SXW file extension is created with the StarOffice program by Oracle, which is an older office application discontinued a few years ago. StarOffice was developed by the StarDivision, which was eventually acquired by Sun Microsystems and finally by Oracle Corporation. StarOffice used source code created by an open source community of programmers and developers and the SXW files are associated with the writing component of StarOffice.
SXW files contain data related to documents, such as text, structure, graphics, font styles, formatting, charts, and other components typically included in documents you create in a typical office application. The main equivalent to the SXW file format is the Open Document Format or ODF used by the OpenOffice suite of applications.
How to Open SXW Files
Since SXW files are open source documents, you can open and edit them using a variety of different applications which work on multiple platforms, including Windows, Mac, and Linux. The primary application for opening and editing SXW files is OpenOffice, which works with all three types of operating systems.
OpenOffice is a comprehensive suite of office applications, which is available as a free download from OpenOffice.org. The document application known as OpenOffice Writer now saves document files with the ODT extension; however, the program can easily open and read SXW files created by StarOffice.
Another program that works across multiple platforms is LibreOffice, which is an open source personal productivity suite that works with Windows, Mac, and Linux, and includes Writer, Calc, Impress, Draw, Math, and Base. LibreOffice is available as a free download from LibreOffice.org.
You may also opt to use IBM Lotus Symphony, which is also available as a free download and includes a document, presentation, and spreadsheet application. Lotus Symphony works with Windows, Mac, and Linux and is available on the IBM Lotus Symphony website.
Another option to consider is converting the SXW file to another format such as DOC, ODT, DOCX, or PDF. This can easily be accomplished by opening the SXW file in a program such as OpenOffice and then saving it with a different extension. You can also right click on the SXW file and then choose Rename from the drop-down menu. Change the extension to a different format and then choose the program you want to use to open the file by choosing OpenWith from the menu.
There is also a number of file conversion websites such as Zamzar that will convert the file for you and then send it to your email inbox. You simply log onto the website, browse for the file, choose the format you want to convert it to, enter your email address, and then click on Convert. Within minutes you will receive the file in its newly converted format.
