DCR Video Android SDK: Difference between revisions

From Engineering Client Portal
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==== Manifest File ====  
==== Manifest File ====  
* Add the following permissions on the project’s ''AndroidManifest.xml'' file.
* Add the following permissions on the project’s ''AndroidManifest.xml'' file.
<syntaxhighlight lang="java">
<syntaxhighlight lang="html">
<uses-permission android:name="android.permission.ACCESS_NETWORK_STATE"/>
<uses-permission android:name="android.permission.ACCESS_NETWORK_STATE"/>
<uses-permission android:name="android.permission.INTERNET"/></syntaxhighlight>
<uses-permission android:name="android.permission.INTERNET"/></syntaxhighlight>
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* In <code>AndroidManifest.xml </code>under <application> node add the following metadata
* In <code>AndroidManifest.xml </code>under <application> node add the following metadata


<syntaxhighlight lang="java"><meta-data  
<syntaxhighlight lang="html"><manifest>
android:name="com.google.android.gms.version"  
    <application>
android:value="@integer/google_play_services_version"/></syntaxhighlight>
        <!-- Sample AdMob app ID: ca-app-pub-3940256099942544~3347511713 -->
        <meta-data
            android:name="com.google.android.gms.ads.APPLICATION_ID"
            android:value="ca-app-pub-xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx~yyyyyyyyyy"/>
    </application>
</manifest>></syntaxhighlight>


* App SDK checks to see if there is a Google service available and updated.
* App SDK checks to see if there is a Google service available and updated.

Revision as of 21:57, 30 August 2021

Engineering Portal / Digital / US DCR & DTVR / DCR Video Android SDK

Overview

The Nielsen SDK is one of multiple framework SDKs that Nielsen provides to enable measuring linear (live) and on-demand TV viewing using TVs, mobile devices, etc. The App SDK is the framework for mobile application developers to integrate Nielsen Measurement into their media player applications. It supports a variety of Nielsen Measurement Products like Digital in TV Ratings, Digital Content Ratings (DCR & DTVR), and Digital Ad Ratings (DAR). Nielsen SDKs are also equipped to measure static content and can track key life cycle events of an application like:

  • Application launch events and how long app was running
  • Time of viewing a sub section / page in the application.

Prerequisites

Before you start the integration, you will need:

Item Description Source
App ID (appid) Unique ID assigned to the player/site and configured by product. Provided by Nielsen
Nielsen SDK Includes SDK frameworks and sample implementation; See Android SDK Release Notes Download

If need App ID(s) or our SDKs, feel free to reach out to us and we will be happy to help you get started. Refer to Digital Measurement Onboarding guide for information on how to get a Nielsen App SDK and appid.

Implementation

This guide covers implementation steps for Android Studio utilizing the Nielsen SDK for DCR.

SDK Flavor Description
Android Ad Version * Opt-In and Opt-Out functionality managed by Opt out of Ads Personlization setting on device. (Preferred approach)
* The Nielsen SDK will collect the Google Advertising ID unless the user Opts Out.
* If the Google Play Service is unavailable, (ie: Amazon and Huawei devices) the Nielsen sdk will secure the Android ID.
* There are 3 versions available starting with the Nielsen SDK 8.1.0.0.
Android No Ad Framework * Without the Ad Framework, the Nielsen SDK cannot read the Google Advertising ID, so will retrieve the AndroidID.
* The AndroidID is a 64-bit number (expressed as a hexadecimal string), unique to each combination of app-signing key, user and device.
* The developer is required to present the User Choice Opt Out page which is described in the Privacy Section.
Android SDK noID * This version of the Nielsen SDK is perfect for Kid apps, or where no ID is required.
* Please review the Opt Out Requirement.

How to obtain the NielsenAppApi

The Nielsen AppSDK can either be downloaded directly or can be integrated directly within an application through the use of Gradle. We recommend using the Gradle-based integration whenever possible to ensure you maintain the most recent changes and enhancements to the Nielsen libraries.

Setting up your Development Environment

Configuring Android Development Environment

  • The Nielsen App SDK (located in the Downloads section of the website) class is the primary application interface to the Nielsen App SDK on Android.
  • The Nielsen App SDK class is defined as the only public class belonging to the com.nielsen.app.sdk package.
  • The Nielsen App SDK can also be added as a Artifact Repository. If implemented this way, you do not need to download the appsdk from the Nielsen Portal.

Nielsen App SDK is compatible with Android OS versions 2.3+. Clients can control / configure the protocol to be used – HTTPS or HTTP to suit their needs.

The requirement for the Java AppSdk.jar library and the libAppSdk.so native library will depend on the type of host application that will make use of them.

  • For Video player applications
    • The Android OS hosting the App SDK should use a media player supporting HLS streaming (Android 3.0 and later will support it natively).
    • If the player application uses a 3rd party media player implementing its own HLS, then the minimum Android version will be limited to version 2.3, since the SDK depends on Google Play support to work properly.

