Get started with the IMA DAI SDK

IMA SDKs make it easy to integrate multimedia ads into your websites and apps. IMA SDKs can request ads from any VAST-compliant ad server and manage ad playback in your apps. With IMA DAI SDKs, apps make a stream request for ad and content video—either VOD or live content. The SDK then returns a combined video stream, so that you don't have to manage switching between ad and content video within your app.

Select the DAI solution you're interested in

Full service DAI

This guide demonstrates how to integrate the IMA DAI SDK into a simple video player app. If you would like to view or follow along with a completed sample integration, download the BasicExample from GitHub.

IMA DAI overview

Implementing IMA DAI involves four main SDK components as demonstrated in this guide:

  • IMAAdDisplayContainer – A container object that sits on top of the video playback element and houses the ad UI elements.
  • IMAAdsLoader – An object that requests streams and handles events triggered by stream request response objects. You should only instantiate one ads loader, which can be reused throughout the life of the application.
  • IMAStreamRequest – either a IMAVODStreamRequest or a IMALiveStreamRequest. An object that defines a stream request. Stream requests can either be for video-on-demand or live streams. Requests specify a content ID, as well as an API key or authentication token and other parameters.
  • IMAStreamManager – An object that handles dynamic ad insertion streams and interactions with the DAI backend. The stream manager also handles tracking pings and forwards stream and ad events to the publisher.

Prerequisites

Before you begin, you need the following:

You also need the parameters used to request your stream from the IMA SDK. For examples of request parameters, see Sample Streams.

Livestream parameters
Asset key The asset key identifying your livestream in Google Ad Manager.
Example: c-rArva4ShKVIAkNfy6HUQ
VOD stream parameters
Content source ID The content source ID from Google Ad Manager.
Example: 2548831
Video ID The video ID from Google Ad Manager.
Example: tears-of-steel

Create a new Xcode project

In Xcode, create a new iOS project using Objective-C. Use BasicExample as the project name.

Add the IMA DAI SDK to the Xcode project

Use one of these three methods to install the IMA DAI SDK.

Install the SDK using CocoaPods (preferred)

CocoaPods is a dependency manager for Xcode projects and is the recommended method for installing the IMA DAI SDK. For more information on installing or using CocoaPods, see the CocoaPods documentation. After you've installed CocoaPods, use the following instructions to install the IMA DAI SDK:

  1. In the same directory as your BasicExample.xcodeproj file, create a text file called Podfile, and add the following configuration:

    source 'https://github.com/CocoaPods/Specs.git'
    
    platform :ios, '14'
    
    target 'BasicExample' do
      pod 'GoogleAds-IMA-iOS-SDK', '~> 3.23.0'
    end
    
  2. From the directory that contains the Podfile, run:

    pod install --repo-update`
  3. Verify that the installation was successful by opening the BasicExample.xcworkspace file and confirming that it contains two projects: BasicExample and Pods (the dependencies installed by CocoaPods).

Install the SDK using Swift Package Manager

The Interactive Media Ads SDK supports Swift Package Manager starting in version 3.18.4. Follow the following steps to import the Swift package.

  1. In Xcode, install the IMA DAI SDK Swift Package by navigating to File > Add Packages.

  2. In the prompt that appears, search for the IMA DAI SDK Swift Package GitHub repository:

    https://github.com/googleads/swift-package-manager-google-interactive-media-ads-ios
    
  3. Select the version of the IMA DAI SDK Swift Package you want to use. For new projects, we recommend using the Up to Next Major Version.

When you're done, Xcode resolves your package dependencies and downloads them in the background. For more details on how to add package dependencies, see Apple's article.

Manually download and install the SDK

If you don't want to use Swift Package Manager or CocoaPods, you can download the IMA DAI SDK and manually add it to your project.

Create a simple video player

Implement a video player in your main view controller, using an AV player wrapped in a UI view. The IMA SDK uses the UI view to display ad UI elements.

