News

  • 2009-03-15 - A new release of the Elk Framework is available for download. The Queue interface and Process interface have been refactored.
  • 2008-08-20 - A new release of the Elk Framework is available for download. Minor changes.
  • 2008-03-24 - A new release of the Elk Framework is available for download. This is the first 2.0 alpha release and it is a major refactoring of the framework that is not backwards compatible with previous releases.
  • 2007-09-17 - The Elk Framework and the Elk Press projects have now been separated into two projects in CIP4's issue tracking system as well
  • 2007-09-17 - At last weeks CIP4 Tools & Infrastructure working group meeting it was decided that the JDFLibJ based tools will be moving to Java 5 instead of Java 1.4. This means that the Elk projects also will gradually be moving to Java 5 too.
  • 2007-09-12 - The recommended way of building the Elk Framework and the Elk Press is now to use Maven 2. Once you have installed Maven, you can build the Elk Framework JAR file by typing mvn package. Maven will then download the plugins it needs and the Elk Framework's dependencies. Other useful Maven commands are mvn compile, mvn test, and mvn site to generated this web site.

    The Elk Framework still includes the old Ant build script as an alternative for building the JAR file.
  • 2007-09-12 - The Subversion source repository has been restructured. There is now a separate source repository for each Elk project:
    • elk - the Elk Framework source repository
    • elk-press - the Elk Press source repository
    Instructions how to retrieve the Elk Framework source code from our source repository can be found under Project Information > Source Repository.
  • 2007-09-12 - A separate web site for the Elk Press has been published: http://www.cip4.org/open_source/elk/press/
  • 2007-09-05 - A Maven repository has been set up for the Elk Project. It will contain the JAR files of the CIP4 tools plus other JARs needed to build the Elk Framework. The repository should become browsable in the next few days: http://www.cip4.org/open_source/elk/maven/
  • 2007-09-04 - The Elk Project is in the process of being restructured. The restructuring is an effort to make a clear separation between the Elk Framework aka (the Elk API) and its reference implementation, the Elk Press. More information regarding the restructuring can be found here.
  • 2007-09-04 - New web site design
  • 2007-02-15 - Brian Ray of the Elk team gives a tutorial on Job Messaging Format (JMF), Elk, and Alces at Xplor 2007, Miami Beach Convention Center, Florida, USA, on March 2nd.
  • 2006-11-20 - Claes Buckwalter defends his licentiate thesis Integrating Systems in the Print Production Workflow - Aspects of Implementing JDF at ITN, Linköping University on December 8th
  • 2006-11-03 - An Elk tutorial will be held on Sunday, November 5th, at the CIP4 Tutorial and Developer Meeting in Quebec City, Canada. For more information, visit the CIP4 web site.
  • 2006-06-01 - A new release of the Elk reference JDF devices is available for download. The ConventionalPrinting device's simulation model has been greatly imporved by Marco Kornrumpf, Arvato Systems, as part of his thesis project. The Approval device contains minor changes. Download: Read the updated Quick Start Guide to get started.