Once SDK is downloaded ensure to unzip the Nielsen SDK and copy the AppSdk.jar in your app (Android Studio) libs folder, then right click the AppSdk.jar and select Add As Library. Ensure the AppSdk.jar file is added in 'build.grade (App Level) file.

  • App SDK 1.2 provides support for x86, mips, and armeabi-7a architecture.

Google Play Services

Add the Google Play Services in the project, Steps: Android Studio -> File -> Project Structure ->(In module selection) select App -> Dependencies (tab) -> Click "+" button and search for "*play-services*". Then select the most recent version of the play-services Artifact. Ensure it is added in build.gradle (App level) file

Manifest File

  • Add the following permissions on the project’s AndroidManifest.xml file.
<uses-permission android:name="android.permission.ACCESS_NETWORK_STATE"/>
<uses-permission android:name="android.permission.INTERNET"/>

For more details to handle runtime permissions in Android versions, please visit [1].

  • In AndroidManifest.xml under <application> node add the following metadata
<manifest>
    <application>
        <!-- Sample AdMob app ID: ca-app-pub-3940256099942544~3347511713 -->
        <meta-data
            android:name="com.google.android.gms.ads.APPLICATION_ID"
            android:value="ca-app-pub-xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx~yyyyyyyyyy"/>
    </application>
</manifest>>
  • App SDK checks to see if there is a Google service available and updated.
  • If not available or updated, App SDK will not use this service when executing its functions and will make reference to missing imports and the app will not be compiled.

Library

Nielsen App SDK uses the following packages/classes from the Google Play service.

  • google-play-services_lib

Classes/package

  • com.google.android.gms.ads.identifier.AdvertisingIdClient;
  • com.google.android.gms.ads.identifier.AdvertisingIdClient.Info;
  • com.google.android.gms.common.ConnectionResult;
  • com.google.android.gms.common.GooglePlayServicesUtil;
  • com.google.android.gms.common.GooglePlayServicesRepairableException;
  • com.google.android.gms.common.GooglePlayServicesNotAvailableException;

SDK Initialization

The latest version of the Nielsen App SDK allows instantiating multiple instances of the SDK object, which can be used simultaneously without any issue. The sharedInstance API that creates a singleton object was deprecated prior to version 5.1.1. (Version 4.0 for Android)

The following table contains the list of arguments that can be passed via the AppInfo JSON schema.

Parameter / Argument Description Source Required? Example
appid Unique Nielsen ID for the application. The ID is a GUID data type. If you did not receive your App ID, let us know and we will provide you. Nielsen-specified Yes PXXXXXXXX-XXXX-XXXX-XXXX-XXXXXXXXXXXX
nol_devDebug Enables Nielsen console logging. Only required for testing Nielsen-specified Optional "DEBUG"

Debug flag for development environment

Player application developers / integrators can use Debug flag to check whether an App SDK API call made is successful. To activate the Debug flag, Pass the argument @"nol_devDebug":@"INFO", in the JSON string . The permitted values are:

  • INFO: Displays the API calls and the input data from the application (validate player name, app ID, etc.). It can be used as certification Aid.
  • WARN: Indicates potential integration / configuration errors or SDK issues.
  • ERROR: Indicates important integration errors or non-recoverable SDK issues.
  • DEBUG: Debug logs, used by the developers to debug more complex issues.

Once the flag is active, it logs each API call made and the data passed. The log created by this flag is minimal.

Note: DO NOT activate the Debug flag in a production environment.

Sample SDK Initialization Code

AppSDK() is no longer a singleton object and should be initialized as below.

Initialization of App SDK object through a JSON object 

try
{
  // Prepare AppSdk configuration object (JSONObject)
  JSONObject appSdkConfig = new JSONObject()
          .put("appid", "PDA7D5EE6-B1B8-XXXX-XXXX-2A788BCXXXCA")
          .put("nol_devDebug", "DEBUG"); // only for debug builds

// Pass appSdkConfig to the AppSdk constructor
mAppSdk = new AppSdk(appContext, appSdkConfig, appSdkListener);
}
catch (JSONException e)
{
  Log.e(TAG, "Couldn’t prepare JSONObject for appSdkConfig", e);
}

Here, appContext is the App context object and appSdkConfig is JSON object for holding the parameters (appid) the App passes to the Nielsen App SDK via a JSON string. The appid is obtained from Nielsen operational support and is unique to the app.


The integration of Nielsen App SDK will depend on type of client app.

  • Ensure that SDK files (AppSdk.jar and libAppSdk.so [App SDK 1.2 Only]) are included under the App’s project and the App SDK is linked to the App (the setting to link App SDK to the App can be found on property page of the App’s project).


