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Android Studio: Custom Camera Preview won't display

I am trying to build a custom camera in Android Studio (and I am fairly new to it). I have been following this guide: https://developer.android.com/guide/topics/media/camera
I did manifest declarations for using camera in manifest-file
I've accessed the camera
I created preview class CameraPreview
I placed preview in layout
When I open the app I can only see my button "Capture" and no preview of the camera. Why?
AndroidManifest.xml:
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<manifest xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
package="com.example.customcamera">
<uses-permission android:name="android.permission.CAMERA" />
<uses-feature android:name="android.hardware.camera" />
<uses-feature android:name="android.hardware.camera2.full" />
<application
android:allowBackup="true"
android:icon="#mipmap/ic_launcher"
android:label="#string/app_name"
android:roundIcon="#mipmap/ic_launcher_round"
android:supportsRtl="true"
android:theme="#style/Theme.CustomCamera">
<activity
android:name=".MainActivity"
android:exported="true"
android:label="#string/app_name">
<intent-filter>
<action android:name="android.intent.action.MAIN" />
<category android:name="android.intent.category.LAUNCHER" />
</intent-filter>
</activity>
</application>
</manifest>
CameraPreview.java:
package com.example.customcamera;
import android.content.Context;
import android.hardware.Camera;
import android.util.Log;
import android.view.SurfaceHolder;
import android.view.SurfaceView;
import java.io.IOException;
/** A basic Camera preview class */
public class CameraPreview extends SurfaceView implements SurfaceHolder.Callback {
private SurfaceHolder mHolder;
private Camera mCamera;
public static final String TAG = "TAG";
public CameraPreview(Context context, Camera camera) {
super(context);
mCamera = camera;
// Install a SurfaceHolder.Callback so we get notified when the
// underlying surface is created and destroyed.
mHolder = getHolder();
mHolder.addCallback(this);
// deprecated setting, but required on Android versions prior to 3.0
mHolder.setType(SurfaceHolder.SURFACE_TYPE_PUSH_BUFFERS);
}
public void surfaceCreated(SurfaceHolder holder) {
// The Surface has been created, now tell the camera where to draw the preview.
try {
mCamera.setPreviewDisplay(holder);
mCamera.startPreview();
} catch (IOException e) {
Log.d(TAG, "Error setting camera preview: " + e.getMessage());
}
}
public void surfaceDestroyed(SurfaceHolder holder) {
// empty. Take care of releasing the Camera preview in your activity.
}
public void surfaceChanged(SurfaceHolder holder, int format, int w, int h) {
// If your preview can change or rotate, take care of those events here.
// Make sure to stop the preview before resizing or reformatting it.
if (mHolder.getSurface() == null){
// preview surface does not exist
return;
}
// stop preview before making changes
try {
mCamera.stopPreview();
} catch (Exception e){
// ignore: tried to stop a non-existent preview
}
// set preview size and make any resize, rotate or
// reformatting changes here
// start preview with new settings
try {
mCamera.setPreviewDisplay(mHolder);
mCamera.startPreview();
} catch (Exception e){
Log.d(TAG, "Error starting camera preview: " + e.getMessage());
}
}
}
MainActivity.java:
package com.example.customcamera;
import androidx.appcompat.app.AppCompatActivity;
import android.hardware.Camera;
import android.os.Bundle;
import android.widget.FrameLayout;
public class MainActivity extends AppCompatActivity {
private Camera mCamera;
private CameraPreview mPreview;
#Override
protected void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState) {
super.onCreate(savedInstanceState);
setContentView(R.layout.activity_main);
// Create an instance of Camera
mCamera = getCameraInstance();
// Create our Preview view and set it as the content of our activity.
mPreview = new CameraPreview(this, mCamera);
FrameLayout preview = (FrameLayout) findViewById(R.id.camera_preview);
preview.addView(mPreview);
}
/** A safe way to get an instance of the Camera object. */
public static Camera getCameraInstance(){
Camera c = null;
try {
c = Camera.open(); // attempt to get a Camera instance, int between 0 and 1?
}
catch (Exception e){
// Camera is not available (in use or does not exist)
}
return c; // returns null if camera is unavailable
}
}
activity_main.xml:
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<LinearLayout xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
android:orientation="horizontal"
android:layout_width="fill_parent"
android:layout_height="fill_parent"
>
<FrameLayout
android:id="#+id/camera_preview"
android:layout_width="fill_parent"
android:layout_height="fill_parent"
android:layout_weight="1"
/>
<Button
android:id="#+id/button_capture"
android:text="Capture"
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:layout_gravity="center"
/>
</LinearLayout>
I am using:
Xiaomi mi 9T, Android version: 10
Minimum SDK: API 21 (Android 5.0 Lollipop)
In addition, Kotlin (CameraX) is not an option for me.
Solution
After run, go to app settings -> locate your app -> enable camera permission

