Google AdMob Ads Android Fundamentals

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/>
  </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() {
    adView.destroy();
    super.onDestroy();
  }
}