APP SDK Error & Event Codes

To view the Error and Event codes for iOS and Android, please review the App SDK Event Code Reference page.

Configure Payload

Handling JSON Metadata

All the SDK methods handles only two types of objects: NSString, NSDictionary. The parameters passed must be either a JSON formatted string or a NSDictionary object. The JSON passed in the SDK must be well-formed.

  • NSDictionary object
    • If an object of unexpected type is passed to the method, the error message will be logged.
    • If string has invalid JSON format, the error message will be logged.
  • JSON value must be string value.
    • This includes boolean and numeric values. For example, a value of true should be represented with "true", number value 123 should be "123".
    • All the Variable Names like appid, appname, sfcode, dataSrc, title, type etc. are case-sensitive. Use the correct variable name as specified in the documentation.
  • JSON string can be prepared using either raw NSString or serialized NSDictionary.
JSONObject contentMetadata = new JSONObject()
//SDK Metadata
    .put("type", "content")
    .put("assetid", "vid345-67483")
    .put("program", "Program Name")
    .put("title", "Program S3, EP1")
    .put("length", "3600")
    .put("isfullepisode", "yes") 
    .put("airdate", "20200321 20:00:00")
    .put("adloadtype", "2")
    .put("segB", "CustomSegmentValueB")  //optional
    .put("segC", "CustomSegmentValueC")  //optional   
    .put("crossId1", "Standard Episode ID")  //optional  
    .put("crossId2", "Content Originator")  //optional

Content metadata

Content metadata should remain constant throughout the entirety of an episode/clip including when ads play.

Keys Description Values Required Provider
type Type of asset For Video use: content
For Static or text static		 Yes Nielsen
assetid Unique ID assigned to asset
Note: Refrain from using the following special characters (Special Characters).		 Examples:
BBT345a234
CBSs5e234F2021		 Yes Client
program Complete program or movie title
(no abbreviations or shorthand)
Note: there is a 25 character limit.		 The Big Bang Theory
TheBigBangTheory
The Dark Knight
TheDarkKnight
Yes Client
title Episode title with season and episode number (40 character limit)
(Formats accepted: S01E03, S1E3, S1 E3).		 Examples:
The Pants Alternative S03E18
The Pants Alternative S3E18
The Pants Alternative S3 E18
Can also accept: S3E18
Not Valid: 318 or 0318 		Yes Client
crossId1 Gracenote TMS ID (If available) should be passed for all telecasted content for clients using the Gracenote solution for proper matching purposes.
Note: The TMS ID will be a 14 character string. Normally leading with 2 alpha characters ('EP', 'MV', 'SH' or 'SP'), followed by 12 numbers. 		The TMS ID will be a 14 character string.
Normally being with 'EV,' 'EP', 'SH', 'SP', or 'MV'
Followed by 12 numbers after the initial two letter prefix.

The Giant Morning Show: SH009311820022
The Pants Alternative Episode : EP009311820061		 Optional Nielsen
crossId2 Populated by content distributor to contribute viewing from that distributor to the given content originator. Custom
For a full list of acceptable values, please contact your Nielsen reprentative.		 Yes, for distributors Nielsen
length Length of content in seconds
Note: Integers and decimal values are acceptable for the length parameter.		 Examples:

For standard VOD content - 300 to represent 5 minutes, 1320 to represent 22 minutes, etc.
If DAI live stream of a discrete program (Live Event/Sporting Event), pass length of content. See example for standard VOD content above.
If unknown DAI live steam, pass a value of 0.

Yes Client
airdate Original broadcast or release date for the program
For USA, date should be EST
Outside USA, date should be local time.
If not applicable or available, original broadcast or release date for the Program.		 Acceptable Formats:
YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MI:SS
YYYY-MM-DDHH:MI:SS
YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MI:SS+xx:xx
YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MI:SS-xx:xx
YYYYMMDDHH:MI:SS
YYYYMMDD HH:MI:SS
MM-DD-YYYY
MM/DD/YYYY
YYYYMMDD		 Yes Client
isfullepisode Full episode flag to identify differences between long form content. y- full episode, n- non full episode(clip,teaser,promo,etc.)

Also accept:
lf or yes- longform
sf or no- shortform

Yes Nielsen
adloadtype Type of ad load:

1 Linear – matches TV ad load
2 Dynamic – Dynamic Ad Insertion (DAI)

2 - DCR measures content with dynamic ads Yes Nielsen
segB One of two custom segment for the clients granular reporting within a brand. Examples:
Genre - horror, comedy, etc.
Timeslot - primetime, daytime, etc.
News type - breakingnews, weather, etc.		 Optional Client
segC One of two custom segment for the clients granular reporting within a brand. Examples:
Genre - horror, comedy, etc.
Timeslot - primetime, daytime, etc.
News type - breakingnews, weather, etc.		 Optional Client

Custom segments (segB and segC) can be used to aggregate video and/or static content within a single Brand to receive more granular reports within a brand.