Solution
After run, go to app settings -> locate your app -> enable camera permission

the following code should turn on the camera and record video on my android phone. However, nothing happens. Anybody spot any errors in my code?

I have used this code to create (trying) an app that opens its camera and starts recording videos, whether front or back, doesn't matter. But what ever i have tried i cannot seem to get it to work. When i press the button, nothing happens, no crash, no new view. I am not sure what the problem is.
package com.example.mediaworld;
import java.io.File;
import java.io.IOException;
import android.app.Activity;
import android.hardware.Camera;
import android.hardware.Camera.Parameters;
import android.media.CamcorderProfile;
import android.media.MediaRecorder;
import android.os.Bundle;
import android.os.Environment;
import android.util.Log;
import android.view.Menu;
import android.view.MenuItem;
import android.view.SurfaceHolder;
import android.view.SurfaceView;
import android.widget.Button;
import android.widget.Toast;
public class MainActivity extends Activity implements SurfaceHolder.Callback {
private SurfaceHolder surfaceHolder;
private SurfaceView surfaceView;
public MediaRecorder mrec = new MediaRecorder();
private Button startRecording = null;
//private button stopRecording;
File video;
private Camera mCamera;
#SuppressWarnings("deprecation")
#Override
protected void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState) {
super.onCreate(savedInstanceState);
setContentView(R.layout.activity_main);
Log.i(null, "Video starting");
startRecording = (Button)findViewById(R.id.buttonstart);
mCamera = Camera.open();
surfaceView = (SurfaceView)findViewById(R.id.surfaceView1);
surfaceHolder = surfaceView.getHolder();
surfaceHolder.addCallback(this);
surfaceHolder.setType(SurfaceHolder.SURFACE_TYPE_PUSH_BUFFERS);
}
#Override
public boolean onCreateOptionsMenu(Menu menu) {
// Inflate the menu; this adds items to the action bar if it is present.
//getMenuInflater().inflate(R.menu.main, menu);
menu.add(0,0,0, "StartRecording");
menu.add(0,1,0, "StopRecording");
return super.onCreateOptionsMenu(menu);
//return true;
}
#Override
public boolean onOptionsItemSelected(MenuItem item) {
// Handle action bar item clicks here. The action bar will
// automatically handle clicks on the Home/Up button, so long
// as you specify a parent activity in AndroidManifest.xml.
//int id = item.getItemId();
//if (id == R.id.action_settings) {
// return true;
//}
switch(item.getItemId()){
case 0: try{
startRecording();
}catch(Exception e){
String message = e.getMessage();
Log.i(null, "problem Start" + message);
mrec.release();
}
break;
case 1:
mrec.stop();
mrec.release();
mrec = null;
break;
default:
break;
}
return super.onOptionsItemSelected(item);
}
protected void startRecording() throws IOException{
mrec = new MediaRecorder();
mCamera.unlock();
mrec.setCamera(mCamera);
mrec.setPreviewDisplay(surfaceHolder.getSurface());
mrec.setVideoSource(MediaRecorder.VideoSource.CAMERA);
