IMA SDK Cannot Handle VAST response with both Flash and JS

[Oli Cundale]

Hi, we recently updated our VAST response to return two linear Static Resources - one for the Flash and the other with the Javascript. Unfortunately the Google IMA does not check the StaticResource type and pick out the JS, it seems to just take the first StaticResource in the VAST response. As a result, we have noticed our javascript VPAID no longer loads within the IMA SDK.

Please see the example below, which tries to load the first StaticResource (which is flash):

https://developers.google.com/interactive-media-ads/docs/vastinspector_dual?player=h5&tag=https%3A%2F%2Fradar.network.coull.com%2Fradar%3Fpid%3D10989%26ad_type%3Dov%26page_url%3Dhttp%253A%252F%252Ftest.com

Would you be able to update the IMA SDK to handle both types in the VAST response?

Thanks,

Oliver

[Oli Cundale]

Some more detail....

The Google IMA cannot currently handle a VAST response that contains both the Javascript and Flash creative links. However, VPAID compliant players I have tested with such as Kaltura can handle this without a problem. Also, LiveRail give both file types back in the VAST response for their Ad Manager, so I assume this is a VPAID compliant method. 

Here is an example of a VAST tag with both types:

<Creatives>

<Creative sequence="1" id="test">

<NonLinearAds>

<NonLinear id="test" apiFramework="VPAID">

<AdParameters>

<linear>false</linear>

</AdParameters>

<StaticResource creativeType="application/javascript">

<![CDATA[//domain.com/creative.js

]]>

</StaticResource>

<StaticResource creativeType="application/x-shockwave-flash">

<![CDATA[

//domain.com/creative.swf]]>

</StaticResource>

</NonLinear>

</NonLinearAds>

</Creative>

</Creatives>

However, the Google IMA fails to load the creative unless you return just one static resource, as shown below:

<Creatives>

<Creative sequence="1" id="test">

<NonLinearAds>

<NonLinear id="test" apiFramework="VPAID">

<AdParameters>

<linear>false</linear>

</AdParameters>

<StaticResource creativeType="application/javascript">

<![CDATA[//domain.com/creative.js

]]>

</StaticResource>

</NonLinear>

</NonLinearAds>

</Creative>

</Creatives>

Should the IMA not be able to handle both StaticResource links in the VAST response and then pick the correct file type? 

Thanks,

Oliver 

[Yury Pavlotsky (IMA SDK Team)]

Hi Oliver,

This bug is fixed in the latest release. If you're still seeing this issue, please let us know.

Thanks,

Yury Pavlotsky

IMA SDK Team

[Oli Cundale]

Hi Yury, I have just re-tested using the VAST response with two NonLinear nodes and I'm afraid it still does not work.

This was using the Video Suite Inspector and I am assuming it should work here?

Thanks,

Oliver

[Yury Pavlotsky (IMA SDK Team)]

Hi Oliver,

Looks like we fixed the reverse bug on the Flash side, but it hasn't been fixed yet on the HTML5 side. It should be fixed soon.

Thanks,

Yury Pavlotsky

IMA SDK Team

[Oli Cundale]

Hi Yury- Just following up on this bug, as would like to see the HTML5 side fixed but it has been three months, so just wanted to check that you're still planning to release a fix.

Cheers,

Oli

[Yury Pavlotsky (IMA SDK Team)]

Hi Oliver,

We're still planning on releasing a fix, but I don't have an update on the timeframe for you. I'll check back with the rest of the team and follow up when I have an update.

Thanks,

Yury Pavlotsky

IMA SDK Team

[Oli Cundale]

Hi guys, it's been a while- any update on this one?

Still seeing errors on a standard VPAID compliant response with both creative types.

Let me know if you need anymore info...

Thanks!

[Binny Patel (IMA SDK Team)]

Hi Oliver,

A multi-StaticResources creative is not compliant with the IAB spec for non-linear ads, so the IMA SDK won't be able to support that. 