Examples regarding usage of segments within SDK:

  • All comedy clips and stories for a Brand rolled into a "Comedy" segment
  • genre grouping content by Comedy vs. Drama
  • group related Text + Video content - i.e. for a show that has a lot of - static pages associated with it
  • packaging based on how clients sell inventory
  • grouping related types of content either by genre, category or platform.


Ad Metadata

The Ad Metadata (if applicable) should be passed for each individual ad.

Keys Description Values Required
type type of Ad 'preroll', 'midroll', 'postroll'
'ad' - If specific type can not be identified.		 ✓
assetid unique ID assigned to Ad custom
(no Special Characters)		 ✓

Example Ad Object

// create ad object
"ad": {
  "type": "preroll",
  "assetid": "AD-ID123"
}

Sequence of Calls

play

Use play to pass the channel descriptor information through channelName parameter when the user taps the Play button on the player. 

    public void play(JSONObject channelInfo);

loadMetadata

public void loadMetadata(JSONObject contentMetadata);

playheadPosition

public void setPlayheadPosition(long position)

stop

public void stop()

end

When content stop is initiated and content cannot be resumed from the same position (it can only be restarted from the beginning of stream). 

public void end()

Configure API Calls

Sample API Sequence

A Sample API sequence could follow this flow:

Type Sample code Description
On App Start [nielsenMeter loadMetadata: contentMetadata]; // contentMetadata Object contains the JSON metadata for the impression
Start of stream [nielsenMeter play]; // call at start of each new stream
[nielsenMeter loadMetadata: contentMetadataObject]; // contentMetadataObject contains the JSON metadata for the content being played
Content [nielsenMeter setplayheadPosition: position]; // playheadPosition is position of the playhead while the content is being played
End of Stream [nielsenMeter end]; // Content playback is completed.

SDK Events

Event Parameter Description
'play' Call at start of each new stream
'loadMetadata' content/ad metadata object Needs to be called at the beginning of each asset
'setPlayheadPosition' playhead position as integer

VOD: || current position in seconds
Live: current Unix timestamp (seconds since Jan-1-1970 UTC)
Note: 'setPlayheadPosition' has to be called every second

Pass playhead position every second during playback

'stop' playhead position Call during any interruption to content or Ad playback and at the end of each Ad.
'end' playhead position in seconds Call when the current video asset completes playback and pass the playhead position.

Example: At the end of the content stream, if the user switches to another piece of content, when the browser is refreshed or closed.

Note: For livestream, send the Unix timestamp; for VOD send the time in seconds as integer. The final playhead position must be sent for the current asset being played before calling stop, end or loadmetadata,.

Life cycle of SDK instance

Life cycle of SDK instance includes four general states:

  1. Initial state – The SDK is not initialized and hence, not ready to process playing information. Once the SDK is moved out of this state, it needs instantiation of the new SDK instance in order to get the instance in the Initial state.
  2. Idle state – The SDK is initialized and is ready to process playing information. Once Initialized, the SDK instance is not processing any data, but is listening for the play event to occur.
  3. Processing state – The SDK instance is processing playing information. The play and loadMetadata calls move the SDK instance into this state. In this state, the SDK instance will be able to process the following calls.
    1. setplayheadPosition – Call this API every one second when playhead position timer is fired. If a LIVE event, use the current Unix timestamp (seconds since Jan-1-1970 UTC).
    2. stop – Call this API when the playback is paused, switches between content and ad (within the same content playback) or encounters interruptions.
    3. end – Call when content completes. When called, the SDK instance exits from Processing state.
  4. Disabled state – The SDK instance is disabled and is not processing playing information. SDK instance moves into this state in one of the following scenarios.
    1. Initialization fails
    2. appDisableApi is set to true

Note: For API Version 5.1 and above, App SDK will fire data pings and continue measurement even after the user has opted out from Nielsen measurement on a device. The data ping will be marked as opted-out ping.

Note: In case of any interruptions during playback due to alarm, calendar, call, flight mode, Wi-Fi toggle, channel change, etc., call stop to stop the measurement.

  • As soon as the playback resumes, loadMetadata and playheadPosition

API Call Sequence

Use Case 1: Content has no Advertisements

Call play() at start of stream

Call loadMetadata() with JSON metadata for content as below. 

{
  "type": "content",
  "assetid": "vid345-67483",
  "program": "ProgramName",
  "title": "Program S3, EP1",
  "length": "3600",
  ...
}

Call setPlayheadPosition() every one second until a pause / stop. Use the sample API sequence below as a reference to identify the specific events that need to be called during content playback without ads.