mrec.setAudioSource(MediaRecorder.AudioSource.MIC);
mrec.setProfile(CamcorderProfile.get(CamcorderProfile.QUALITY_HIGH));
mrec.setPreviewDisplay(surfaceHolder.getSurface());
mrec.setOutputFile("/sdcard/zzzz/3gp");
mrec.prepare();
mrec.start();
}
protected void stopRecording(){
mrec.stop();
mrec.release();
mCamera.release();
}
private void releaseMediaRecorder(){
if(mrec != null){
mrec.reset();
mrec.release();
mrec = null;
mCamera.lock();
}
}
private void releaseCamera(){
if(mCamera != null){
mCamera.release();
mCamera = null;
}
}
#Override
public void surfaceCreated(SurfaceHolder holder) {
// TODO Auto-generated method stub
if(mCamera != null){
Parameters params = mCamera.getParameters();
mCamera.setParameters(params);
}else{
Toast.makeText(getApplicationContext(), "Camera not available!", Toast.LENGTH_LONG).show();
finish();
}
}
#Override
public void surfaceChanged(SurfaceHolder holder, int format, int width,
int height) {
// TODO Auto-generated method stub
}
#Override
public void surfaceDestroyed(SurfaceHolder holder) {
// TODO Auto-generated method stub
mCamera.stopPreview();
mCamera.release();
}
}
And here is the manifest:
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<manifest xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
package="com.example.mediaworld"
android:versionCode="1"
android:versionName="1.0" >
<uses-sdk
android:minSdkVersion="14"
android:targetSdkVersion="21" />
<uses-permission android:name="android.permission.RECORD_AUDIO" />
<uses-permission android:name= "android.permission.CAMERA"/>
<uses-permission android:name="android.permission.WRITE_EXTERNAL_STORAGE" />
<application
android:allowBackup="true"
android:icon="#drawable/ic_launcher"
android:label="#string/app_name"
android:theme="#style/AppTheme" >
<activity
android:name=".MainActivity"
android:label="#string/app_name" >
<intent-filter>
<action android:name="android.intent.action.MAIN" />
<category android:name="android.intent.category.LAUNCHER" />
</intent-filter>
</activity>
</application>
</manifest>
AND here is the xml file for main activity:
<LinearLayout xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
xmlns:tools="http://schemas.android.com/tools"
android:layout_width="fill_parent"
android:layout_height="fill_parent"
android:orientation="vertical"
android:paddingBottom="#dimen/activity_vertical_margin"
android:paddingLeft="#dimen/activity_horizontal_margin"
android:paddingRight="#dimen/activity_horizontal_margin"
android:paddingTop="#dimen/activity_vertical_margin"
tools:context="com.example.mediaworld.MainActivity" >
<SurfaceView
android:id="#+id/surfaceView1"
android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:layout_height="match_parent"
android:layout_weight="1" />
<Button
android:id="#+id/buttonstart"
style="?android:attr/buttonStyleSmall"
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:layout_alignParentBottom="true"
android:layout_centerHorizontal="true"
android:layout_marginBottom="50dp"
android:text="Start Rec" />
</LinearLayout>

