A Quick Tour of
Ecma Open XML Formats

COMPATIBILITY WITH EXISTING
DOCUMENTS

Binary Ecma Open XML
format format

Binary
format

Ecma Open XML
format

THEY LOOK IDENTICAL, BUT …

Binary
format

Ecma Open XML
format

On this document
Open XML is half the
size of the binary file

Ecma Open XML
is a ZIP file …

That contains
XML parts

Images stored in
native format
(JPEG, PNG, GIF, …)

WHAT ELSE CAN OPEN XML DO?

Accessibility?

Alternative Text
for non-text element

Builds on
existing
standards like
Dublin Core

INTEGRATION WITH BUSINESS
SYSTEMS (CUSTOM XML)

Business transaction
document. How is this data
stored in Open XML?

In a “Custom
XML” part

The structure (schema) can
be optimized for your
business process

Update a field
in the
document

The structure (schema) can
be optimized for my
Updates
business process
custom XML
element

GETTING STARTED WITH
WORDPROCESSING DOCUMENTS

A simple
document

Has simple
markup

Adding a
paragraph

Is easy

Format using
“run”
properties
(“i” for italics)

Presto!

GETTING STARTED WITH
SPREADSHEET DOCUMENTS

Workbook, wor
ksheets
Rows and cells

Workbook

Worksheets

Rows and cells

Add a cell

Presto!

Formulas?

Got them!