Type Sample code Description
Start of stream mAppSdk.play(); // Call at start of each new stream
mAppSdk.loadMetadata(contentMetaDataObject); // contentMetadataObject contains the JSON metadata for the content being played
Content mAppSdk.setPlayheadPosition(playheadPosition); // position is position of the playhead while the content is being played
Interruption mAppSdk.stop(); // call stop when content playback is interrupted
Resume Content mAppSdk.loadMetadata(contentMetaDataObject); // Call loadMetadata and pass content metadata object when content resumes
mAppSdk.setPlayheadPosition(playheadPosition); // continue pasing playhead position every second starting from position where content is resumed
End of Stream mAppSdk.end(); // Content playback is completed.

Use Case 2: Content has Advertisements

Call play()

Call loadMetadata() with JSON metadata for ad as below. 

{
   "type": "preroll",
   "assetid": "ad-123"
}

Note: In case the individual ad details are not available, send ad pod (presence) details through the loadMetadata and playhead position through playheadPosition.

Call setPlayheadPosition() every one second until a pause / stop / another loadMetadata() is called. Playhead should be passed for the entire duration of ad pod, if the ad pod details are passed as part of loadMetadata().

Ad Content 

    long pos = mAdPlayer.videoPosition() / 1000;
   if (mAppSdk != null)
   {
     mAppSdk.setPlayheadPosition(pos);
   }

Note: The playhead positions for ad and content should be maintained separately.

The sample API sequence can be used as a reference to identify the specific events that need to be called during content and ad playback.

Type Sample code Description
Start of stream mAppSdk.play(); // stream starts
mAppSdk.loadMetadata(contentMetaDataObject); // contentMetadataObject contains the JSON metadata for the content being played
Preroll mAppSdk.loadMetadata(prerollMetadataObject); // prerollMetadataObject contains the JSON metadata for the preroll ad
mAppSdk.setPlayheadPosition(playheadPosition); // position is position of the playhead while the preroll ad is being played
mAppSdk.stop(); // Call stop after preroll occurs
Content mAppSdk.loadMetadata(contentMetaDataObject); // contentMetadataObject contains the JSON metadata for the content being played
mAppSdk.setPlayheadPosition(playheadPosition); // position is position of the playhead while the content is being played
Midroll mAppSdk.loadMetadata(midrollMetaDataObject); // midrollMetadataObject contains the JSON metadata for the midroll ad
mAppSdk.setPlayheadPosition(playheadPosition); // position is position of the playhead while the midroll ad is being played
mAppSdk.stop(); // Call stop after midroll occurs
Content Resumes mAppSdk.loadMetadata(contentMetaDataObject); // contentMetadataObject contains the JSON metadata for the content being played
mAppSdk.setPlayheadPosition(playheadPosition); // position is position of the playhead while the content is being played
End of Stream mAppSdk.end(); // Call end() at the end of content
Postroll mAppSdk.loadMetadata(postrollMetaDataObject); // postrollMetadataObject contains the JSON metadata for the postroll ad
mAppSdk.setPlayheadPosition(playheadPosition); // position is position of the playhead while the postroll ad is being played
mAppSdk.stop(); // Call stop after postroll occurs

Note: Each Ad playhead should reset or begin from 0 at ad start. When content has resumed following an ad break, playhead position must continue from where previous content segment was left off.

Handling Foreground and Background states

There are a few approaches to managing the Foreground and Background states of an app available to use for state measurement.

  • Utilizing the Androidx LifeCycleObserver (The recommended approach starting sdk version 7.1.0.0+)
  • Utilizing the SdkBgFgDetectionUtility class
  • Adding a tag to the Manifest XML
  • Manual Management

The LifeCycleObserver

AndroidX replaces the original support library APIs with packages in the androidx namespace, and Android Studio 3.2 and higher provides an automated migration tool. (Select Refactor> Migrate to AndroidX from the menu bar.)

Starting with version 7.1.0, with AndroidX support, an additional utility is provided in the AppSDK - application background/foreground state detection by the AppSdk leveraging the Android Architecture component "LifeCycleObserver".

The AppSdk is now capable of detecting the application UI visibility state transitions between background and foreground, without forcing the applications to register for AppSdk's AppSdkApplication class, which is responsible for handling the detection of application background/foreground state transitions at present.

Please note, that if you already have an app designed that utilizes the depreciated SdkBgFgDetectionUtility Class, the AppSDK will ignore any calls to these methods if it can utilize the LifeCycleObserver. LifeCycleObserver based auto detection will take precedence.

Adding the AndroidX dependency

In order to make use of the app background/foreground state transition auto detection feature of AndroidX AppSdk, the app gradle file needs the androidx dependency. The AppSdk API calls - appInForeground() and appInBackground() will still be respected by AppSdk by executing the old AppSdk flow of handling "app in foreground" and "app in background" states as is.