I think you forgot to register an "onClickListener" with your button:
startRecording.setOnClickListener(new View.OnClickListener() {
public void onClick(View v) {
startRecording();
}
});

Admob Banner Ad is not displaying on Android App

I have a Android App. I need to integrate admob. I have included the following code but banner ad is not displaying in main layout please help regarding this your answers will be appreciated and it would be a great help. thank you.
<RelativeLayout xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
xmlns:ads="http://schemas.android.com/apk/lib/com.google.ads"
xmlns:tools="http://schemas.android.com/tools"
android:id="#+id/main_layout"
android:background="#drawable/hanumanji1"
android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:layout_height="match_parent"
tools:context=".HanumanActivity" >
<Button
android:id="#+id/pause_button"
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:layout_alignParentRight="true"
android:layout_alignParentTop="true"
android:background="#drawable/circle_shape_drawable"
android:text="#string/pau"
android:textColor="#ffff00" />
<Button
android:id="#+id/play_button"
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:layout_alignParentLeft="true"
android:layout_alignParentTop="true"
android:background="#drawable/circle_shape_drawable"
android:gravity="center"
android:text="#string/pl"
android:textColor="#ffff00" />
<Button
android:id="#+id/button1"
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:layout_alignParentBottom="true"
android:layout_alignParentRight="true"
android:background="#drawable/circle_shape_drawable"
android:gravity="center"
android:text="#string/de"
android:textColor="#ffff00" />
<com.google.ads.AdView
android:id="#+id/adView"
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
ads:adSize="BANNER"
ads:adUnitId="xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx"
ads:loadAdOnCreate="true"/>
</RelativeLayout>
MainActivity.java
package e.hanuman;
import e.hanuman.Constants;
import java.util.ArrayList;
import java.util.Random;
import java.util.Timer;
import java.util.TimerTask;
import com.google.ads.AdRequest;
import com.google.ads.AdSize;
import com.google.ads.AdView;
import e.hanuman.R;
import android.graphics.Rect;
import android.graphics.drawable.Drawable;
import android.media.MediaPlayer;
import android.os.Bundle;
import android.os.Handler;
import android.os.Message;
import android.animation.ValueAnimator;
import android.app.Activity;
import android.content.Context;
import android.content.Intent;
import android.telephony.PhoneStateListener;
import android.telephony.TelephonyManager;
import android.util.DisplayMetrics;
import android.util.Log;
import android.view.Display;
import android.view.LayoutInflater;
import android.view.View;
import android.view.View.OnClickListener;
import android.view.animation.AccelerateInterpolator;
import android.widget.Button;
import android.widget.ImageView;
import android.widget.RelativeLayout;
import android.widget.RelativeLayout.LayoutParams;
public class HanumanActivity extends Activity implements OnClickListener{
Button play_button, pause_button, button1 ;
private AdView adView;
MediaPlayer player;
private int[] LEAVES = {
R.drawable.leaf_green,
R.drawable.leaf_red,
R.drawable.leaf_yellow,
R.drawable.leaf_other,
};
private Rect mDisplaySize = new Rect();
private RelativeLayout mRootLayout;
private ArrayList<View> mAllImageViews = new ArrayList<View>();
private float mScale;
#Override
protected void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState) {
super.onCreate(savedInstanceState);
setContentView(R.layout.activity_hanuman);
// Create the adView
adView = new AdView(this, AdSize.BANNER, "xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx");
// Lookup your LinearLayout assuming it's been given
// the attribute android:id="#+id/mainLayout"
RelativeLayout layout = (RelativeLayout)findViewById(R.id.main_layout);
// Add the adView to it
layout.addView(adView);
// Initiate a generic request to load it with an ad
adView.loadAd(new AdRequest());
AdView adView = (AdView)this.findViewById(R.id.adView);
AdRequest adRequest = new AdRequest();
//adRequest.setTesting(true);
button1=(Button)findViewById(R.id.button1);
button1.setOnClickListener(this);
TelephonyManager mgr = (TelephonyManager) getSystemService(TELEPHONY_SERVICE);
if(mgr != null) {
mgr.listen(phoneStateListener, PhoneStateListener.LISTEN_CALL_STATE);
}
getInit();
Display display = getWindowManager().getDefaultDisplay();
display.getRectSize(mDisplaySize);
DisplayMetrics metrics = new DisplayMetrics();
display.getMetrics(metrics);
mScale = metrics.density;
mRootLayout = (RelativeLayout) findViewById(R.id.main_layout);
new Timer().schedule(new ExeTimerTask(), 0, 5000);