Thanks,

Binny Patel

IMA SDK Team

[Oli Cundale]

Hi Binny, thanks for the reply. It is compliant with the IAB spec, though let me give you an example to demonstrate:

There are two NonLinear nodes and within each there is a StaticResource - one of each type (flash/js). eg:

<Creative id="12345" sequence="1">

<NonLinearAds>

<NonLinear id="" width="" height="" apiFramework="VPAID">

<StaticResource creativeType="application/x-shockwave-flash">

<![CDATA[

//domain.com/creative.swf

]]>

</StaticResource>

<AdParameters>

<linear>false</linear>

</AdParameters>

</NonLinear>

<NonLinear id="" width="" height="" apiFramework="VPAID">

<StaticResource creativeType="application/javascript">

<![CDATA[

//domain.com/creative.js

]]>

</StaticResource>

<AdParameters>

<linear>false</linear>

</AdParameters>

</NonLinear>

</NonLinearAds>

</Creative>

Details can be found in the IAB documentation such as the VAST XML Schema. 

Please let me know when you might be able to add in this functionality. Happy to help with any further details if you need them!

Cheers :)

[Binny Patel (IMA SDK Team)]

Hi Oliver,

Originally your use case had two different StaticResource types for the same nonlinear creative (which was against the IAB Spec). Now you have asked about having two different nonlinear creatives each with their own StaticResoruce. (This is supported by IAB Spec.)

I need some more details to investigate. Would be able to provide a working ad tag?

Thanks,
Binny Patel
IMA SDK Team

[Oli Cundale]

Thanks Binny, here is a working ad tag that returns both creatives:

http://quasar.coull.com/quasar?pid=10989&ad_type=ov&page_url=http://toppageurl.com&player_size=640x480

Appreciate the help! :)

[Binny Patel (IMA SDK Team)]

Hi Oliver,

Thanks for the ad tag. We will get back to you once we have an update.

Binny Patel

IMA SDK Team

[Shawn Busolits (IMA SDK Team)]

Hi Oliver,

I've been taking a look at this, and wanted to let you know what I've found.

The SDK selecting a Flash VPAID is not an issue here because we actually recently added support for Flash VPAID ads in the HTML5 SDK. What I'm seeing is we select the Flash VPAID and it has an internal error ("Ad error: AdError 901: An unexpected error occurred within the VPAID creative. Refer to the inner error for more info. Caused by: Error: Error: a is not a function"). We do not at this point attempt to play the JS VPAID because the SDK does not support asset-level fallback like this.

If you want the JS VPAID to play, you can either remove the Flash ad from the response, or move it below the JavaScript ad so the SDK sees the JavaScript ad first. I'm also working on getting support for VPAID types in adsRenderingSettings.mimeTypes so you can do this programmatically. If you have any questions let me know!

Thanks,

Shawn Busolits

IMA SDK Team

[Oli Cundale]

Hi Shawn- thanks for taking a look - The error you mention is naturally going to happen with a flash creative being loaded when an HTML5 creative is expected- the 'getVPAIDAd' object is expected to be available as a javascript object,but obviously flash does not naturally return this. 

That is interesting that you have enabled loading of a Flash creative first and I appreciate there may be advantages to loading flash within an HTML5 player. However, we really want to stick within the VPAID specification and in this case, the player should load the creative with creativeType="application/javascript".

We will customise our VAST responses to return just the javascript creative in these cases for now, but we'd really appreciate it if you guys could update the IMA to be fully VPAID compliant at some point!

Thanks again for your help!

[Carlos Castro]

Hi Shawn Are you planning on adding the Asset-Level Fallback to be able to handle both types of media files in the same response ?

[Oli Cundale]

Any progress on this issue?

[Chris Feldman (IMA SDK Team)]

Hi Oli,

The HTML5 SDK will now select JavaScript VPAID ads before Flash VPAID ads. We've also added a method that will allow you to disable all Flash ads if you choose, setDisableFlashAds().

@Carlos, I should also mention that asset level fallback is now live in the HTML5 SDK.

Please let me know if either of you have any questions.

Regards,

Chris Feldman

IMA SDK Team