Using the LifeCycle Extension

The following androidx dependency is required in the app gradle file: 

implementation "androidx.lifecycle:lifecycle-extensions:2.1.0"

If you would like to take advantage of this auto detection feature of AppSdk at the very initial stage (e.g. splash screen or at of app launch time), before the AppSdk is initialized, can do so by calling the following newly introduced AppSdk public api, passing the application context : 

public static void registerLifeCycleObserver(Context applicationContext)

Log messages for the new auto detection

When the AppSdk app successfully registers for the LifeCycleObserver : Registered LifeCycleObserver for App Background/Foreground auto-detection

  • When the app enters the foreground state :App is in foreground, auto detected by AppSDK
  • When the app enters the background state :App is in background, auto detected by AppSDK
  • If the client app doesn't have the "androidx" gradle dependency and AppSdk fails to register LifeCycleObserver :AndroidX LifecycleObserver can not be observed. Please use androidx dependency to activate SDK auto-detection of app background/foreground state.
  • When the appInForeground() is explicitly called while LifeCycleObserver auto detection is active :Ignoring the appInBackground() call, as the App Background/Foreground auto-detection is active. The current state is - foreground
  • When the appInBackground() is explicitly called while LifeCycleObserver auto detection is active :Ignoring the appInBackground() call, as the App Background/Foreground auto-detection is active. The current state is - background

The SdkBgFgDetectionUtility class

Foreground/Background state measurement is a requirement of Nielsen AppSDK implementation which is especially crucial for static measurement. It may be implemented in multiple ways for Android. This includes

  • Enable the Nielsen SDK to measure background/foreground state by makingthe relevant update to the AndroidManifest.
  • Integrate Nielsen’s SdkBgFgDetectionUtility class within your Custom Application Class.
  • Custom implementation of the required methods within your application.

ForeGround/Background Measurement via AndroidManifest

The simplest way to measure the app background/foreground state is to add the following application tag to the Manifest XML. Integrating this into the Manifest XML will enable the SDK to measure app state directly. This approach is supported for Android 4.0 and up only; it requires that the application class is not in use for some other purpose. 

<application android:name="com.nielsen.app.sdk.AppSdkApplication">

Using the Android SdkBgFbDetectionUtility Class

For developers who are already using the application class, it is recommended that background/foreground state is implemented using the SdkBgFgDetectionUtility class. The SdkBgFgDetectionUtility class is compatible with Android 4+ and has been made available to Nielsen clients. (You will need to copy/paste the code provided into a file).

Manual Background/ForeGround State Management

In cases where the developer is not able to use the AndroidManifest.xml solution nor the Nielsen provided SdkBgFgDetectionUtility class the developer will need to manually identify the change of state through the application and call the respective API (appInForeground() or appInBackground()) to inform the SDK regarding the change of state from background to foreground or foreground to background.

The SDK is informed about app state using the below methods. 

AppLaunchMeasurementManager.appInForeground(getApplicationContext());
AppLaunchMeasurementManager.appInBackground(getApplicationContext());

Within the lifecycle of individual activities, onResume() and onPause() are best suited to providing indication of the app state.


Correct measurement of the foreground/background state is crucial to Static App measurement within Nielsen Digital Content Ratings (DCR).

Using the NielsenAppSDKJSHandler

There could be a scenario in which a browser page, that is already tagged with the Nielsen BSDK, needs to be loaded via a webview. In this situation it is recommended to use the NielsenAppSDKJSHandler which will allow communication between the AppSDK and the BSDK.

This feature is supported in versions 7.2 and above.

Implementation

  • Make sure you have the latest AppSdk.jar from Nielsen
  • Enable the javascript on webview using below lines


WebSettings webSetting = webView.getSettings();
webSetting.setJavaScriptEnabled(true);


  • Add NielsenAppSDKJSHandler instance as javascript interface to webview with name “NielsenAppSDK” like below snippet


webView.addJavascriptInterface(new NielsenAppSDKJSHandler(getApplicationContext()), "NielsenAppSDK");


This will enable listening to BSDK api calls within the APPSDK. Please make sure your Technical Account Manager is aware that you wish to implement this method so a configuration file can be modified on the Nielsen servers; however, there are no changes required to the Browser page.

Example:

The below is an example of opening a webview with the NielsenAppSDKJSHandler 

      WebSettings webSetting = webView.getSettings();
      webView.getSettings().setDomStorageEnabled(true); 
      webSetting.setJavaScriptEnabled(true);
      webView.addJavascriptInterface(new NielsenAppSDKJSHandler(getApplicationContext(), ""), "NielsenAppSDK");
      String url = "https://nielsen.com.index.htm";
      webView.loadUrl(url);


AndroidManifest.xml may need the following permissions set: 

    <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.INTERNET"/>
    <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.ACCESS_NETWORK_STATE" />


Closing NielsenAppSDKJSHandler

NielsenAppSDKJSHandler should be closed or cleaned up in below scenarios

  • Before WebView is getting destructed
  • Before loading new page
  • Before closing application

NielsenAppSDKJSHandler provides a public interface with name "close()" and this function should be called on NielsenAppSDKJSHandler's instance in all above scenarios. 

