Convert SXW to MediaWiki

Why Convert SXW to MediaWiki?

Converting SXW to MediaWiki transforms legacy StarOffice/OpenOffice.org Writer documents into wiki-ready markup that can be directly published on Wikipedia, corporate wikis, and any platform powered by MediaWiki software. This conversion is essential for migrating legacy documentation into collaborative wiki environments.

SXW documents are isolated files that cannot be collaboratively edited. By converting to MediaWiki markup, the content becomes part of a collaborative platform where multiple users can edit, discuss, and improve the content. Wiki features like version history, diff tracking, and talk pages enhance the collaborative workflow.

MediaWiki markup supports features specifically designed for encyclopedic and reference content, including internal links between articles, categories for content organization, templates for reusable content blocks, and citation management. Converting SXW content to this format enables these powerful wiki-specific capabilities.

Our converter extracts the document content from the SXW archive and generates properly formatted MediaWiki markup with headings, lists, bold/italic text, links, and tables. The output is ready to paste directly into any MediaWiki-based wiki's edit window.

Key Benefits of Converting SXW to MediaWiki:

• Wiki Publishing: Publish content directly on Wikipedia or any MediaWiki platform
• Collaborative Editing: Enable multi-user editing with version tracking
• Content Organization: Use categories, templates, and internal links
• Reference Management: Add citations and references using wiki syntax
• Legacy Migration: Move old StarOffice documents into modern wiki systems
• Knowledge Base: Build searchable wiki-based documentation from legacy files

Practical Examples

Example 1: Encyclopedia Article

Input SXW file (article.sxw) containing:

OpenOffice.org

OpenOffice.org was a free and open-source
office suite developed by Sun Microsystems.

History
OpenOffice.org was based on the StarOffice
code released by Sun in 2000.

Features
Word processing
Spreadsheets
Presentations

Output MediaWiki file (article.mediawiki):

== OpenOffice.org ==

OpenOffice.org was a free and open-source
office suite developed by Sun Microsystems.

=== History ===

OpenOffice.org was based on the StarOffice
code released by Sun in 2000.

=== Features ===

* Word processing
* Spreadsheets
* Presentations

Example 2: Technical Documentation

Input SXW file (tech_doc.sxw) containing:

API Documentation

Authentication
Use OAuth 2.0 for all API calls.
Include the token in the Authorization header.

Rate Limits
Standard: 100 requests per minute
Premium: 1000 requests per minute

Output MediaWiki file (tech_doc.mediawiki):

== API Documentation ==

=== Authentication ===

Use OAuth 2.0 for all API calls.
Include the token in the Authorization header.

=== Rate Limits ===

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Plan !! Limit
|-
| Standard || 100 requests per minute
|-
| Premium || 1000 requests per minute
|}

Example 3: Company Wiki Page

Input SXW file (company_info.sxw) containing:

Department Overview

Engineering
Responsible for product development
and technical infrastructure.

Teams
Backend Development
Frontend Development
DevOps and Infrastructure
Quality Assurance

Output MediaWiki file (company_info.mediawiki):

== Department Overview ==

=== Engineering ===

Responsible for product development
and technical infrastructure.

=== Teams ===

* Backend Development
* Frontend Development
* DevOps and Infrastructure
* Quality Assurance

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q: What is an SXW file?

A: SXW is a document format from StarOffice and OpenOffice.org Writer. Introduced in 2002, it is a ZIP archive containing XML files. It was superseded by ODT (OpenDocument Text) in 2005 but can still be opened by LibreOffice.

Q: What is MediaWiki markup?

A: MediaWiki markup is the formatting language used by Wikipedia and wikis powered by MediaWiki software. It uses equal signs for headings (== Heading ==), apostrophes for bold ('''bold''') and italic (''italic''), asterisks for bullet lists, and special syntax for tables, links, and references.

Q: Can I paste the output directly into Wikipedia?

A: The output uses standard MediaWiki markup syntax compatible with Wikipedia's editor. You can paste it into the source editor of any Wikipedia article or MediaWiki-based wiki. Note that Wikipedia has specific content policies and formatting guidelines that may require additional editing.

Q: How are tables converted?

A: Tables from SXW documents are converted to MediaWiki table syntax using {| for table start, |- for row separators, ! for header cells, | for data cells, and |} for table end. The wikitable class is applied for standard styling.

Q: Are internal wiki links created automatically?

A: The converter creates standard MediaWiki markup from the document content. Internal wiki links ([[Article Name]]) would need to be added manually after conversion, as the converter cannot determine which terms should link to other wiki pages.

Q: How are images handled?

A: Images from SXW documents are referenced using MediaWiki file syntax ([[File:imagename.png]]). The actual image files would need to be uploaded separately to the wiki's file repository for the references to display.

Q: Can I use MediaWiki templates in the output?

A: The converter generates standard MediaWiki markup. You can add templates ({{TemplateName}}) manually after conversion to include infoboxes, navigation boxes, or other wiki-specific template content.

Q: What formatting is preserved from SXW?

A: The converter preserves headings, bold and italic text, lists (ordered and unordered), tables, and links. Advanced formatting such as custom fonts, colors, and page layout is not transferred since MediaWiki markup uses wiki-defined styles.