Convert SXW to DOCX
Max file size 100mb.
SXW vs DOCX Format Comparison
| Aspect | SXW (Source Format) | DOCX (Target Format) |
|---|---|---|
| Format Overview |
SXW
StarOffice/OpenOffice.org Writer Document
SXW is a legacy word processing document format used by StarOffice and early versions of OpenOffice.org Writer. It is a ZIP archive containing XML files (content.xml, styles.xml, meta.xml) that define the document structure, formatting, and metadata. SXW was the predecessor to the modern ODT format and can still be opened by LibreOffice and OpenOffice. Legacy Format ZIP/XML-Based |
DOCX
Microsoft Word Open XML Document
DOCX is Microsoft's modern word processing format introduced with Office 2007. Like SXW, it is a ZIP archive containing XML files, but follows the Office Open XML (OOXML) standard. DOCX is the dominant word processing format worldwide, supported by Microsoft Office, Google Docs, LibreOffice, and virtually every modern office application. Word Processing Office Open XML |
| Technical Specifications |
Structure: ZIP archive containing XML files (content.xml, styles.xml, meta.xml)
Developed By: Sun Microsystems (StarOffice/OpenOffice.org) MIME Type: application/vnd.sun.xml.writer Extension: .sxw Based On: OpenOffice.org XML format (pre-ODF) |
Structure: ZIP archive with Office Open XML (document.xml, styles.xml)
Standard: ISO/IEC 29500 (OOXML), ECMA-376 MIME Type: application/vnd.openxmlformats-officedocument.wordprocessingml.document Developed By: Microsoft Corporation Extension: .docx |
| Syntax Examples |
SXW documents contain XML content within a ZIP archive: <?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<office:document-content>
<office:body>
<office:text>
<text:h text:style-name="Heading_1">
Project Plan
</text:h>
<text:p text:style-name="Text_Body">
The project starts in January.
</text:p>
</office:text>
</office:body>
</office:document-content>
|
DOCX uses Office Open XML within a ZIP archive: <?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<w:document
xmlns:w="http://schemas.openxmlformats.org/
wordprocessingml/2006/main">
<w:body>
<w:p>
<w:pPr><w:pStyle w:val="Heading1"/></w:pPr>
<w:r><w:t>Project Plan</w:t></w:r>
</w:p>
<w:p>
<w:r><w:t>The project starts in January.</w:t></w:r>
</w:p>
</w:body>
</w:document>
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| Version History |
Introduced: 2002 with StarOffice 6.0 / OpenOffice.org 1.0
Developer: Sun Microsystems Superseded By: ODT (ODF 1.0, 2005) Status: Legacy format, read-only support in modern software |
Introduced: 2007 with Microsoft Office 2007
Standard: ECMA-376 (2006), ISO/IEC 29500 (2008) Current: 5th Edition (ISO/IEC 29500:2016) Status: Active, dominant word processing format |
| Software Support |
Office Suites: LibreOffice, Apache OpenOffice
Converters: Pandoc (reads as ODT), unoconv Legacy: StarOffice 6.0+, OpenOffice.org 1.x-2.x Platforms: Windows, macOS, Linux |
Microsoft: Word 2007+, Word Online, Word Mobile
Open Source: LibreOffice, Apache OpenOffice Cloud: Google Docs, OneDrive, Dropbox Libraries: python-docx, Apache POI, docx4j |
Why Convert SXW to DOCX?
Converting SXW to DOCX is the most practical way to modernize legacy StarOffice/OpenOffice.org Writer documents. DOCX is the global standard for word processing, supported by Microsoft Office, Google Docs, LibreOffice, Apple Pages, and virtually every modern document tool. By converting to DOCX, your legacy content becomes accessible to everyone.
Both SXW and DOCX share a similar architecture as ZIP archives containing XML files, which makes the conversion process effective at preserving document structure and formatting. Headings, paragraphs, tables, lists, and embedded images are mapped from SXW's XML schema to DOCX's Office Open XML schema with high fidelity.