}
PhoneStateListener phoneStateListener = new PhoneStateListener() {
#Override
public void onCallStateChanged(int state, String incomingNumber) {
if (state == TelephonyManager.CALL_STATE_RINGING) {
player.pause();
} else if(state == TelephonyManager.CALL_STATE_IDLE) {
//Not in call: Play music
player.start();
} else if(state == TelephonyManager.CALL_STATE_OFFHOOK) {
//A call is dialing, active or on hold
player.pause();
}
super.onCallStateChanged(state, incomingNumber);
}
};
public void startAnimation(final ImageView aniView) {
aniView.setPivotX(aniView.getWidth()/2);
aniView.setPivotY(aniView.getHeight()/2);
long delay = new Random().nextInt(Constants.MAX_DELAY);
final ValueAnimator animator = ValueAnimator.ofFloat(0, 1);
animator.setDuration(Constants.ANIM_DURATION);
animator.setInterpolator(new AccelerateInterpolator());
animator.setStartDelay(delay);
animator.addUpdateListener(new ValueAnimator.AnimatorUpdateListener() {
int angle = 50 + (int)(Math.random() * 101);
int movex = new Random().nextInt(mDisplaySize.right);
#Override
public void onAnimationUpdate(ValueAnimator animation) {
float value = ((Float) (animation.getAnimatedValue())).floatValue();
aniView.setRotation(angle*value);
aniView.setTranslationX((movex-40)*value);
aniView.setTranslationY((mDisplaySize.bottom + (150*mScale))*value);
}
});
animator.start();
}
private Handler mHandler = new Handler() {
#Override
public void handleMessage(Message msg) {
super.handleMessage(msg);
int viewId = new Random().nextInt(LEAVES.length);
Drawable d = getResources().getDrawable(LEAVES[viewId]);
LayoutInflater inflate = LayoutInflater.from(HanumanActivity.this);
ImageView imageView = (ImageView) inflate.inflate(R.layout.ani_image_view, null);
imageView.setImageDrawable(d);
mRootLayout.addView(imageView);
mAllImageViews.add(imageView);
LayoutParams animationLayout = (LayoutParams) imageView.getLayoutParams();
animationLayout.setMargins(0, (int)(-150*mScale), 0, 0);
animationLayout.width = (int) (60*mScale);
animationLayout.height = (int) (60*mScale);
startAnimation(imageView);
}
};
private class ExeTimerTask extends TimerTask {
#Override
public void run() {
// we don't really use the message 'what' but we have to specify something.
mHandler.sendEmptyMessage(Constants.EMPTY_MESSAGE_WHAT);
}
}
public void getInit() {
play_button = (Button) findViewById(R.id.play_button);
pause_button = (Button) findViewById(R.id.pause_button);
play_button.setOnClickListener(this);
pause_button.setOnClickListener(this);
player = MediaPlayer.create(this, R.raw.hanu);
}
#Override
public void onClick(View view) {
switch (view.getId()) {
case R.id.play_button:
player.start();
break;
case R.id.pause_button:
player.pause();
break;
case R.id.button1:
button1Click();
break;
}}
private void button1Click() {
// TODO Auto-generated method stub
startActivity(new Intent("e.hanuman.details"));
}
#Override
public void onBackPressed(){
if(player != null && player.isPlaying())
player.stop();
finish();
}
#Override
public void onDestroy() {
if (adView != null) {
adView.destroy();
}
super.onDestroy();
}
}
MANIFEST XML
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<manifest xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
package="e.hanuman"
android:versionCode="4"
android:versionName="4.0" >
<uses-sdk
android:minSdkVersion="8"
android:targetSdkVersion="18" />
<uses-permission android:name="android.permission.READ_PHONE_STATE" />
<uses-permission android:name="android.permission.INTERNET" />
<uses-permission android:name="android.permission.ACCESS_NETWORK_STATE"/>
<uses-permission android:name="android.permission.ACCESS_WIFI_STATE" />
<application
android:allowBackup="true"
android:icon="#drawable/hanuman"
android:label="#string/app_name"
android:theme="#style/AppTheme" >
<activity android:theme="#android:style/Theme.NoTitleBar.Fullscreen"
android:name="e.hanuman.Splash" android:screenOrientation="portrait">
<intent-filter>
<action android:name="android.intent.action.MAIN" />
<category android:name="android.intent.category.LAUNCHER" />
</intent-filter>
</activity>
<activity
android:name="e.hanuman.HanumanActivity"
android:label="#string/app_name"
android:theme="#android:style/Theme.NoTitleBar.Fullscreen"
android:screenOrientation="portrait" >
</activity>
<activity
android:name="details"
android:theme="#android:style/Theme.NoTitleBar.Fullscreen"
android:label="#string/app_name"
android:screenOrientation="portrait" >
<intent-filter>
<action android:name="e.hanuman.details" />
<category android:name="android.intent.category.DEFAULT" />
</intent-filter>
</activity>
<activity android:name="com.google.ads.AdActivity"
android:configChanges="keyboard|keyboardHidden|orientation|screenLayout|uiMode|screenSize|smallestScreenSize"/>
</application>
</manifest>

