Saving SKY file as ixml

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Lisa Sorenson

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Feb 4, 2026, 2:17:54 PMFeb 4
to SKYIndexUsers
Hello!

I need to export this index (I'm on version 8) to someone who requests and ixml file, and cannot use the .dat file. I can't see anywhere to do this in the program or the manual. Does anyone have suggestions?

Thank you,
Lisa

Barry Campbell

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Feb 4, 2026, 3:37:44 PMFeb 4
to Lisa Sorenson, SKYIndexUsers
Use IndexConvert.
Using Sky, label headings $H1_, $H2_ etc. and locator strings {tab}$L_ then export to ixml.
Barry Campbell
From: skyind...@googlegroups.com <skyind...@googlegroups.com> on behalf of Lisa Sorenson <lmh...@gmail.com>
Sent: 04 February 2026 19:17
To: SKYIndexUsers <skyind...@googlegroups.com>
Subject: [SKYIndexUsers] Saving SKY file as ixml
 
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Lisa Sorenson

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Feb 4, 2026, 3:41:52 PMFeb 4
to SKYIndexUsers
To clarify, .ixml is not on my list of options for exporting.

Barry Campbell

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Feb 4, 2026, 3:46:10 PMFeb 4
to Lisa Sorenson, SKYIndexUsers
Yes, I know.
But by using the labelling I recommend then exporting to Word, saving as a .docm and running IndexConvert it becomes possible.
Sent: 04 February 2026 20:41
To: SKYIndexUsers <skyind...@googlegroups.com>
Subject: Re: [SKYIndexUsers] Saving SKY file as ixml
 

Jochen Fassbender

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Feb 4, 2026, 3:59:36 PMFeb 4
to Lisa Sorenson, SKYIndexUsers
Alternatively, send your index to someone with SKY 7 who could export
the index to ixml. But you would have to send your index as a *.sk7 file.

Jochen



Am 04.02.2026 um 21:41 schrieb Lisa Sorenson:
> To clarify, .ixml is not on my list of options for exporting.
>
> On Wednesday, February 4, 2026 at 12:37:44 PM UTC-8 Barry Campbell wrote:
>
> Use IndexConvert.
> Using Sky, label headings $H1_, $H2_ etc. and locator strings
> {tab}$L_ then export to ixml.
> Barry Campbell
> www.indexbase.co.uk <http://www.indexbase.co.uk>
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> *From:* skyind...@googlegroups.com <skyind...@googlegroups.com> on
> behalf of Lisa Sorenson <lmh...@gmail.com>
> *Sent:* 04 February 2026 19:17
> *To:* SKYIndexUsers <skyind...@googlegroups.com>
> *Subject:* [SKYIndexUsers] Saving SKY file as ixml
> Hello!
>
> I need to export this index (I'm on version 8) to someone who
> requests and ixml file, and cannot use the .dat file. I can't see
> anywhere to do this in the program or the manual. Does anyone have
> suggestions?
>
> Thank you,
> Lisa
>
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Barry Campbell

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Feb 4, 2026, 4:37:21 PMFeb 4
to Jochen Fassbender, Lisa Sorenson, SKYIndexUsers
Sky 7 doesn't support ixml.
Some versions of Sky 8 up to May 2016 did, then IDEX was introduced.


Maria Sosnowski

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Feb 4, 2026, 4:42:32 PMFeb 4
to SKYIndexUsers

My Sky 7 has an ixml export option. 

 

Maria

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Barry Campbell

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Feb 4, 2026, 4:47:09 PMFeb 4
to 'Maria Sosnowski' via SKYIndexUsers, Maria Sosnowski
Then hang on to your Sky 7!
From: 'Maria Sosnowski' via SKYIndexUsers <skyind...@googlegroups.com>
Sent: 04 February 2026 21:42
To: 'SKYIndexUsers' <skyind...@googlegroups.com>
Subject: RE: [SKYIndexUsers] Saving SKY file as ixml
 

Jochen Fassbender

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Feb 4, 2026, 4:47:28 PMFeb 4
to Maria Sosnowski, SKYIndexUsers
My SKY 7, too! I also once exported an ixml for a client.

Jochen



Am 04.02.2026 um 22:42 schrieb 'Maria Sosnowski' via SKYIndexUsers:
> My Sky 7 has an ixml export option.
>
> Maria
>
> *From:*skyind...@googlegroups.com <skyind...@googlegroups.com>
> *On Behalf Of *Barry Campbell
> *Sent:* Wednesday, February 4, 2026 1:37 PM
> *To:* Jochen Fassbender <j...@indexetera.de>; Lisa Sorenson
> <lmh...@gmail.com>; SKYIndexUsers <skyind...@googlegroups.com>
> *Subject:* Re: [SKYIndexUsers] Saving SKY file as ixml
>
> Sky 7 doesn't support ixml.
>
> Some versions of Sky 8 up to May 2016 did, then IDEX was introduced.
>
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Barry Campbell

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Feb 4, 2026, 4:55:43 PMFeb 4
to 'Maria Sosnowski' via SKYIndexUsers, Maria Sosnowski
You may need to be cateful about backward compatibility between Sky 8 which is Unicode and Sky 7 which is ANSI plus a translation table.
From: skyind...@googlegroups.com <skyind...@googlegroups.com> on behalf of Barry Campbell <barry.c...@indexbase.co.uk>
Sent: 04 February 2026 21:47
To: 'Maria Sosnowski' via SKYIndexUsers <skyind...@googlegroups.com>; Maria Sosnowski <ma...@index-plus.com>

ju...@writeguru.com

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Feb 4, 2026, 6:12:37 PMFeb 4
to Barry Campbell, 'Maria Sosnowski' via SKYIndexUsers, Maria Sosnowski

I’ve never gotten rid of Sky 7.