DOCX offers modern features that SXW lacks, including real-time collaboration, Track Changes, comments, content controls, and integration with cloud services like Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace. Converting to DOCX unlocks these capabilities for your legacy content, enabling modern collaborative workflows.
For organizations with archives of SXW documents, converting to DOCX is the recommended path for long-term document management. DOCX is an ISO/IEC standard (29500) with guaranteed long-term support across platforms. Unlike SXW, which has no active development, DOCX continues to evolve with new features and improvements.
Key Benefits of Converting SXW to DOCX:
- Universal Compatibility: DOCX works on every major platform and office application
- Modern Standard: ISO/IEC 29500 ensures long-term format stability
- Collaboration: Enable Track Changes, comments, and real-time co-editing
- Cloud Integration: Use with Microsoft 365, Google Docs, and other cloud services
- Professional Output: Access Word's advanced formatting and layout features
- Easy Sharing: No special software needed for recipients to open the document
Practical Examples
Example 1: Annual Report
Input SXW file (annual-report.sxw):
A StarOffice Writer annual report with company overview, financial summaries, charts placeholders, and a formatted cover page created in 2003.
Output DOCX file (annual-report.docx):
A modern Word document with preserved formatting, styles, and structure. The document can be opened in Word 2007 or later, edited with Track Changes, and shared via email or cloud storage. The cover page layout, table formatting, and heading hierarchy are maintained.
Example 2: Contract Template
Input SXW file (contract.sxw):
A legacy legal contract template from OpenOffice.org Writer with numbered clauses, signature blocks, and formatted headers.
Output DOCX file (contract.docx):
A Word-compatible contract document with numbered paragraphs, proper indentation, and signature fields preserved. The DOCX file can be used as a template in Microsoft Word, supporting form fields and content controls for efficient contract preparation.
Example 3: Research Paper
Input SXW file (paper.sxw):
An academic research paper from 2004 with an abstract, bibliography, footnotes, and formatted citations.
Output DOCX file (paper.docx):
A modern Word document suitable for submission to journals and conferences. Footnotes, bibliography entries, and section formatting are preserved. The DOCX file supports Word's built-in citation manager for updating and reformatting references.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q: Will my SXW document look the same in DOCX?
A: The converter preserves document structure, formatting, and layout as closely as possible. Most documents will look very similar to the original. Minor differences may occur due to different font metrics, page margins, or formatting features specific to OpenOffice.org that do not have exact DOCX equivalents.
Q: Can I edit the DOCX in Google Docs?
A: Yes, Google Docs fully supports opening, editing, and saving DOCX files. You can upload the converted document to Google Drive and edit it directly in Google Docs, collaborate with others in real-time, and download it back as DOCX when finished.
Q: Are embedded images preserved in the DOCX?
A: Yes, images embedded in the SXW document are extracted and included in the DOCX output. Both formats use ZIP archives to store images alongside the document XML, so images are transferred with their original quality and positioning.
Q: What about SXW documents with tables of contents?
A: Table of contents entries from the SXW document are converted to DOCX with proper heading-based TOC structure. In Microsoft Word, you can update the table of contents field to regenerate it based on the document's heading styles.
Q: Can I convert SXW macros to DOCX?
A: SXW macros (StarBasic) are not compatible with DOCX (which uses VBA). Macros are not converted during the process. If you need macro functionality, you would need to rewrite the macros in VBA for the Word environment.
Q: Is DOCX better than ODT for compatibility?
A: In practice, yes. DOCX has broader support across commercial software, cloud platforms, and mobile apps. While ODT is an open standard and a natural successor to SXW, DOCX is more universally accepted in business, academic, and government environments.
Q: How are fonts handled in the conversion?
A: Font names from the SXW document are preserved in the DOCX output. If the specified fonts are installed on the system where the DOCX is opened, they will display correctly. If not, the word processor will substitute with a similar available font.
Q: Can I batch convert an archive of SXW files?
A: Yes, you can upload multiple SXW files simultaneously. Each file is converted to a separate DOCX document independently. This makes it efficient to migrate entire document archives from legacy SXW to modern DOCX format.