Convert SXW to Textile
Max file size 100mb.
SXW vs Textile Format Comparison
| Aspect | SXW (Source Format) | Textile (Target Format) |
|---|---|---|
| Format Overview |
SXW
StarOffice/OpenOffice.org Writer Document
SXW is a legacy 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 is still readable by LibreOffice, OpenOffice, and Pandoc. Legacy Document ZIP/XML Archive |
Textile
Textile Markup Language
Textile is a lightweight markup language used for formatting text into structurally valid HTML. It provides a simple, human-readable syntax for creating headings, lists, links, images, tables, and text formatting. Textile is popular in content management systems like Redmine and was historically used in Textpattern CMS. Markup Language Web Publishing |
| Technical Specifications |
Structure: ZIP archive containing XML files
Creator: StarOffice/OpenOffice.org Writer Content Files: content.xml, styles.xml, meta.xml MIME Type: application/vnd.sun.xml.writer Extension: .sxw |
Structure: Plain text with Textile markup syntax
Encoding: UTF-8 Output: Converts to valid XHTML/HTML MIME Type: text/x-textile Extension: .textile |
| Syntax Examples |
SXW contains XML content within a ZIP archive: <!-- content.xml inside .sxw -->
<office:body>
<text:p text:style-name="Heading1">
Project Plan
</text:p>
<text:p text:style-name="Standard">
Key deliverables and timeline.
</text:p>
</office:body>
|
Textile uses simple markup for formatting: h1. Project Plan Key deliverables and timeline. *Bold text* and _italic text_ # First item # Second item # Third item |
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| Version History |
Introduced: 2002 with StarOffice 6.0 / OpenOffice.org 1.0
Based On: XML-based office document format Superseded By: ODT (ODF 1.0, 2005) Status: Legacy format, still readable |
Introduced: 2002 by Dean Allen
Primary Use: Textpattern CMS Adopted By: Redmine, GitHub (historical) Status: Stable, niche usage |
| Software Support |
LibreOffice: Full read/write support
OpenOffice: Native format support Pandoc: Reads SXW as ODT variant Calligra Suite: Import support |
Redmine: Built-in Textile support
Pandoc: Read/write Textile format Libraries: RedCloth (Ruby), textile-js (JS) Editors: Any text editor |
Why Convert SXW to Textile?
Converting SXW to Textile transforms legacy StarOffice Writer documents into a lightweight markup format suitable for web publishing and content management systems. Textile is particularly useful for teams using Redmine for project management, where wiki pages and issue descriptions are authored in Textile syntax.
Textile provides a balance between readability and formatting capability. Unlike plain text, Textile preserves document structure through its markup syntax, including headings, bold/italic text, lists, tables, and links. This means your SXW document content retains its organizational hierarchy when converted to Textile.
The conversion is especially valuable for migrating legacy office documents into modern web-based documentation systems. Rather than manually retyping content from old SXW files, the converter automatically maps document structures to their Textile equivalents, saving significant time and effort.
Our converter extracts content from the SXW ZIP archive, parses the XML document structure, and generates properly formatted Textile markup. Headings are mapped to h1. through h6. syntax, paragraphs are separated by blank lines, and lists are converted to Textile list notation.
Key Benefits of Converting SXW to Textile:
- Redmine Integration: Use converted content directly in Redmine wiki pages and issues
- Readable Markup: Textile is human-readable even without rendering
- HTML Generation: Textile converts to valid HTML for web publishing
- Structure Preservation: Document headings, lists, and emphasis are maintained
- Plain Text: Textile files are plain text, editable with any text editor
- Version Control: Track changes easily in Git with meaningful diffs
Practical Examples
Example 1: Redmine Wiki Migration
A development team discovers legacy project specifications in SXW format from an old StarOffice installation. Converting to Textile allows them to paste the content directly into Redmine wiki pages, preserving headings, lists, and text formatting. The team can then collaboratively edit and update the documentation within Redmine.
Example 2: Blog Content Preparation
A writer has articles saved in SXW format that need to be published on a blog platform supporting Textile. Converting to Textile produces web-ready content with proper heading hierarchy, emphasized text, and list structures that render correctly when the blog engine processes the Textile markup.
Example 3: Issue Tracker Documentation
A project manager needs to create detailed issue descriptions in Redmine from legacy SXW requirement documents. Converting to Textile generates properly formatted text that can be pasted into issue descriptions, preserving the document structure and making requirements easily readable in the issue tracker.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q: What is Textile markup?
A: Textile is a lightweight markup language that converts plain text with simple formatting codes into valid HTML. For example, *bold* produces bold text, _italic_ produces italic text, and h1. at the start of a line creates a heading. It was created by Dean Allen in 2002 and is used in Redmine, Textpattern, and other platforms.
Q: Can I use the Textile output in Redmine?
A: Yes. Redmine natively supports Textile markup for wiki pages, issue descriptions, and comments. The converted Textile content can be pasted directly into Redmine and will render with proper formatting including headings, lists, bold, and italic text.
Q: How are SXW headings converted to Textile?
A: SXW heading styles (Heading1, Heading2, etc.) are mapped to Textile heading syntax: h1. for level 1, h2. for level 2, and so on through h6. This preserves the document hierarchy in the Textile output.
Q: Are tables from SXW preserved in Textile?
A: Textile supports table markup using pipe characters. Table content from SXW documents is converted to Textile table syntax where possible, with header rows marked using |_. notation. Complex table formatting like merged cells may be simplified.
Q: Is Textile the same as Markdown?
A: No. Textile and Markdown are different markup languages with different syntax. For example, Textile uses *bold* and _italic_, while Markdown uses **bold** and *italic*. Both produce HTML output but have distinct formatting rules. Textile has built-in support for CSS classes and more complex table formatting.
Q: Are images from SXW included in Textile output?
A: The converter focuses on text content extraction. Embedded images from SXW files are not automatically included. However, if images are extracted separately, you can reference them in Textile using the !image_url! syntax.
Q: Can I convert Textile back to a document format?
A: Yes. Tools like Pandoc can convert Textile to many other formats including DOCX, ODT, HTML, and PDF. This makes Textile a useful intermediate format for document workflows.
Q: How does the converter handle special characters?
A: Special characters that have meaning in Textile syntax (such as asterisks, underscores, and pipe characters) are properly escaped in the output to prevent unintended formatting. The converter ensures the text content appears correctly when rendered.