CIP4 Alces

CIP4 Alces is an JDF / JMF Integration Tool. Using Alces you are able to explore JDF / JMF Interfaces. Further it is an easy tool for learning how JDF / JMF works. Alces provides and showcases the mechanism how to send JDF Documents to a target JDF Device using Job Messaging Format (JMF). The JDF Document creation and modification is NOT covered by CIP4 Alces.

Download and Installation

CIP4 Alces either is available on CIP4 Website or on the jdf4you.org Download Center. Just download the alces *.zip-file and extract to the location of your choice. Thats it. In order to start CIP4 Alces execute the batch file "alces.bat".

CIP4 Alces in Action 

On Windows Operating Systems CIP4 Alces can be launched by executing the batch file "alces.bat". For all other Operating Systems there also is a shell script "alces.sh". Both scipts initially start the Java Virtual Machine in a command line. When Alces is started successfully the blank Main Dialog (screenshot above) appears.

Connect to JDF Device

Initially the main window looks bad. But don't panic! We haven't done anything so there is nothing Alces could tell. Thus first of all lets connect a JDF Device. For test purposes we can use the JDF Device "Suprasetter105-1" simulated by the jdf4you.org Online Bambi Demo.

JDF Device Url: http://81.169.136.213:8080/bambi-2/jmf/01-Suprasetter105-1

(If the URL doesn't work you also can download "bambi-2.1.M1.exe" from Download Center and use
the local URL: http://localhost:8080/bambi/jmf/01-Suprasetter105-1)

In order to connect to this JDF Device type in the URL in the text field "Device / Controller URL" located on top of Alces Main Dialog. After pressing the button "Connect" Alces try to connect the JDF Device. In background a JMF Query Message "KnownMessages" (see JDF Spec. 1.4a - "5.8.5 KnownMessages") will be sent to the target Device. The synchronous JDF Response Message "ResponseKnownMessages" contains a list of all messages supported by the JDF Device. Further messages requested by CIP4 Alces are "KnownDevices" and "KnownSubscriptions". Finally all details gathered are shown in the Main Dialog. In the panel "Known Messages" (on the left) one button per supported JDF Message appears. More details about the target JDF Device (or JDF Controller) are provided in panel "Known Devices".

JMF Messaging

When connected you are able to run further JMF transactions. For job management each JDF Device generally provides a queue. So first of all lets do some queue operations:
The lower right panel in Main Dialog displays queue details of JDF Device connected. Among other things there is a value for "Queue Status". Using JMF Command Messages queue status can be changed. Global queue handling JMF Messages are specified in JDF Specification 1.4a "5.13 Messages for Global Handling of Queues". All JDF Command Messages supported by the target JDF Device are shown as buttons in panel "Known Messages". When connected to a Bambi JDF Device among others there are buttons "OpenQueue", "HoldQueue", "CloseQueue" and "ResumeQueue". A click of one of these buttons sends a specific JMF Command Message to JDF Device connected. The effect is a change of the Queue Status value (...and the queue behavoir of course).

JMF Message History and Analysis

The panel in the middle of Main Dialog is called "JMF Message History and Analysis"-panel. Each JMF Message sent or received is listed in this panel. All messages are separated in transaction groups. Each group is displayed by a root node. The subnode of such a group represents the root message which initially initiated the transaction. For example when you send a JMF Query Message "Status" to target device a JMF Response Message containing the current device status is expected. The request and the response belong to one and the same transaction. So in "JMF Message History and Analysis"-panel the response message will be shown as subnode of JMF Message caused. In order to get more details about the XML content of a JMF Message just click on the item in center panel. The content is shown in the upper right content panel. So if you want to learn how JMF works here you can track all messages and their effects. 

Transmission of JDF Documents

The button "SubmitQueueEntry..." enables to submit a JDF Document. On click a new dialog appears where you can select the JDF Document you want to submit. After selection and confirmation a JMF Command "SubmitQueueEntry" will be created and sent to target device. The response message contains details whether or not the job transmission was successful. The whole message transaction is displayed in the "JMF Message History and Analysis" panel.

Conclusion

 I hope this story has given a first impression about the benifits of CIP4 Alces and how it works. At this point many thanks to Claes Buckwalter the lead devloper of this great tool.