Android AdMob Banner XML

In the preview tutorial I explained how to add AdMob to your project, but we created the AdView in Java. So in this tutorial I will show you how to set it up in XML. Actually it’s more simple this way, at least in my opinion :)

1. Create a new project (or use an existing one if you want to)
2. Go to res – layout – main.xml and change the LinearLayout to RelativeLayout (for simplicity…I used RelativeLayout and it’s better for you to do the same so as not to become confused). This time I made the ad to be displayed at the bottom of the screen.
3. In the RelativeLayout add this code just after before the android:layout_width:

xmlns:ads="http://schemas.android.com/apk/lib/com.google.ads"

4. Now you have to introduce this code just before the RelativeLayout tag is closed:

<com.google.ads.AdView android:layout_width="fill_parent"
                           android:layout_height="wrap_content"
                           android:id="@+id/adMob"
                          android:layout_alignParentBottom="true"
                           ads:adUnitId="YOUR AdMob publisher ID"
                           ads:adSize="BANNER"/>

Your entire main.xml should look like this:

<RelativeLayout xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
                 xmlns:ads="http://schemas.android.com/apk/lib/com.google.ads"
                 android:layout_width="fill_parent"
                 android:layout_height="fill_parent"
                 android:id="@+id/main_layout">

    <com.google.ads.AdView android:layout_width="fill_parent"
                           android:layout_height="wrap_content"
                           android:id="@+id/adMob"
                           android:layout_alignParentBottom="true"
                           ads:adUnitId="YOUR AdMob publisher ID"
                           ads:adSize="BANNER"/>
</RelativeLayout>

5. Now in the the activity class you must have this:

import android.app.Activity;
import android.os.Bundle;
import com.google.ads.AdRequest;
import com.google.ads.AdView;

public class MyActivity extends Activity{

    AdView adView;

    @Override
    public void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState)
    {
        super.onCreate(savedInstanceState);

        setContentView(R.layout.main);

        //request TEST ads to avoid being disabled for clicking your own ads
        AdRequest adRequest = new AdRequest();

        //test mode on EMULATOR
        adRequest.addTestDevice(AdRequest.TEST_EMULATOR);

        //test mode on DEVICE (this example code must be replaced with your device uniquq ID)
        adRequest.addTestDevice("4G74FC73D62D42B62A7F7DA61EF5F776");

        adView = (AdView)findViewById(R.id.adMob);      

        // Initiate a request to load an ad in test mode.
        // You can keep this even when you release your app on the market, because
        // only emulators and your test device will get test ads. The user will receive real ads.
        adView.loadAd(adRequest);


    }


    @Override
    public void onDestroy() {
        if (adView != null) {
            adView.destroy();
        }
        super.onDestroy();
    }
}

6. To get your device ID you have to run  your application on the DEVICE in test mode for emulator and then go to logcat output and search for the ID. It should be at Log INFO like in the picture below:

References: https://developers.google.com/mobile-ads-sdk/docs/android/banner_xml