NOTE: This article is the third part of a comprehensive guide on how to create the Google Developer Account and allow Uscreen developers to build and publish your Android and AndroidTV apps on it. Check the summary below and make sure you've followed the steps in Sections 1 and 2, before following this article.
Summary:
After creating your Google Developer Account, setting it up, and sharing the access with Uscreen, there are just a couple more steps required: Create Service Account and share a JSON key with us.
After doing that your account setup is complete and we can get started with your Android and AndroidTV apps development!
Create Google Service Account and JSON key
A Service Account is a special type of Google account intended to represent a user that needs to authenticate and be authorized to access data in Google APIs.
Uscreen developers need this access in order to upload Android and AndroidTV apps to your Google account.
The Service Account login is made through a file in JSON format that will be used as the key to authenticate. We’ll need the account owner to create the Service Account and generate the JSON key and share it with Uscreen.
🛑 Before you begin, open a private browser session/Incognito window, this will allow you to ensure this process will not conflict with any other Google accounts.
Start from your Google Play Console, and make sure you’re logged in with the account owner credentials.
Then, open a new tab and open this link to the Google Cloud Console
This will prompt you to create a new project that will be used to manage the API accounts that will ultimately serve your Android app functions
On this page, create a new project titled Google Play Developer Console
You do not need to choose a Location if one is not chosen for you in the second field
In a new tab, open this link to Enable the Google Play Developer API
Click Enable and wait for the page to reload
Once this is complete, click the three horizontal line button (also known as the hamburger menu button) at the top-left, and choose IAM & Admin > Service Accounts. Then, Create Service Account via the button shown below
Fill the form to create the new service account
- Service account name: You can use ‘Uscreen’ or ‘UscreenOTT’
- Click ‘Create’
Grant service account access to the project
In the Role dropdown, select Owner (this option will appear on the right side)
Then click Continue
Skip 3 and click DONE
You will see this new service account in the list from Step 5
When you see the service account listed on this page, Copy the email address of the service account
Navigate to the first tab you opened for the Google Play Console
Click on Users and permissions on the left-hand menu
Add a New User, pasting this service account email address and selecting Account Permissions > Admin before clicking Send Invite on the bottom-right.
If you want to review and make sure your Service Account was created correctly and the access was shared, just follow the steps below:
Click on Users and Permissions in the Menu
Check your user's list. There should be at least 2 user accounts:
If you can both accounts are listed, it means you have successfully shared the access with the Uscreen account and created a Service Account.
Generate a JSON key:
Back to the Cloud Project tab, to the right of this new service account, click the three vertical dots and choose Manage Keys
On the next page, click on Add Key and Create new key
Then select JSON and click on CREATE.
The download will start automatically:
After you have completed the additional steps below, save this JSON file and upload it into your asset collection form (or send directly to your App Launch Specialist if you have already been assigned one)
Enable Firebase Management and Cloud Resource APIs for push notifications
You must enable these underlying push notification tools. You must do this, because only the developer account owner can take these steps! Then Uscreen handles the rest!
Specifically, you will enable the Firebase Management API and Cloud Resource Manager API in your Google Play Developer Account. These are free services, part of your developer accounts.
Enable Firebase Management API
Navigate to the Firebase Management API: https://console.developers.google.com/apis/api/firebase.googleapis.com/overview
Ensure that "Google Play Console Developer" is the selected project
Select Enable
That's it! Uscreen handles the remaining work to set up your push notifications
Enable Cloud Resource Manager API
Navigate to the Cloud Resource Manager API https://console.developers.google.com/apis/api/cloudresourcemanager.googleapis.com/overview
Ensure that "Google Play Console Developer" is the selected project
Select Enable
That's it! Uscreen handles the remaining work to set up your push notifications
Congratulations! You have successfully completed all the steps required to set up your Google Developer account and shared access to your account with Uscreen!