Old version StarOffice extension file SDW

[Oilcan5390]

I found an old Staroffice file which has a .SDW extension. Is there any way I can get OpenOffice 3.3 to open it or can I change the file, or do I just consider it lost for good? . The file was created in 2002. FYI It's a book with over 200 pages that I was writing and I really don't want to lose it.

[FJCC]

The SDW extension is listed among the options in the Files Of Type list in the dialog you get after selecting File -> Open. That same extension goes all the way back to StarWriter 1.0 . It seems you should be able to open it. What happens when you try?

[Oilcan5390]

absolutely nothing happens. when I open that file type dropdown window to find the right extension...sdw is not listed.

[acknak]

Did you do a "complete" install of OOo?

I believe the older file formats are now an optional part of OOo. If you do a partial install, you may not get support for the older formats. Or, they may come packaged as an extension; I can't remember for sure, but they are still supported one way or the other.

[RoryOF]

On my Ubuntu version of OpenOffice 3.3 (out-of-the-box installation) downloaded from
http://www.openoffice.org
sdw format is available both for /File /Save As and /File /Open. I was able to Save a test file, and later reopen it; I cannot say for certain that the format is genuine .sdw, but I have no reason to doubt OOo. I have done a simple test and am sure that the format differs from .odt (i.e., it is not .odt relabelled).

Edit: I haven't had time to verify if similar on an OOo 3.3 Win2K installation. Will try later when machine awake.

[draftsman01]

I found I could not open a sdw file with OO 3.3 but could with version 3.2.

[PGAGA]

Friday, March 30, 2012

I found I could not open a sdw file with OO 3.3 but could with version 3.2.

You have to chose the option to install legacy support to open older files. The sdw filter is available in Apache OpenOffice 3.4 and in LibreOffice 3.5.1 and before.

Phil

[Simon08]

You have to chose the option to install legacy support to open older files. The sdw filter is available in Apache OpenOffice 3.4 and in LibreOffice 3.5.1 and before.

Have installed the legacy support option in ApacheOO 3.4.1 and have the StarWriter 5.0 (.sdw) "Save as type" but the Writer document is not saved. The "Save as type" just jumps to the .odt type.

simon

[Oilcan5390]

Thanks to all. with your help I have been able to open my lost file and continue on my book. Only problem now is that I have to get back to writing. Is there an app that prevents writers block? lol

[RoryOF]

Anthony Trollope would rise at 0500 in the morning and write 3000 words before 0800. He said writing was just sticking to your chair and getting on with it. 47 fiction works, 15 travel books and numerous articles, so he must have known what he was talking about.

[ljlinde]

What set this off was we needed to look at patent we own and discovered that we could not open .sdw files.
As a result I need to convert a few thousand documents in .sdw to a new format that will stay around for a while.
These are a collection of Engineering documents, purchase order, invoices, and patents.

The Wizard in Libre Office is a bunch of crap and doesn't work properly and doesn't support .sdw files. In the older version it doesn't support anything but $M files.

Down loaded Apachie Open Office 4.01 in the hopes of converting a lot of files. That does not work either.

Before you publish stuff please test it.

Does anyone have the code to read sdw files and to write otd files. in C or C++ ?

This is the one thing that turns the corporate world away from a lot of fine products. The removal of the ability to read ..sdw files is a serious mistake.
At least include a method of converting them to something we can use.

When you look under the problem it smells like a legal issue and in this case all parties loose except the lawyer that caused the problem.

[RoryOF]

You can download and install AOO 3.3, which has support for .sdw files. Why not do this, and put a junior on converting them?