One Minute Quick Start Guide

  1. Install Java JDK 5.0
  2. Install Apache Tomcat 5.5.x
  3. Download and unpack the latest Elk binary distribution (elk-date-bin.zip)
  4. Install the Elk ConventionalPrinting JDF Device by copying elk-printing.war to Tomcat's webapps folder
  5. Start Tomcat
  6. Verify that the Elk JDF Device is running by pointing your web browser to the URL http://localhost:8080/elk-printing/jmf
  7. Connect your JDF Controller (for example Alces) to the Elk JDF Device using the URL http://localhost:8080/elk-printing/jmf

Quick Start Guide

1 Requirements

  • Java JDK 5.0 (you can also use J2SE 1.4.2 SDK but JDK 5.0 is recommended)
  • Apache Tomcat 5.5.x (if you are running J2SE 1.4.2 you need Tomcat's "JDK 1.4 Compatability Package", or Tomcat 5.0.x.)
  • A JDF Controller such as an MIS system, a prepress workflow controller, or our test tool Alces

2 Installing Elk

  1. Download and unpack the latest binary distribution (elk-date-bin.zip).
  2. Elk includes several reference JDF Devices, each in the form of a preconfigured Java web application WAR file. Copy the WAR file of the reference JDF Device you want to run, for example elk-printing.war, to Tomcat's webapps directory. You can run more than one JDF Device at the same time if you want to.
  3. Start Tomcat.
  4. Verify that the Elk reference JDF Device is running by pointing your web browser to the following URL: http://localhost:8080/elk-printing/jmf (if needed, substitute "localhost:8080" for your server address and port number, and "elk-printing" for the name of the WAR file you installed, excluding the .war-suffix).
  5. You should see a page similar to this one. If you are having problems, check the log file elk.log which is written to the directory from where you started Tomcat.

3 Running Elk

  1. Connect a JDF Controller (for example Alces) to the Elk reference JDF Device using the URL: http://localhost:8080/elk-printing/jmf (see paragraph 2.4 above for details)
  2. Send a KnownMessages JMF message to the JDF Device to find out what it can do.
  3. You can find sample JDF files to submit to the JDF Device in the binary distribution's examples directory.
  4. Have fun!

Building Elk

1 Requirements

2 Building

  1. Download and unpack the latest Elk source distribution (elk-date-src.zip)
  2. Open a command line and go to the unpacked source distribution's directory
  3. Run the command ant to build Elk's binary and source distributions
  4. A dist directory will be created containing the following:
    • elk-date-bin - a binary distribution
    • elk-date-bin.zip - a zip archive of the binary distribution
    • elk-date-src - a source distribution
    • elk-date-src.zip - a zip archive of the source distribution
    The directory also contains WAR files for the reference JDF Devices and a JAR file containing the Elk classes.
  5. See the Quick Start Guide above for instruction on installing and running Elk