#import "ViewController.h"

#import <AVKit/AVKit.h>

/// Content URL.
static NSString *const kBackupContentUrl =
    @"http://devimages.apple.com/iphone/samples/bipbop/bipbopall.m3u8";

@interface ViewController ()
/// Play button.
@property(nonatomic, weak) IBOutlet UIButton *playButton;

@property(nonatomic, weak) IBOutlet UIView *videoView;
/// Video player.
@property(nonatomic, strong) AVPlayer *videoPlayer;
@end

@implementation ViewController

- (void)viewDidLoad {
  [super viewDidLoad];
  self.view.backgroundColor = [UIColor blackColor];

  // Load AVPlayer with the path to your content.
  NSURL *contentURL = [NSURL URLWithString:kBackupContentUrl];
  self.videoPlayer = [AVPlayer playerWithURL:contentURL];

  // Create a player layer for the player.
  AVPlayerLayer *playerLayer = [AVPlayerLayer playerLayerWithPlayer:self.videoPlayer];

  // Size, position, and display the AVPlayer.
  playerLayer.frame = self.videoView.layer.bounds;
  [self.videoView.layer addSublayer:playerLayer];
}

- (IBAction)onPlayButtonTouch:(id)sender {
  [self.videoPlayer play];
  self.playButton.hidden = YES;
}

@end

Initialize the ads loader

Import the IMA SDK into your view controller and adopt the IMAAdsLoaderDelegate and IMAStreamManagerDelegate protocols to handle ads loader and stream manager events.

Add these private properties to store key IMA SDK components:

Initialize the ads loader, ad display container, and video display after the view loads.

@import GoogleInteractiveMediaAds;

// ...

@interface ViewController () <IMAAdsLoaderDelegate, IMAStreamManagerDelegate>
/// The entry point for the IMA DAI SDK to make DAI stream requests.
@property(nonatomic, strong) IMAAdsLoader *adsLoader;
/// The container where the SDK renders each ad's user interface elements and companion slots.
@property(nonatomic, strong) IMAAdDisplayContainer *adDisplayContainer;
/// The reference of your video player for the IMA DAI SDK to monitor playback and handle timed
/// metadata.
@property(nonatomic, strong) IMAAVPlayerVideoDisplay *imaVideoDisplay;
/// References the stream manager from the IMA DAI SDK after successful stream loading.
@property(nonatomic, strong) IMAStreamManager *streamManager;

// ...

@end

@implementation ViewController

- (void)viewDidLoad {
  [super viewDidLoad];

  // ...

  self.adsLoader = [[IMAAdsLoader alloc] initWithSettings:nil];
  self.adsLoader.delegate = self;

  // Create an ad display container for rendering each ad's user interface elements and companion
  // slots.
  self.adDisplayContainer =
      [[IMAAdDisplayContainer alloc] initWithAdContainer:self.videoView
                                          viewController:self
                                          companionSlots:nil];

  // Create an IMAAVPlayerVideoDisplay to give the SDK access to your video player.
  self.imaVideoDisplay = [[IMAAVPlayerVideoDisplay alloc] initWithAVPlayer:self.videoPlayer];
}

Make a stream request

When a user presses the play button, make a new stream request. Use the IMALiveStreamRequest class for Live streams. For VOD streams, use the IMAVODStreamRequest class.

The stream request requires your stream parameters, as well as a reference to your ad display container and video display.

- (IBAction)onPlayButtonTouch:(id)sender {
  [self requestStream];
  self.playButton.hidden = YES;
}

- (void)requestStream {
  // Create a stream request. Use one of "Live stream request" or "VOD request", depending on your
  // type of stream.
  IMAStreamRequest *request;
  // Switch this variable to NO to make a VOD request.
  BOOL useLiveStream = YES;
  if (useLiveStream) {
    // Live stream request. Replace the asset key with your value.
    request = [[IMALiveStreamRequest alloc] initWithAssetKey:@"c-rArva4ShKVIAkNfy6HUQ"
                                          adDisplayContainer:self.adDisplayContainer
                                                videoDisplay:self.imaVideoDisplay
                                                 userContext:nil];
  } else {
    // VOD request. Replace the content source ID and video ID with your values.
    request = [[IMAVODStreamRequest alloc] initWithContentSourceID:@"2548831"
                                                           videoID:@"tears-of-steel"
                                                adDisplayContainer:self.adDisplayContainer
                                                      videoDisplay:self.imaVideoDisplay
                                                       userContext:nil];
  }
  [self.adsLoader requestStreamWithRequest:request];
}

Listen to stream load events

The IMAAdsLoader class calls the IMAAdsLoaderDelegate methods on successful initialization or failure of the stream request.

In the adsLoadedWithData delegate method, set your IMAStreamManagerDelegate and initialize the stream manager. On initialization, the stream manager starts playback.

In the failedWithErrorData delegate method, log the error. Optionally, play the backup stream. See DAI best practices.

- (void)adsLoader:(IMAAdsLoader *)loader adsLoadedWithData:(IMAAdsLoadedData *)adsLoadedData {
  NSLog(@"Stream created with: %@.", adsLoadedData.streamManager.streamId);
  self.streamManager = adsLoadedData.streamManager;
  self.streamManager.delegate = self;
  [self.streamManager initializeWithAdsRenderingSettings:nil];
}

- (void)adsLoader:(IMAAdsLoader *)loader failedWithErrorData:(IMAAdLoadingErrorData *)adErrorData {
  // Log the error and play the content.
  NSLog(@"AdsLoader error, code:%ld, message: %@", adErrorData.adError.code,
        adErrorData.adError.message);
  [self.videoPlayer play];
}

Listen to ad events

The IMAStreamManager calls the IMAStreamManagerDelegate methods to pass stream events and errors to your application.

For this example, log the primary ad events to the console:

- (void)streamManager:(IMAStreamManager *)streamManager didReceiveAdEvent:(IMAAdEvent *)event {
  NSLog(@"Ad event (%@).", event.typeString);
  switch (event.type) {
    case kIMAAdEvent_STARTED: {
      // Log extended data.
      NSString *extendedAdPodInfo = [[NSString alloc]
          initWithFormat:@"Showing ad %ld/%ld, bumper: %@, title: %@, description: %@, contentType:"
                         @"%@, pod index: %ld, time offset: %lf, max duration: %lf.",
                         (long)event.ad.adPodInfo.adPosition, (long)event.ad.adPodInfo.totalAds,
                         event.ad.adPodInfo.isBumper ? @"YES" : @"NO", event.ad.adTitle,
                         event.ad.adDescription, event.ad.contentType,
                         (long)event.ad.adPodInfo.podIndex, event.ad.adPodInfo.timeOffset,
                         event.ad.adPodInfo.maxDuration];

      NSLog(@"%@", extendedAdPodInfo);
      break;
    }
    case kIMAAdEvent_AD_BREAK_STARTED: {
      NSLog(@"Ad break started");
      break;
    }
    case kIMAAdEvent_AD_BREAK_ENDED: {
      NSLog(@"Ad break ended");
      break;
    }
    case kIMAAdEvent_AD_PERIOD_STARTED: {
      NSLog(@"Ad period started");
      break;
    }
    case kIMAAdEvent_AD_PERIOD_ENDED: {
      NSLog(@"Ad period ended");
      break;
    }
    default:
      break;
  }
}

- (void)streamManager:(IMAStreamManager *)streamManager didReceiveAdError:(IMAAdError *)error {
  NSLog(@"StreamManager error with type: %ld\ncode: %ld\nmessage: %@", error.type, error.code,
        error.message);
  [self.videoPlayer play];
}

Run your app, and if successful, you can request and play Google DAI streams with the IMA SDK. To learn about more advanced SDK features, see other guides listed in the left-hand sidebar or samples on GitHub.