Change com.google.android.ads to com.google.android.gms.ads In your main activity and your manifest because you're using the old ads, use the .gms change your xml too, to the .gms adview.

Unfortunately myandroidapps has stopped

I am very new to android apps development. I successfully signed my apps and installed on my phone Android Ver. 4.1.2. The codes below are my codes. May I know what is wrong? Thanks guys/girls :)
Activity_main.xml
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?> <RelativeLayout xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
xmlns:tools="http://schemas.android.com/tools"
android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:layout_height="match_parent"
android:id="#+id/relativeLayout1"
>
<Button
android:id="#+id/buttonFlashlight"
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:layout_centerVertical="true"
android:layout_centerHorizontal="true"
android:text="Torch" /> </RelativeLayout>
MainActivity.java
package com.mkyong.android;
import android.app.Activity;
import android.content.Context;
import android.content.pm.PackageManager;
import android.hardware.Camera;
import android.hardware.Camera.Parameters;
import android.os.Bundle;
import android.util.Log;
import android.view.View;
import android.view.View.OnClickListener;
import android.widget.Button;
public class MainActivity extends Activity {
//flag to detect flash is on or off
private boolean isLighOn = false;
private Camera camera;
private Button button;
#Override
protected void onStop() {
super.onStop();
if (camera != null) {
camera.release();
}
}
#Override
public void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState) {
super.onCreate(savedInstanceState);
setContentView(R.layout.activity_main);
button = (Button) findViewById(R.id.buttonFlashlight);
Context context = this;
PackageManager pm = context.getPackageManager();
// if device support camera?
if (!pm.hasSystemFeature(PackageManager.FEATURE_CAMERA)) {
Log.e("err", "Device has no camera!");
return;
}
camera = Camera.open();
final Parameters p = camera.getParameters();
button.setOnClickListener(new OnClickListener() {
#Override
public void onClick(View arg0) {
if (isLighOn) {
Log.i("info", "torch is turn off!");
p.setFlashMode(Parameters.FLASH_MODE_OFF);
camera.setParameters(p);
camera.stopPreview();
isLighOn = false;
} else {
Log.i("info", "torch is turn on!");
p.setFlashMode(Parameters.FLASH_MODE_TORCH);
camera.setParameters(p);
camera.startPreview();
isLighOn = true;
}
}
});
}
}
myandroidapps Manifest
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?> <manifest xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
package="com.mkyong.android"
android:versionCode="1"
android:versionName="1.0" >
<uses-sdk android:minSdkVersion="10" android:targetSdkVersion="17" />
<uses-permission android:name="android.permission.CAMERA" />
<uses-feature android:name="android.hardware.camera" />
<application
android:icon="#drawable/ic_launcher"
android:label="#string/app_name"
android:theme="#style/AppTheme" android:allowBackup="false">
<activity
android:label="#string/app_name"
android:name=".FlashLightActivity" >
<intent-filter >
<action android:name="android.intent.action.MAIN" />
<category android:name="android.intent.category.LAUNCHER" />
</intent-filter>
</activity>
</application> </manifest>

you forget to declare MainActivity Activity in AndroidManifest.xml. add it as:
....
<activity android:name=".MainActivity" />
....
</application>
....