    (The 20060531 Elk release briefly posted here has been removed because it contained an old version of Xerces that prevented Elk from running under Java 1.4. Sorry for the inconvenience.)
  • 2006-05-22 - Claes Buckwalter held an Elk tutorial at the CIP4 technical interop in Tokyo. Here are the slides.
  • 2006-01-19 - A new release of the Elk ConventionalPrinting device is available for download. The new release is based on JDFLib-J 2.1.3 and contains various bug fixes. One new feature is CheckJDF-J validation and device capability testing of all received JDF. The feature is enabled in Elk's web-based GUI. Download the pre-built deployable web application (rename it elk.war) or the source distribution. View the README file to get started.
  • 2006-01-18 - Elk's issue tracking system has moved to CIP4's server: http://jira.cip4.org/jira/
  • 2005-11-14 - Claes Buckwalter and Ola Stering present Elk-related papers at Printing Future Days in Chemnitz, Germany.
  • 2005-11-04 - Claes Buckwalter and Ola Stering of the Elk team will be attending the CIP4 technical interop in Strasbourg 6-12 November. On the 6th they will give a tutorial on Elk and Alces.
  • 2005-09-15 - Try the online demo of the Elk 1.0 beta 1 Approval device
  • 2005-09-15 - Elk 1.0 beta 1. The Elk Framework and reference implementation reaches 1.0 beta. Features include:
    • Implementation of the JDF 1.2 Base ICS 1.0 level 3 Worker Interface (hot folders excluded)
    • Device capabilities checking
    • Two simulated process implementations: Approval and ConventionalPrinting
    • Web-based user interface for monitoring
    Download Elk 1.0 beta 1:
  • 2005-08-05 - The Elk Project now has an issue tracking system where you can report bugs and suggest new features: http://www.cip4.org/open_source/elk/jira/
  • 2005-07-20 - Brian Ray of Printable Technologies Inc. has joined the Elk project team.
  • 2005-07-15 - A new build of the Elk reference implementation is available for download. [Changes] [Deployable WAR] [Source]
  • 2005-07-15 - Alces is a tool for testing software that implements the worker interface (see Base ICS 1.0, appendix A). Alces is used by the Elk team for regression testing of the Elk reference implementation. Visit the Alces web site for more information: http://www.cip4.org/open_source/elk/alces
  • 2005-05-08 - A new build of the Elk reference implementation is available for download. [Changes] [Deployable WAR] [Source]
  • 2005-05-08 - A new build of the Elk reference implementation is available for download. [Changes] [Download]
  • 2005-04-27 - Slides from the Elk tutorial held at CIP4's technical interop in Pittsburgh have been added. [Download]
  • 2005-04-21 - A introduction to the Elk Framework will be given at CIP4's JDF Developers Tutorial on Sunday, April 24th, 2005 at PIA/GATF's headquarters in Sewickley, PA, USA. More info...
  • 2005-04-19 - Claes Buckwalter presented a paper named A JDF-enabled Workflow Simulation Tool at TAGA 2005 in Toronto, Canada. The work presented in the paper is largely based on the Elk Framework.
  • 2005-03-10 - Thesis student Ola Stering has joined the project team. Ola will be working on the Elk project for the next five months and help make Elk fully compliant with the Base ICS and MIS ICS, level 3.
  • 2005-01-29 - The developers tutorial has been updated to cover building with Ant.
  • 2005-01-28 - A Quick Start Guide for getting started with Elk has been added.
  • 2005-01-27 - From now on Elk's binary distribution will be the Elk reference device web application.
  • 2005-01-27 - From now on Elk's source distribution will be bundled with an Ant build script. Ant is now the preferred tool for building Elk.
  • 2005-01-26 - Slides from the Elk tutorial and JMF tutorial at CIP4's technical interop in Heidelberg have been added.
Information about the changes in each new Elk release can be found in the changes report.

The Elk Framework

The main goal of the Elk Framework project is to create an application framework that provides the services needed by a JDF Device or Controller. The framework is implemented in Java and is based on CIP4's open source JDF Java SDK JDFLib-J. A sub-goal of the project is to create a reference implementation of the Elk Framework. The hope is that the reference implementation will be able to serve as a test tool and a starting point for others wishing to implement a JDF enabled system. Don't hesitate to contact the project team if you have any questions or if you want to get invovled in the Elk Framework project.

Disclaimer

The Elk Framework is distributed under the CIP4 Software License. THIS SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED "AS IS" AND ANY EXPRESSED OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE ARE DISCLAIMED. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION FOR THE INTEGRATION OF PROCESSES IN PREPRESS, PRESS AND POSTPRESS OR ITS CONTRIBUTORS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, EXEMPLARY, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES (INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, PROCUREMENT OF SUBSTITUTE GOODS OR SERVICES; LOSS OF USE, DATA, OR PROFITS; OR BUSINESS INTERRUPTION) HOWEVER CAUSED AND ON ANY THEORY OF LIABILITY, WHETHER IN CONTRACT, STRICT LIABILITY, OR TORT (INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE OR OTHERWISE) ARISING IN ANY WAY OUT OF THE USE OF THIS SOFTWARE, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE.