Unity

Note

In order to give iOS 14 developers full control over the user experience, the Branch SDK will not trigger the IDFA permission modal.

However, we will still collect and use IDFAs when available if you do choose to trigger the modal.

Learn more

Warning

If you reference Google Play Services version 17 or higher, you must complete Google's update instructions here.

Due to a major Google Play Services change made in June 2019, not completing the update steps will cause Branch's Android SDK (and various other cross-platform SDKs, e.g. Unity) to stop collecting Android AID which we use to ensure accurate deep linking and attribution.

If you are running Google Play Services versions below 17, no update is necessary.

To use Google Play Services versions below 17 for future app builds, follow these workaround implementation steps.

Warning

If you use your own Android Manifest and not the one provided with the Branch SDK, make sure you change the android:name field of your launcher activity you are referencing from com.unity3d.player.UnityPlayerActivity to BranchUnityActivity. BranchUnityActivity extends the UnityPlayerActivity but also contains code responsible for initializing the Branch SDK on Android.

Not doing so will result in the callback in init() never getting hit.

Configure Branch

1. Configure your Branch Dashboard.

2. Customize your app.link domain:

Configure the Branch SDK

• Download the latest SDK version or clone our open-source GitHub repository.

• Import the 1BranchUnityWrapper.unitypackage1 into your project by clicking Assets -> Import Package.

Configure app

You can configure your Unity app to work with Branch by either using a Branch prefab asset or by adding a branch.json file.

Warning

Please ensure that the Activity checkbox is checked in Project Settings → Player, because the Unity SDK currently uses UnityPlayerActivity.

Not doing so will cause a build error on Android.

Configure with Branch prefab

Add the Branch prefab asset to the first scene of your Unity project.

Note

• Do not forget to click on the Apply Changes once you are done.

• On Android, these values are used to generate Assets/Plugins/Android/AndroidManifest.xml. If you have any conflicts, you may manually enter these settings.

• On iOS, these values are used to update the Info.plist, branch_domains.entitlements and update a few build settings to enable C++ exceptions. If you have any conflicts, you may manually enter these settings.

Prefab fields

Configuration with branch.json

You may also configure the app by adding Assets/StreamingAssets/branch.json to your project.

Initialize Branch

Add Branch to your Monobehavior script of your first Scene:

using UnityEngine;
    using System.Collections;

    public class Spin : MonoBehaviour {

        // Use this for initialization
        void Start () {
            Branch.initSession(CallbackWithBranchUniversalObject);
        }

        void CallbackWithBranchUniversalObject(BranchUniversalObject buo,
                                                BranchLinkProperties linkProps,
                                                string error) {
            if (error != null) {
                Debug.LogError("Error : "
                                        + error);
            } else if (linkProps.controlParams.Count > 0) {
                Debug.Log("Deeplink params : "
                                        + buo.ToJsonString()
                                        + linkProps.ToJsonString());
            }
        }

        // Update is called once per frame
        void Update () {
            //rotate 90 degress per second
            transform.Rotate(Vector3.up * Time.deltaTime*90);
        }
    }

Test Branch Deep Link

• Create a Branch Quick Link on the Branch Dashboard

• Delete your app from the device

• Paste Quick link in Google Hangouts (Android) or  Notes (iOS)

• Click on the Quick link to open your app

• Compile and download your app to your device

• You should see deferred deep link data show in your app

Implement features

Create content reference

The Branch Universal Object encapsulates the thing you want to share with your link:

BranchUniversalObject universalObject = new BranchUniversalObject();
    // Content index mode: 0 - private mode, 1 - public mode
    universalObject.contentIndexMode = 1;
    //Identifier that helps Branch dedupe across many instances of the same content.
    universalObject.canonicalIdentifier = "id12345";
    // OG title
    universalObject.title = "id12345 title";
    // OG Description
    universalObject.contentDescription = "My awesome piece of content!";
    // OG Image
    universalObject.imageUrl = "https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/branchhost/mosaic_og.png";
    // User defined key value pair
    universalObject.metadata.AddCustomMetadata("foo", "bar");

Create Deep Link

After you have created a Branch Universal Object, Define Link Properties:

