Convert HTML to SXW

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HTML vs SXW Format Comparison

Aspect	HTML (Source Format)	SXW (Target Format)
Format Overview	HTML HyperText Markup Language The standard markup language for creating web pages and web applications. HTML defines the structure and content of a document using elements and tags. It supports text, images, links, tables, forms, and multimedia. Interpreted by web browsers to render visual content. Web Standard Universal	SXW StarOffice/OpenOffice.org Writer Document A document format used by StarOffice and early versions of OpenOffice.org Writer. SXW files are ZIP archives containing XML-based content, styles, and metadata. Predecessor to the modern ODF (Open Document Format) standard. Used primarily in legacy StarOffice and OpenOffice.org environments. Legacy Format XML-Based
Technical Specifications	Structure: Tag-based markup language Encoding: UTF-8 (default), other encodings supported Format: Plain text with HTML tags Standard: W3C / WHATWG HTML Living Standard	Structure: ZIP archive with XML files Encoding: UTF-8 XML inside ZIP container Format: Compressed XML-based document Standard: StarOffice XML (predecessor to ODF)
Syntax Examples	HTML uses tags for document structure: <!DOCTYPE html> <html> <head><title>Page</title></head> <body> <h1>Hello World</h1> <p>A paragraph.</p> </body> </html>	SXW content.xml uses StarOffice XML namespace: <office:document-content> <office:body> <text:h text:style-name="H1"> Hello World </text:h> <text:p text:style-name="P1"> A paragraph. </text:p> </office:body> </office:document-content>
Content Support	Text content with rich formatting Tables and lists Embedded images and multimedia Forms and interactive elements CSS styling and layout JavaScript interactivity Hyperlinks and navigation	Rich text formatting (bold, italic, underline) Paragraph styles and headings Tables with borders and formatting Embedded images Headers and footers Page numbering Lists (ordered and unordered)
Advantages	Universal web standard Rich layout and styling via CSS Dynamic content with JavaScript SEO-friendly text content Responsive design support Extensive tooling and frameworks	Open XML-based format Compatible with StarOffice and early OpenOffice Structured document storage Styles separated from content Compressed file size (ZIP container) Foundation for the modern ODF standard Human-readable XML internals
Disadvantages	Not a visual format (requires rendering) Complex layout rules Browser rendering differences Not ideal for print output Heavy for offline distribution	Obsolete format (replaced by ODT) Limited modern software support Not compatible with Microsoft Office No active development or updates Fewer features than modern ODF Rare outside legacy environments
Common Uses	Web pages and web applications Email newsletters Documentation and reports Landing pages and portfolios Online forms and surveys	Legacy StarOffice documents Early OpenOffice.org files Archival document access Migration to modern ODF format Legacy system compatibility Historical document preservation
Best For	Structured web content Interactive applications Rich text documents Responsive layouts	Legacy StarOffice compatibility Early OpenOffice.org workflows Archival and migration purposes Systems requiring .sxw format
Version History	Introduced: 1993 (Tim Berners-Lee) Current Version: HTML Living Standard (WHATWG) Status: Actively maintained Evolution: HTML 1.0 to HTML5 and beyond	Introduced: 2000 (StarOffice 6.0 / OpenOffice.org 1.0) Last Version: OpenOffice.org 1.x format Status: Deprecated (replaced by ODT in 2005) Evolution: Evolved into OASIS ODF standard
Software Support	Browsers: Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge Editors: VS Code, Sublime Text, any text editor Frameworks: React, Angular, Vue, Django Other: Email clients, CMS platforms	LibreOffice: Full support (read/write) Apache OpenOffice: Full support (read/write) StarOffice: Native format Other: Limited support in modern applications

Why Convert HTML to SXW?

Converting HTML documents to SXW format is necessary when you need to produce documents compatible with StarOffice or early versions of OpenOffice.org Writer. While SXW has been superseded by the modern ODT (Open Document Text) format, some legacy systems and archived workflows still require .sxw files for compatibility with older software installations.

SXW (StarOffice Writer XML) is a ZIP-compressed archive containing XML files that describe the document content, styles, metadata, and embedded objects. Introduced with StarOffice 6.0 and OpenOffice.org 1.0 around the year 2000, this format was one of the first office document formats to use an open, XML-based structure. It laid the groundwork for what would become the OASIS Open Document Format (ODF) standard.

HTML content -- including headings, paragraphs, tables, lists, and basic formatting -- maps naturally to the structured text elements in SXW files. The conversion process preserves your document structure while packaging it into the ZIP-based SXW container with proper XML namespaces and style definitions that StarOffice and early OpenOffice.org can interpret correctly.

While modern users should generally prefer ODT for new documents, the SXW format remains relevant for accessing legacy archives, maintaining compatibility with older office suite installations, or meeting specific organizational requirements where .sxw files are mandated. LibreOffice and Apache OpenOffice continue to read and write SXW files, ensuring long-term accessibility.

