Convert SXW to ADOC

Why Convert SXW to ADOC?

Converting SXW to AsciiDoc allows you to transform legacy StarOffice/OpenOffice.org Writer documents into a modern, lightweight markup format ideal for technical documentation. SXW files are a binary ZIP-based format that requires office suite software to open, while AsciiDoc is plain text that can be read and edited with any text editor.

Many organizations still have archives of SXW documents from the early 2000s when StarOffice and OpenOffice.org were widely adopted. Converting these to AsciiDoc ensures long-term accessibility without depending on legacy software. AsciiDoc's plain text nature means the content will remain readable indefinitely, unlike binary formats that may lose software support.

AsciiDoc provides a powerful publishing pipeline for converted content. Once your SXW documents are in AsciiDoc format, you can generate HTML, PDF, EPUB, or DocBook output with consistent professional styling using Asciidoctor. This makes it easy to republish legacy documents in modern formats suitable for web, print, or e-readers.

The conversion process extracts text content, headings, lists, and structural elements from the SXW XML files within the ZIP archive and maps them to AsciiDoc markup. The result is clean, well-structured documentation that integrates seamlessly with modern documentation workflows and version control systems like Git.

Key Benefits of Converting SXW to ADOC:

• Legacy Preservation: Rescue content from obsolete SXW format into future-proof plain text
• Documentation Integration: Incorporate legacy content into modern AsciiDoc documentation projects
• Version Control: Track changes to converted content in Git with meaningful diffs
• Multi-Format Output: Generate HTML, PDF, and EPUB from a single AsciiDoc source
• No Special Software: Edit AsciiDoc files with any text editor, no office suite required
• Publishing Ready: Directly usable in Asciidoctor-based publishing workflows

Practical Examples

Example 1: Business Report

Input SXW file (report.sxw):

A StarOffice Writer document containing a quarterly business report with headings, paragraphs, and bullet points describing financial performance and strategic goals.

Output ADOC file (report.adoc):

= Quarterly Business Report

== Financial Performance

Revenue increased by 15% compared to the previous quarter.
Operating expenses remained stable at projected levels.

== Strategic Goals

* Expand market presence in European regions
* Launch new product line by Q3
* Improve customer retention rate to 90%

Example 2: Technical Specification

Input SXW file (spec.sxw):

A legacy OpenOffice.org Writer document containing a technical specification with sections, tables, and numbered requirements.

Output ADOC file (spec.adoc):

= System Technical Specification

== Overview

This document defines the requirements for the data
processing subsystem.

== Requirements

. The system shall process 1000 requests per second
. Response time shall not exceed 200 milliseconds
. Data integrity must be maintained during failover

== Architecture

|===
| Component | Technology | Version

| Web Server | Apache | 2.4
| Database | PostgreSQL | 14
| Cache | Redis | 7.0
|===

Example 3: Meeting Minutes

Input SXW file (minutes.sxw):

An archived StarOffice document containing meeting minutes with attendees, action items, and discussion summaries.

Output ADOC file (minutes.adoc):

= Project Kickoff Meeting Minutes

== Attendees

* John Smith - Project Manager
* Jane Doe - Lead Developer
* Bob Wilson - QA Engineer

== Discussion Summary

The team reviewed the project timeline and agreed on
a two-week sprint cycle for development.

== Action Items

. John to finalize project charter by Friday
. Jane to set up development environment
. Bob to prepare test plan template

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q: What is the SXW file format?

A: SXW is the native document format used by StarOffice 6.0 and OpenOffice.org 1.x Writer. It is a ZIP archive containing XML files (content.xml for document content, styles.xml for formatting, and meta.xml for metadata). SXW was the predecessor to the modern ODT (OpenDocument Text) format that replaced it in 2005 with the ODF 1.0 standard.

Q: Can I still open SXW files today?

A: Yes. LibreOffice and Apache OpenOffice can still open SXW files with full compatibility. However, since the format is no longer actively developed, converting SXW files to modern formats like AsciiDoc is recommended for long-term preservation and easier editing.

Q: What content is preserved during SXW to ADOC conversion?

A: The converter extracts text content, headings, paragraphs, lists, and table structures from the SXW document. These elements are mapped to their AsciiDoc equivalents. Complex visual formatting such as custom fonts, colors, page layout, and embedded images are not preserved in the plain text AsciiDoc output.

Q: What is AsciiDoc and why should I use it?

A: AsciiDoc is a lightweight markup language designed for technical documentation. It offers more features than Markdown (tables, admonitions, includes, cross-references) while remaining human-readable. AsciiDoc files can be processed by Asciidoctor into HTML, PDF, EPUB, and DocBook, making it ideal for publishing workflows.

Q: How does the converter handle SXW formatting?

A: The converter reads the content.xml file within the SXW ZIP archive to extract the document structure. Headings are converted to AsciiDoc heading syntax (= for level 1, == for level 2, etc.), lists become AsciiDoc list items, and paragraphs are preserved as plain text blocks. Visual-only formatting is discarded.

Q: Will tables from my SXW document be preserved?

A: Yes, basic table structures are converted to AsciiDoc table syntax using pipe-delimited format with |=== delimiters. Cell content is preserved, though complex cell formatting, merged cells, and nested tables may be simplified in the conversion process.

Q: Can I batch convert multiple SXW files to ADOC?

A: Yes, you can upload multiple SXW files at once using our converter. Each file will be processed independently and converted to a separate AsciiDoc file that you can download individually.

Q: What is the difference between SXW and ODT?

A: Both SXW and ODT are ZIP archives containing XML files, but they use different XML schemas. SXW uses the older OpenOffice.org XML format, while ODT uses the standardized OpenDocument Format (ODF). ODT replaced SXW as the default format starting with OpenOffice.org 2.0 in 2005. Both formats can be converted to AsciiDoc with similar results.