BranchLinkProperties linkProperties = new BranchLinkProperties();
    linkProperties.tags.Add("tag1");
    linkProperties.tags.Add("tag2");
    // Feature link is associated with. Eg. Sharing
    linkProperties.feature = "invite";
    // The channel where you plan on sharing the link Eg.Facebook, Twitter, SMS etc
    linkProperties.channel = "Twitter";
    linkProperties.stage = "2";
    // Parameters used to control Link behavior
    linkProperties.controlParams.Add("$desktop_url", "http://example.com");

Then, generate a Branch link:

Branch.getShortURL(universalObject, linkProperties, (parameters, error) => {
        if (error != null) {
            Debug.LogError("Branch.getShortURL failed: " + error);
        } else if (params != parameters) {
            Debug.Log("Branch.getShortURL shared params: " + parameters["url"].ToString());
        }
    });

Share Deep Link

Share Branch Deep Links between users and apps:

Branch.shareLink(universalObject, linkProperties, "Sharing link: ", (parameters, error) => {
        if (error != null) {
            Debug.LogError("Branch.shareLink failed: " + error);
        } else if (parameters != null) {
			Debug.Log("Branch.shareLink: " + parameters["sharedLink"].ToString() + " " + parameters["sharedChannel"].ToString());
  }
    });

Read Deep Link

• Read Deep Link params from a BUO in your BranchInitSession callback

• Returns deep link properties

public void CallbackWithBranchUniversalObject(BranchUniversalObject universalObject, BranchLinkProperties linkProperties, string error) {
        if (error != null) {
            Debug.LogError("Branch Error: " + error);
        } else {
            Debug.Log("Branch initialization completed: ");
            Debug.Log("Universal Object: " + universalObject.ToJsonString());
            Debug.Log("Link Properties: " + linkProperties.ToJsonString());
        }
    }

Note

This refereshes with every session (App Installs and App Opens).

Retrieve link data

Warning

Make sure you run this code after initSession().

//get the latest referring params (last Branch link click)
BranchUniversalObject obj = Branch.getLatestReferringBranchUniversalObject();
BranchLinkProperties link = Branch.getLatestReferringBranchLinkProperties();

//get the first referring params (open or install)
BranchUniversalObject obj = Branch.getFirstReferringBranchUniversalObject();
BranchLinkProperties link = Branch.getFirstReferringBranchLinkProperties();

NativeLink™ Deferred Deep Linking (iOS only)

Use iOS pasteboard to enable deferred deep linking using Branch NativeLink™.

To use this feature you must:

• Enable NativeLink™ Deep Linking in the Branch Dashboard Configuration tab

  or

• Manually configure your Branch Link to use $ios_nativelink.

Warning

Make sure the underlying iOS SDK Version is v1.39.4+.

Implement one of the pasteboard opt-in options in the native iOS SDK code.

Access

Please note that deferred deep linking is part of our Engagement package. Learn more on our packaging page.

Navigate to and display content

Use the link parameters to decide which view you wish to load:

public class MyCoolBehaviorScript : MonoBehaviour {
        void Start () {
            Branch.initSession(delegate(Dictionary<string, object> parameters, string error) {
                if (parameters.ContainsKey("picture_id") {
                    // load the Scene to show the picture
                    SceneManager.LoadSceneAsync("ImageScene", LoadSceneMode.Additive);
                } else {
                    // load your normal Scene
                    SceneManager.LoadSceneAsync("NormalScene", LoadSceneMode.Single);
                }
            });
        }
    }

Track content

If you want to track the number of times a user views a piece of content associated with a Branch Universal Object, use the following snippet:

Branch.registerView(universalObject);

Track users

Set user IDs on login

Set the identity of a user (ID, UUID, etc) for events, deep links, and referrals:

Branch.setIdentity("your user id");

Unset user IDs on logout

To log a user out, use the logout() method:

Branch.logout();

Tracking user actions and events

Use the BranchEvent class to monitor unique user interactions beyond app installations and openings. Use it to log Branch Events like adding items to a shopping cart or completing a registration form. The class links content via a BranchUniversalObject and allow for metric analytics on the Branch Dashboard. BranchEventType will enumerate frequently tracked events and parameters. You can also use custom names and custom parameters using a Branch Custom Event.