// get your webview
WebView webView = findViewById(R.id.webView);
 
//Added JS Handler instance as java script interface for ggpm api type
NielsenAppSDKJSHandler jshandler = new NielsenAppSDKJSHandler(getApplicationContext(), "");
webView.addJavascriptInterface(jshandler, "NielsenAppSDK");
 
//Close JS Handler before making webview as null
jshandler.close();
webView = null;

Interruptions during playback

As part of integrating Nielsen App SDK with the player application, the Video app developer needs to handle the following possible interruption scenarios:

  • Pause / Play
  • Network Loss (Wi-Fi / Airplane / Cellular)
  • Call Interrupt (SIM or Third party Skype / Hangout call)
  • Alarm Interrupt
  • Content Buffering
  • Device Lock / Unlock
  • App going in the Background/Foreground
  • Channel / Station Change Scenario
  • Unplugging of headphone

In case of encountering one of the above interruptions, the player application needs to

  • Call stop immediately (except when content is buffering) and withhold sending playhead position.
  • Start sending pings – 'loadMetadata' and 'playheadPosition' for the new viewing session, once the playback resumes.

Please see the Interruption Scenarios Page for more details

Pre-Certification Checklists

After the application is ready to be sent for Nielsen Certification, please go through the Digital Pre-Certification Checklist App SDK and ensure the app behaves as expected, before submitting to Nielsen.

Privacy and Opt-Out

There are currently 3 flavors of the Nielsen SDK:

  1. Global Android SDK Opt-out - managed by Opt out of Ads Personalization setting on device (preferred approach).
  2. Global Android SDK No Ad Framework Optout - Direct call to SDK. Can be used without Google Play Services or when using the noAd version of the SDK.
  3. Global Android SDK No ID Optout - Direct call to SDK. Should be used for Kids Category.

Global Android SDK Opt-out

OS-level Opt-out method available on Nielsen Android when the Google Play services APIs have been setup in your project.

The Nielsen SDK automatically leverages the Android's Opt out of Ads Personalization setting. The user is opted out of demographic measurement if the OS-level Opt out of Ads Personalization setting is enabled. As a publisher, you cannot override this setting.

Webview Element

It is a requirement to display a WebView element whose loadUrl is set to the value obtained from optOutURL. If using the Global Android SDK, this optOutURL informs the user how to deactivate/activate “Out of Ads Personalization”.

If you are implementing on Android TV or Fire TV here are your Opt Out verbiage options : https://engineeringportal.nielsen.com/docs/DCR_Video_%26_Static_CTV_Device_SDK_Privacy

Retrieve current Opt-Out preference

Whether the user is opted out via OS-level Opt-out or via App-level Opt-out, the current Opt-Out status as detected by the SDK is available via the getOptOutStatus() property in the Nielsen Android SDK API. appSdk.getOptOutStatus()

Global Android SDK No Ad Framework Optout

The No Ad Framework Optout can be used when the host application does not leverage Google Play Services such as when using the noAd version or the NoID version.

Nielsen Android SDK 5.1.1.18 and above will check for OS-level opt-out first, if available. The user will be opted out if indicated at the OS-level OR the App-level.

The No Ad Framework Optout method works as follows:

  • Get the current Nielsen opt-out URL via userOptOutURLString()
  • Display a WebView element whose loadUrl is set to the value obtained from userOptOutURLString()
  • Detect if the WebView URL changes to a special URL that indicates Opt-in, or Opt-out and close the WebView
    • Opt-out if the WebView URL = nielsenappsdk://1
    • Opt-in if the WebView URL = nielsenappsdk://0
  • Pass the detected URL to the userOptOut() function
    • Example: 
      appSdk.userOptOut("nielsenappsdk://1");  // User opt-out

Global Android SDK No ID Optout (Kids_Category)

If you are building an app that will be listed in the Kids Category:

  1. Ensure that you are using the NoID version of the Nielsen SDK Framework.
  2. Immediately following the initialization of the Nielsen SDK ensure you call the userOptOut API with Opt out selection:
appSdk.userOptOut("nielsenappsdk://1");  // User opt-out

OptOut Example Code

Below you will find some sample code for the:

  • Global Android SDK - managed by Opt out of Ads Personalization setting on device (preferred approach).
  • Global Android noAd Framework - Use if Google Play APIs are unavailable or running noAd version.
  • It is currently not required to display an OptOut page for the NoID/Kids Build of the SDK.

