IMA SDK (Android) Invalid Ad Type

[in...@angusyip.com]

Hi There, 

I have implemented my DFP tag into the Sample Android Application provided here (The Basic Example) with SDK version 3.4.0.

Basically, the issue was occurred due to the invalid ad type. It runs okay on HTML / Flash Video Suite Inspector, but not Android IMA SDK. It runs fine with the IMA sample tag. 

You should be able to reproduce the issue with below ad tag - 

https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/ads?sz=1280x720&iu=/85256605/android-ma&impl=s&gdfp_req=1&env=vp&output=vast&unviewed_position_start=1&url=[referrer_url]&description_url=[description_url]&correlator=

Here is the logcat that I receive - 

09-27 01:26:32.631 31163-31163/com.google.ads.interactivemedia.v3.samples.videoplayerapp W/IMASDK: Invalid internal message, ignoring. Please make sure the Google IMA SDK library is up to date. Message: gmsg://afma.google.com/activityMonitor?type=getPageSignals&sid=251c43c9-ddde-47ab-9992-6228bda89daa&dt=1474964792627

09-27 01:26:32.636 31163-31163/com.google.ads.interactivemedia.v3.samples.videoplayerapp E/ImaExample: Ad Error: Invalid ad type loaded.

 

Is there something wrong with the ad tag from DFP?  

[Vu Chau (IMA SDK Team)]

Hello,

I tested your tag in the AdvancedExample and was able to get an ad.  Testing in the BasicExample shows the tag is returning empty VAST after the wrapper tag is requested.  

Do you have another tag (or more preferably, the VAST response) that I can use?

Thanks,

Vu Chau

Mobile Ads SDK Team

[Angus Yip]

Hi Vu, 

Thank you very much. How will I be able to get the VAST response for you when I get this error on Android Studio? 

I am using the device - LGE LG-D851 , Android 6.0 

Could you try this tag - 

https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/ads?
sz=640x480|1280x720&iu=/85256605/GoogleAdExchange
&impl=s&gdfp_req=1&env=vp&output=vast&unviewed_position_start=1&url=[referrer_url]&description_url=[description_url]&correlator=

Thanks,

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[Vu Chau (IMA SDK Team)]

Hi Angus,

Thanks for sending over the new tag, but I'm still able to get ads back for my requests (Nexus 6P, Android 7).  How often are you seeing the "invalid ad type" error?  If you can reproduce the issue locally, you should be able to capture the exact VAST response that triggers it.  You would need to middle-man your network traffic, using tools like Charles.

Vu Chau

IMA SDK Team

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[in...@angusyip.com]

Hi Vu, 

I am getting the invalid ad type error at all times on the LG device. 

I have attached the file from Charles session. 

Thanks,

[Vu Chau (IMA SDK Team)]

Hi Angus,

I think we have now found the cause.

If you follow your VAST wrappers, you will arrive at https://fw.adsafeprotected.com/vast/fwjsvid/st/63613/10706636/skeleton.js?originalVast=https://ad.doubleclick.net/ddm/pfadx/N7217.1884668CADREON-DOUBLECLICK/B10285982.137643883;dc_vpaid=0;sz=0x0;ord=${CACHEBUSTER};dc_lat=;dc_rdid=;tag_for_child_directed_treatment=;dcmt=text/xml;dc_vast=3.

Notice that the mediafiles available there are all VPAIDs, which are not supported (hence "invalid ad type") on native mobile (Android/iOS).  Check our compatibility page for more information.

Going forward, if you know you are going to serve to native mobile platforms, then I recommend not including VPAID creatives when you generate your tags.

Vu Chau

IMA SDK Team

[Angus Yip]

Thank you so much for digging out the cause! 

As I do not see there is any ways to only request non-VPAID media files on DFP dashboard, would that be a chance we could have a workaround while setting up the IMA SDK? 

Thanks,

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[Vu Chau (IMA SDK Team)]

Hi Angus,

There are several ways to go about this:

• You can first detect if the requesting agent is desktop HTML5/Flash or native mobile OS.  If the latter, you can prioritize non-VPAID mime types via setMimeTypes().
• Working from the other end of the spectrum, you can use getContentType() to get the ad type.  If the ad is a JS VPAID, it'll output "application/javascript", and so forth, and you can choose not to play the ad.  I'd query for the content type under the LOADED event, since STARTED already means ad playback.

Vu Chau

IMA SDK Team