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Apache Releases Batik 1.0
Open-source SVG toolkit backed by ILOG and other industry leaders

The Apache Software Foundation has released long-awaited Batik 1.0, a sophisticated open-source Java-based toolkit for scalable vector graphics (SVG), a new graphics format created by the World Wide Web Consortium and based on eXtensible Markup Language (XML).

The foundation is a membership-based, nonprofit corporation that provides organizational, legal and financial support for the Apache open-source software projects. ILOG has participated directly in the Batik project by supporting SVG with the ILOG JViews Component Suite. SVG is expected to become the new standard for Web-based graphics, enabling developers to move away from static bitmaps to obtain graphics of higher quality and interoperability than ever before.

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"The goal of the Batik project complements ILOG's goal of creating and delivering the richer, more compelling online experience that Web content providers and users want," says Jean-François Abramatic, ILOG senior vice president of R&D. "We congratulate the Apache Foundation and that Batik team for this important milestone. A supporter of SVG since its inception, ILOG will continue its commitment to the standard in our roles as a W3C working group member, Batik technical committee member, and with real products, such as ILOG JViews, one of the first SVG products on the market."

Other members of the Batik project include Microsoft, Eastman Kodak and Sun Microsystems.

"Our relationship with the Apache Software Foundation allows Sun engineers to develop technology implementations in a collaborative environment and better enables Sun to deliver robust products based on open standards," says Jon Bosak, Distinguished Engineer at Sun Microsystems. "The Batik project demonstrates the synergy between the Java platform's portable code and XML's portable data. We are proud to have worked in cooperation with Kodak and ILOG on this remarkable toolkit for SVG-based graphics."

Batik 1.0
The new graphics editor comes with essential tools for working with XML-based SVG:

• Filter effects such as drop shadows and lighting
• Internal and external use for creating highly structured SVG images with easily reused common components
• Masking and clipping markers
• Linking for defining SVG graphical elements as "hyperlinks" pointing to other graphical elements in an SVG image
• Sophisticated text support
• Runtime extensibility

This release also provides extensive support of most static SVG features and includes:

• An SVG generator that allows all applications to easily export their graphics in the SVG format
• Improved packaging of the Batik modules, making them easier to integrate into applications.