1U01174p.!5004Q02tPJl9:ref" (ADR-00232712)

Thanks,
 

Jackson Sui IMA SDK Team

[Miftah Fathudin]

Hi Jackson,

I am Miftah from the same team as Najie. And yes, you understand the issue right.

Regards,

Miftah

[IMA SDK]

Hello Miftah,

I would recommend following this Ad Manager Macro guide to set up a description URL macro in the AdTagURI, so Ad Manager can populate it with the description URL.

Please let me know if you have any additional questions.

[Miftah Fathudin]

Hi Jackson,

For the VMAP, we are getting it from GAM Ad Rule, we don't serve it by ourselves, so we cannot add such macro to the AdTagURI. Is there any other solution? Thank you.

Regards,

Miftah

[IMA SDK]

Hello Miftah,

I do not think there is another option for passing the description URL as you are describing. I would recommend reaching out to your account manager, who may be more knowledgeable about passing these types of params within Google Ad Manager.

Another option may be to reach out to the team that sets up those Ad Rules, to see if it is something they can enable.

[IMA SDK]

Hello Miftah,

I wanted to provide another update. The value of 'video_url_to_fetch' seen in the VAST uri's is an alias for the description URL in GAM. Things should be working intended with 'video_url_to_fetch' included in the VAST uri.