Admob + surfaceview don't play well

I'm running Admob 6.0.1 and trying to add the advert over the top of the surface view, I can say that the code below works great with a Android 3.2 (a real device), and also works fine with a android 4 device in the emulator but, when I try to test on pre api13, eg 2.3.3 or below the advert doesn't show. Now here's the weird part, if I change the visibility of the surfaceview (in xml) to invisible the advert will show!!!! what's going on?? Is this just the emulator being buggy or do I have a real problem?
I've tried to keep the code as simple as possible to reproduce the error. I've added a button just to show the surfaceview does allow other views to update, just not the Admob view...
package com.google.example.ads.fundamentals;
import android.app.Activity;
import android.content.Context;
import android.graphics.Canvas;
import android.graphics.Color;
import android.os.Bundle;
import android.util.AttributeSet;
import android.util.Log;
import android.view.SurfaceHolder;
import android.view.SurfaceView;
import com.google.ads.AdView;
public class BannerSample extends Activity {
/** The view to show the ad. */
private AdView adView;
/** Called when the activity is first created. */
#Override
public void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState) {
super.onCreate(savedInstanceState);
setContentView(R.layout.layout);
adView = (AdView) findViewById(R.id.adView);
}
/** Called before the activity is destroyed. */
#Override
public void onDestroy() {
// Destroy the AdView.
if (adView != null) {
adView.destroy();
}
super.onDestroy();
}
}
class Panel extends SurfaceView implements SurfaceHolder.Callback {
private final TutorialThread _thread;
public Panel(Context context, AttributeSet att) {
super(context, att);
getHolder().addCallback(this);
_thread = new TutorialThread(getHolder(), this);
}
#Override
public void onDraw(Canvas canvas) {
canvas.drawColor(Color.BLUE);
Log.d("Hello", "drawing stuff");
}
#Override
public void surfaceChanged(SurfaceHolder holder, int format, int width,
int height) {
Log.d("HELLO", "surface changed" + holder.getSurfaceFrame().width()
+ "Height: " + holder.getSurfaceFrame().height());
}
#Override
public void surfaceCreated(SurfaceHolder holder) {
_thread.setRunning(true);
_thread.start();
}
#Override
public void surfaceDestroyed(SurfaceHolder holder) {
// simply copied from sample application LunarLander:
// we have to tell thread to shut down & wait for it to finish, or
// else
// it might touch the Surface after we return and explode
boolean retry = true;
_thread.setRunning(false);
while (retry) {
try {
_thread.join();
retry = false;
} catch (InterruptedException e) {
// we will try it again and again...
}
}
}
}
class TutorialThread extends Thread {
private final SurfaceHolder _surfaceHolder;
private final Panel _panel;
private boolean _run = false;
public TutorialThread(SurfaceHolder surfaceHolder, Panel panel) {
_surfaceHolder = surfaceHolder;
_panel = panel;
}
public void setRunning(boolean run) {
_run = run;
}
#Override
public void run() {
Canvas c;
while (_run) {
c = null;
try {
c = _surfaceHolder.lockCanvas(null);
synchronized (_surfaceHolder) {
_panel.onDraw(c);
}
} finally {
// do this in a finally so that if an exception is thrown
// during the above, we don't leave the Surface in an
// inconsistent state
if (c != null) {
_surfaceHolder.unlockCanvasAndPost(c);
}
}
}
}
}
and the XML:
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<RelativeLayout xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
xmlns:ads="http://schemas.android.com/apk/lib/com.google.ads"
android:layout_width="match_parent" android:layout_height="match_parent">
<com.google.example.ads.fundamentals.Panel
android:id="#+id/mainPanel" android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:layout_height="match_parent" android:visibility="invisible" />
<com.google.ads.AdView android:id="#+id/adView"
android:layout_width="match_parent" android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:layout_gravity="top" ads:adSize="BANNER" ads:adUnitId="xxxxxxxxx"
ads:loadAdOnCreate="true" ads:testDevices="TEST_EMULATOR" />
<Button android:id="#+id/mybutton" android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="wrap_content" android:layout_below="#id/adView"
android:text="hello" />
</RelativeLayout>
And the manifest:
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<manifest xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
package="com.google.example.ads.fundamentals"
android:versionCode="1"
android:versionName="1.0">
<uses-sdk android:minSdkVersion="3" android:targetSdkVersion="15" />
<application android:icon="#drawable/icon" android:label="#string/app_name">
<activity android:name=".BannerSample"
android:screenOrientation="portrait"
android:label="#string/app_name">
<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.ACCESS_NETWORK_STATE"/>
<uses-permission android:name="android.permission.INTERNET"/>
</manifest>
Any ideas or help would be so great, I've tried to post on Google Groups for admob but I think it got lost in a void..

As it turns out it was a problem with the emulator, When the code was run on a real device it worked fine! crazy emulator...

Try placing the AdView outside of the SurfaceView instead of on top of it. You can do this by aligning the AdView ad the top, and setting the SurfaceView below it.
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<RelativeLayout xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
xmlns:ads="http://schemas.android.com/apk/lib/com.google.ads"
android:layout_width="match_parent" android:layout_height="match_parent">
<com.google.example.ads.fundamentals.Panel
android:id="#+id/mainPanel" android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:layout_height="match_parent" android:visibility="invisible"
android:layout_below="#+id/adView" />
<com.google.ads.AdView android:id="#id/adView"
android:layout_width="match_parent" android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:layout_gravity="top" ads:adSize="BANNER" ads:adUnitId="xxxxxxxxx"
ads:loadAdOnCreate="true" ads:testDevices="TEST_EMULATOR"
android:layout_alignParentTop="true" />
</RelativeLayout>