BranchEvent e01 = new BranchEvent (BranchEventType.COMPLETE_REGISTRATION);

e01.SetAffiliation("my_affilation");
e01.SetCoupon("my_coupon");
e01.SetCurrency(BranchCurrencyType.USD);
e01.SetTax(10.0f);
e01.SetRevenue(100.0f);
e01.SetShipping(1000.0f);
e01.SetDescription("my_description");
e01.SetSearchQuery("my_search_query");
e01.AddCustomData("custom_data_key01", "custom_data_value01");
e01.AddContentItem(universalObject);

Branch.sendEvent (e01);


BranchEvent e02 = new BranchEvent ("MY_CUSTOM_EVENT");

e02.SetAffiliation("my_affilation");
e02.SetCoupon("my_coupon");
e02.SetCurrency(BranchCurrencyType.USD);
e02.SetTax(10.0f);
e02.SetRevenue(100.0f);
e02.SetShipping(1000.0f);
e02.SetDescription("my_description");
e02.SetSearchQuery("my_search_query");
e02.AddCustomData("custom_data_key01", "custom_data_value01");
e02.AddContentItem(universalObject);

Branch.sendEvent (e02);

Troubleshooting issues

iOS + Unity 4.6

Branch requires ARC, and we don’t intend to add checks throughout the SDK to try and support pre-ARC.
However, you can add flags to the project to compile the Branch files with ARC. If you wish to do this
add -fobjectivec-arc to all Branch files.

Note

By default this flag is checked, but please check before building for iOS.

Android - using your own custom application class

If you are using your own custom application class, you will need to add Branch android library into your project and call the following in method OnCreate():

Branch.getAutoInstance(this.getApplicationContext());

If you are using your own custom activity class, please make sure that you are overriding the following functions:

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

@Override
public void onNewIntent(Intent intent) {
    this.setIntent(intent);
}

Support Branch with different plugins

The Branch SDK has its own custom activity and application classes. Other plugins that use their own
custom activity and application classes can cause conflicts between these classes.

To resolve these conflicts:

1. Create a empty android library.

2. Add the Branch plugin along with the other plugins into your project.

3. Create a custom activity and application class that will contain the custom logic for all your plugins.

4. Build your library.

5. Add your library into your Unity project.

6. Change android:name to name of your custom application class in the application tag of your Manifest.

7. Change android:name to name of your custom activity class in the activity tag of your Manifest.

Support several IMPL_APP_CONTROLLER_SUBCLASS

The Branch Unity SDK plugin uses its own UnityAppController that expands default AppController. This is used to catch Universal Links.

@interface BranchAppController : UnityAppController
{
}
@end

@implementation BranchAppController

- (BOOL)application:(UIApplication *)application continueUserActivity:(NSUserActivity *)userActivity restorationHandler:(void (^)(NSArray *))restorationHandler {
    BOOL handledByBranch = [[BranchUnityWrapper sharedInstance] continueUserActivity:userActivity];
    return handledByBranch;
}

@end

IMPL_APP_CONTROLLER_SUBCLASS(BranchAppController)

Some plugins expand the default AppController the same was as Branch does, like the Cardboard SDK plugin. To resolve conflicts:

1. Merge all custom AppControllers in one.

2. Comment code in other AppControllers (or delete other AppControllers).

Sample app

Branch testbed app

Workaround implementation steps for using Google Play Services < Version 17

1. Install BranchUnityWrapper.unitypackage.

2. Delete android-support-customtabs-23.3.0.jar from Assets->Plugins->Branch->Android->libs.

3. Create a Assets->Plugins->Branch->Editor folder.

4. Add the attached BranchPluginDependencies.xml to the new Editor folder.

5. Install the latest Google Play Resolver from https://github.com/googlesamples/unity-jar-resolver.

6. Dependencies will now auto-resolve, but you may want to confirm by listing the libraries from the play resolver menu.  You will see the following block:

dependencies {implementation 'com.android.installreferrer:installreferrer:1.0' // Assets/Plugins/Editor/BranchPluginDependencies.xml:11implementation 'com.android.support:customtabs:23.3.0' // Assets/Plugins/Editor/BranchPluginDependencies.xml:13implementation 'com.google.android.gms:play-services-ads:16.0.0' // Assets/Plugins/Editor/BranchPluginDependencies.xml:12}