OpenXML.biz is a non profit site that contains resources for everything related to Office OpenXML, a new office format ratified by ECMA.

It includes a directory where you can browse for articles, tools, news and other information on OpenXML.

This site also hosts an opensource editor for creating WordprocessingML (.docx) files  The source is available and it demonstrates a few techniques for formatting the document and packaging the resources into a .docx file. 

About OpenXML

Office Open XML is a new standard that is ratified by ECMA for word-processing documents, presentations, and spreadsheets. It can be freely implemented by multiple applications on multiple platforms.

The need for an open office format arises from the necessity for long-term preservation of documents. Existing documents based on binary formats are coupled tightly with the programs that create them. Over time, they become difficult to read without significant loss. Preserving the integrity of documents has become an important issue.

OpenXML is based on XML, which confers the benefits of preservation, interoperability, and extensibilty. It is designed to support the existing features of word-processing documents, presentations, and spreadsheets. Furthermore, the features it specifies closely mirror that of those supported by existing Microsoft(TM) Office suite of products. This allows the transition from Micrsoft(TM) Office documents to OpenXML documents to happen easily.

With the OOXML standard, new applications can be built that enables the

• Automatic extraction of data from documents
• Modification of a small part of the doccument, and yet allowing editability
• Mass formatting on a large set of documents
• Generation of standard documents from business data

Currently, products that support the new standard include the Microsoft(TM) Office 2007 suite of products

20 Feb 2009

Availablibity of Converter for XPS Documents, a free tool for converting individual pages of a XPS document into image files.   more info

25 Jan 2007

OpenXML Writer, an opensource editor for generating docx files,  is released.  more info

26 Feb 2007

Version 1.2 of the Writer is ready for download. This version adds the support for bullets and numbering, reading and writing of unicode text files and a few bug fixes. more info