Convert SVG to SXW

Why Convert SVG to SXW?

Converting SVG to SXW allows you to extract text content from vector graphics and produce a StarOffice/OpenOffice Writer document. This is useful when working in environments that rely on OpenOffice-compatible formats or when you need to archive graphic content in a document format compatible with legacy office suites.

SXW files can be opened by LibreOffice Writer and Apache OpenOffice, which remain widely used in government, educational, and non-profit organizations. By converting SVG text content to SXW, you ensure the information is accessible in these environments without requiring graphic design software.

This conversion is also valuable for document migration workflows. When transitioning from web-based or design-oriented content systems to traditional document management, extracting SVG text into SXW provides a bridge between graphical and document-based content.

Our converter parses the SVG XML structure, extracts all text elements, titles, and descriptions, then generates a properly formatted SXW document that can be edited in any compatible word processor.

Key Benefits of Converting SVG to SXW:

• Legacy Compatibility: Create documents for StarOffice and early OpenOffice systems
• Text Extraction: Pull readable content from vector graphic files
• LibreOffice Support: SXW files open directly in LibreOffice Writer
• Document Archiving: Store graphic text content in a standard document format
• Free Software: No proprietary software needed to read SXW files
• Editable Output: Modify extracted text freely in any compatible word processor

Practical Examples

Example 1: Logo Text Extraction

Input SVG file (logo.svg):

<svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="300" height="100">
  <title>Company Logo</title>
  <desc>Official logo of Acme Corporation</desc>
  <text x="150" y="50" font-size="28" text-anchor="middle">ACME</text>
  <text x="150" y="75" font-size="12" text-anchor="middle">Innovation Delivered</text>
</svg>

Output SXW file (logo.sxw) content:

Company Logo

Official logo of Acme Corporation

ACME
Innovation Delivered

Example 2: Technical Diagram

Input SVG file (architecture.svg):

<svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="500" height="300">
  <title>Application Architecture</title>
  <text x="250" y="30" font-size="20" font-weight="bold">Three-Tier Architecture</text>
  <text x="80" y="100">Presentation Layer</text>
  <text x="80" y="170">Business Logic Layer</text>
  <text x="80" y="240">Data Access Layer</text>
</svg>

Output SXW file (architecture.sxw) content:

Application Architecture

Three-Tier Architecture
Presentation Layer
Business Logic Layer
Data Access Layer

Example 3: Map Annotations

Input SVG file (map.svg):

<svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="400" height="300">
  <title>Office Floor Plan</title>
  <desc>Second floor layout with room labels</desc>
  <text x="100" y="80">Conference Room A</text>
  <text x="300" y="80">Conference Room B</text>
  <text x="200" y="200">Open Workspace</text>
  <text x="100" y="280">Kitchen</text>
</svg>

Output SXW file (map.sxw) content:

Office Floor Plan

Second floor layout with room labels

Conference Room A
Conference Room B
Open Workspace
Kitchen

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q: What is the SXW format?

A: SXW is the native document format used by StarOffice Writer and early versions of OpenOffice.org. It stores text documents in a ZIP-compressed XML structure, similar to the later ODT format. SXW files can be opened by LibreOffice, Apache OpenOffice, and other compatible applications.

Q: What content is extracted from SVG files?

A: The converter extracts all text elements, title tags, description tags, and readable metadata from the SVG file. Vector shapes, paths, gradients, and visual styling are not transferred, as SXW is a text document format focused on readable content.

Q: Can LibreOffice open the output SXW file?

A: Yes, LibreOffice Writer fully supports the SXW format. You can open, edit, and save the file, or convert it to ODT or DOCX format if needed. Apache OpenOffice and NeoOffice also provide full SXW support.

Q: Why choose SXW over ODT?

A: SXW may be preferred when working with legacy StarOffice or early OpenOffice systems that require the older format. For most modern use cases, ODT is recommended. However, SXW ensures compatibility with older document management systems and archived workflows.

Q: Are SVG visual elements preserved in the SXW output?

A: No, the conversion focuses on text content extraction. SVG shapes, paths, colors, gradients, and animations are not transferred to the SXW file. The output contains only the textual and metadata content from the SVG in document form.

Q: Can I convert SXW back to SVG?

A: Converting SXW back to SVG would create a new SVG with text elements based on the document content. However, the original visual layout, shapes, and graphical elements from the source SVG cannot be reconstructed from text-only data.

Q: Does the converter preserve text formatting from SVG?

A: Basic text properties such as font-weight (bold) are mapped to SXW formatting where possible. However, SVG-specific styling like coordinate positioning, fill colors, and CSS transforms do not have direct SXW equivalents and are not preserved.

Q: Can Microsoft Word open SXW files?

A: Microsoft Word does not natively support SXW files. To open the output in Word, you would first need to open it in LibreOffice Writer and save it as DOCX or RTF. Alternatively, you can use our SVG to DOCX converter directly.