Key Benefits of Converting HTML to SXW:

Legacy Compatibility: Works with StarOffice and early OpenOffice.org versions
Open Format: XML-based structure allows inspection and programmatic manipulation
Document Structure: Preserves headings, paragraphs, tables, and lists from HTML
Compact Files: ZIP compression keeps file sizes small
Archival Access: Open legacy StarOffice documents in modern LibreOffice
Style Separation: Content and styles stored separately for clean document structure
Migration Path: SXW files can be easily converted to modern ODT format later

Practical Examples

Example 1: Converting a Web Article for Legacy Office Suite

Input HTML file (article.html):

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<body>
  <h1>Annual Budget Report</h1>
  <p>This report outlines the budget allocations
  for the fiscal year 2024-2025.</p>
  <h2>Department Allocations</h2>
  <ul>
    <li>Engineering: $500,000</li>
    <li>Marketing: $250,000</li>
    <li>Operations: $300,000</li>
  </ul>
</body>
</html>

Output SXW file (article.sxw):

StarOffice Writer document containing:
✓ Heading styles applied to H1 and H2 elements
✓ Body text with proper paragraph formatting
✓ Bulleted list with department allocations
✓ Opens in StarOffice, OpenOffice.org, LibreOffice
✓ XML content inside ZIP archive
✓ Styles and content stored separately
✓ Ready for legacy office suite editing

Example 2: Archiving a Web Form as an Editable Document

Input HTML file (form-template.html):

<h1>Employee Information Form</h1>
<table border="1">
  <tr><td>Full Name:</td><td>___________</td></tr>
  <tr><td>Department:</td><td>___________</td></tr>
  <tr><td>Start Date:</td><td>___________</td></tr>
  <tr><td>Position:</td><td>___________</td></tr>
</table>
<p>Signature: ___________________</p>

Output SXW file (form-template.sxw):

Editable form document:
✓ Table structure preserved with borders
✓ Fillable fields ready for data entry
✓ Heading formatted with StarOffice styles
✓ Compatible with StarOffice 6.0+
✓ Compatible with OpenOffice.org 1.x
✓ Can be printed or emailed as document
✓ Easily converted to ODT for modern use

Example 3: Converting HTML Documentation for Offline Use

Input HTML file (manual.html):

<h1>Software User Manual</h1>
<h2>Chapter 1: Getting Started</h2>
<p>Welcome to the application. Follow these
steps to begin:</p>
<ol>
  <li>Install the software</li>
  <li>Launch the application</li>
  <li>Create your first project</li>
</ol>
<h2>Chapter 2: Advanced Features</h2>
<p>Explore additional capabilities...</p>

Output SXW file (manual.sxw):

Office-ready documentation:
✓ Chapter headings with proper heading styles
✓ Numbered list preserved as ordered list
✓ Body text with paragraph formatting
✓ Document structure suitable for printing
✓ Editable in any OpenOffice-compatible suite
✓ Table of contents can be generated
✓ Ideal for legacy office environments

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q: What is SXW format?

A: SXW is the native document format of StarOffice Writer and early versions of OpenOffice.org Writer (version 1.x). It is a ZIP-compressed archive containing XML files that describe the document's content, styles, and metadata. SXW was developed by Sun Microsystems and served as the precursor to the OASIS Open Document Format (ODF/ODT) standard adopted in 2005.

Q: What is the difference between SXW and ODT?

A: Both are XML-based, ZIP-compressed document formats, but ODT is the modern successor. SXW was used by StarOffice 6.0 and OpenOffice.org 1.x (2000-2005), while ODT is the international standard (ISO/IEC 26300) used by LibreOffice, Apache OpenOffice 2.0+, and many other applications. ODT offers broader compatibility, better features, and active development. Use SXW only when required for legacy system compatibility.

Q: Can I open SXW files in Microsoft Word?

A: Microsoft Word does not natively support SXW files. However, you can open SXW documents in LibreOffice or Apache OpenOffice and then save them as DOCX or DOC for use in Word. Alternatively, our converter can help you convert SXW files to other formats. For the best compatibility with Microsoft Office, consider converting to DOCX or ODT instead.

Q: Will my HTML formatting be preserved in the SXW output?

A: Yes, the conversion preserves common HTML formatting elements including headings, paragraphs, bold and italic text, lists, tables, and hyperlinks. The HTML structure is mapped to equivalent StarOffice Writer styles and elements. Complex CSS layouts and web-specific features may be simplified to fit the document-oriented SXW format.

Q: Is SXW still being developed?

A: No. SXW is a legacy format that has not been actively developed since OpenOffice.org transitioned to the ODF standard around 2005. While LibreOffice and Apache OpenOffice still support reading and writing SXW files for backward compatibility, all new development focuses on the ODT format. SXW should only be used when specifically required for legacy environments.

Q: What software can open SXW files?

A: SXW files can be opened by LibreOffice Writer (all versions), Apache OpenOffice Writer (all versions), the original StarOffice (6.0+), and NeoOffice on macOS. Some online document viewers can also display SXW files. Since SXW is a ZIP archive containing XML, you can also inspect its contents by renaming the file to .zip and extracting it.

Q: Should I use SXW or ODT for new documents?

A: For new documents, always use ODT (Open Document Text). ODT is the current international standard with broad software support across LibreOffice, Google Docs, Microsoft Word, and many other applications. Use SXW only when you need compatibility with legacy StarOffice or OpenOffice.org 1.x installations that cannot handle ODT files.

Q: Can I convert SXW files back to HTML?

A: Yes, the conversion is reversible. You can convert SXW files back to HTML using our converter or by opening the SXW file in LibreOffice and using the "Save As" function to export as HTML. The round-trip conversion will preserve text content, headings, lists, and tables, though some formatting details may vary between conversions.