Global OptOut Example

The below code is an AndroidX example of displaying the Nielsen Privacy page to the user. Please see the next section if using the No Ad Framework build 

public class OptOutActivity extends AppCompatActivity implements IAppNotifier {

    WebView webView;
    AppSdk appSdk;

    @Override
    public void onCreate(@Nullable Bundle savedInstanceState) {
        super.onCreate(savedInstanceState);
        setContentView(R.layout.activity_optout);
        webView = (WebView) findViewById(R.id.webView);
        webView.getSettings().setJavaScriptEnabled(true);

        webView.setWebViewClient(new WebViewClient() {
            @SuppressWarnings("deprecation")
            @Override
            public void onReceivedError(WebView view, int errorCode, String description, String failingUrl) {
                Toast.makeText(OptOutActivity.this, description, Toast.LENGTH_SHORT).show();
            }
            @TargetApi(android.os.Build.VERSION_CODES.M)
            @Override
            public void onReceivedError(WebView view, WebResourceRequest req, WebResourceError rerr) {
                // Redirect to deprecated method, so you can use it in all SDK versions
                onReceivedError(view, rerr.getErrorCode(), rerr.getDescription().toString(), req.getUrl().toString());
            }

        });
        String url = appSdk.userOptOutURLString();   // Request Optout URL from NielsenSDK
        webView.loadUrl(url);                         //Display to the user in a Webview
    }
    @Override
    public void onBackPressed() {
        super.onBackPressed();
        mSdkInterface.getSDK(appSdk);
    }
    @Override
    protected void onDestroy() {
        super.onDestroy();
        if (appSdk != null)
        {
            appSdk.close();
            appSdk = null;
        }
    }
}


No Ad Framework Optout Sample Code

The below code is an AndroidX example of displaying the Nielsen Privacy page to the user with the No Ad Framework SDK Build. 

public class OptOutActivity extends AppCompatActivity implements IAppNotifier {

    WebView webView;
    AppSdk appSdk;

    @Override
    public void onCreate(@Nullable Bundle savedInstanceState) {
        super.onCreate(savedInstanceState);
        setContentView(R.layout.activity_optout);
        webView = (WebView) findViewById(R.id.webView);
        webView.getSettings().setJavaScriptEnabled(true);

        webView.setWebViewClient(new WebViewClient() {
            @SuppressWarnings("deprecation")
            @Override
            public void onReceivedError(WebView view, int errorCode, String description, String failingUrl) {
                Toast.makeText(OptOutActivity.this, description, Toast.LENGTH_SHORT).show();
            }
            @TargetApi(android.os.Build.VERSION_CODES.M)
            @Override
            public void onReceivedError(WebView view, WebResourceRequest req, WebResourceError rerr) {
                // Redirect to deprecated method, so you can use it in all SDK versions
                onReceivedError(view, rerr.getErrorCode(), rerr.getDescription().toString(), req.getUrl().toString());
            }

  
            @Override
            public boolean shouldOverrideUrlLoading(WebView view, String url) {

                if(url.contains("nielsen")){
                    // If url value = "nielsenappsdk://1 it means the user selected Opt Out
                    // If url value = "nielsenappsdk://0" it means the user selected Opt-In
                    appSdk.userOptOut(url);
                }
                return true;
            }

        });
        String url = appSdk.userOptOutURLString();   // Request Optout URL from NielsenSDK
        webView.loadUrl(url);                         //Display to the user in a Webview
    }
    @Override
    public void onBackPressed() {
        super.onBackPressed();
        mSdkInterface.getSDK(appSdk);
    }
    @Override
    protected void onDestroy() {
        super.onDestroy();
        if (appSdk != null)
        {
            appSdk.close();
            appSdk = null;
        }
    }
}

Retrieve current Opt-Out preference

Whether the user is opted out via OS-level Opt-out or via App-level Opt-out, the current Opt-Out status as detected by the SDK is available via the getOptOutStatus() property in the Nielsen Android SDK API. appSdk.getOptOutStatus()

Going Live

Following Nielsen testing, you will need to:

  1. Disable Debug Logging: Disable logging by deleting {nol_devDebug: 'DEBUG'} from initialization call.
  2. Notify Nielsen: Once you are ready to go live, let us know so we can enable you for reporting. We will not be able to collect or report data prior to receiving notification from you.

Going Live

Following Nielsen testing, you will need to:

  1. Disable Debug Logging: Disable logging by deleting {nol_sdkDebug: 'DEBUG'} from initialization call.
  2. Notify Nielsen: Once you are ready to go live, let us know so we can enable you for reporting. We will not be able to collect or report data prior to receiving notification from you.

Sample Applications

The below sample applications have been designed to show the API's functionality and are broken into two distinct categories:

  • Basic - To show the functionality of the Nielsen API using a standard no-frills player.
  • Advanced - Nielsen API integrated into a custom video player is bundled with the SDK.
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