~Judi

ju...@writeguru.com

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Feb 4, 2026, 6:16:09 PMFeb 4
to Barry Campbell, 'Maria Sosnowski' via SKYIndexUsers, Maria Sosnowski

You are correct. It is supposed to be possible to save Sky 8 documents as Sky 7—but it isn’t possible.

~Judi

saqu...@gmail.com

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Feb 4, 2026, 9:14:01 PMFeb 4
to skyind...@googlegroups.com

My Sky 8 has both IDEX and IXML export options and I can save a Sky 8 index as a Sky 7 file.  Sherrey

Lisa Sorenson

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Feb 4, 2026, 9:40:36 PMFeb 4
to SKYIndexUsers
Thank you, everyone, for the information, and multiple offers for assistance with conversion. I did find someone to do this, and I'll hopefully learn to do it myself. A summary of the correspondences from today:

  • To convert a SKY file to a format that Cindex can read (within the SKY program):
    • Export as an .ixml file
                                     OR
    • Export as a .dat file
  • SKY version 7 and the earlier version 8 have the .ixml option. If the later version 8 is used, then .ixml is not an option.
  • Not all versions of Cindex are able to read .dat files, only .ixml.
Lisa Sorenson

SullivanMaria

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Feb 27, 2026, 1:44:41 AMFeb 27
to SKYIndexUsers
FWIW, all versions of Cindex (way back to DOS) *can* import .dat files. (The choice at Import, under Files of type, would be 'DOS Cindex Data', but simply choosing a file with a .dat extension will work.)

Cindex can also read files exported from Sky as described here:  https://opencindex.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Indexes-from-MACREX-or-SKY-Index.pdf

Files prepared this way can easily be imported into Cindex.  

M--

Maria Sullivan

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Feb 27, 2026, 1:44:41 AMFeb 27
to SKYIndexUsers
FWIW, all versions of Cindex, all the way back to DOS, *can* import .dat files (that was the original data transfer format).  Please let your Cindex colleague know this.  From the Cindex Import function, at 'Files of type'  you would choose DOS Cindex Data (it's just a basic delimited .text file) Alternatively, just select your file with the .dat extension and Cindex will import it.  Because Sky structures indexes slightly differently, you might have some fields appear differently in the hierarchy than you expect, but it's easily edited.

Cindex will also easily import Sky text files created more seamlessly.  To transfer files from Sky to Cindex, you can follow the instructions here:  https://opencindex.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Indexes-from-MACREX-or-SKY-Index.pdf

Sky indexes saved this way easily become Cindex files!  

And if your colleague still needs an .ixml file for some other purpose, they can create the .ixml file from their Cindex index file.

Maria 

Maria Sullivan



On Wednesday, February 4, 2026 at 9:40:36 PM UTC-5 Lisa Sorenson wrote:

Line by Line Indexing

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Feb 27, 2026, 11:39:22 AMFeb 27
to Maria Sullivan, SKYIndexUsers
Hi Maria and everyone!

Good minds think alike, Maria! It is a  simple process, once you're guided through it. 

I helped Lisa with her conversion. Since she found it helpful to be shown the process, I thought other indexers might like to learn, too. 

I created a video on how to convert a SKY file to a CINDEX file, and I posted it here.  

I hope this is helpful!  I welcome feedback or further questions.

Cheerfully,

Michelle

Michelle Guiliano
📚  indexer | medicine & nursing | natural sciences | social sciences
🎧  podcaster | Freelance Indexer Exchange

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Jochen Fassbender

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Feb 27, 2026, 12:35:45 PMFeb 27
to Line by Line Indexing, Maria Sullivan, SKYIndexUsers
Hi Michelle,

Well done! Including the explanation of the details at the end!

Jochen



Am 27.02.2026 um 17:38 schrieb Line by Line Indexing:
> Hi Maria and everyone!
>
> Good minds think alike, Maria! It is a  simple process, once you're
> guided through it.
>
> I helped Lisa with her conversion. Since she found it helpful to be
> shown the process, I thought other indexers might like to learn, too.
>
> I created a video on how to convert a SKY file to a CINDEX file, and I
> posted it here <https://indexerindex.com/resource/sky-to-cindex-file-
> conversion>.
>
> I hope this is helpful!  I welcome feedback or further questions.
>
> Cheerfully,
>
> Michelle
>
> Michelle Guiliano**
> 📚*indexer |***medicine & nursing | natural sciences | social sciences
> <https://indexerindex.com/michelle-guiliano>
> 🎧*podcaster *| Freelance Indexer Exchange <https://indexerpodcast.com/>
>
> On Fri, Feb 27, 2026 at 1:44 AM Maria Sullivan <ma...@sullivanindex.com
> <mailto:ma...@sullivanindex.com>> wrote:
>
> FWIW, all versions of Cindex, all the way back to DOS, *can*
> import .dat files (that was the original data transfer format).
> Please let your Cindex colleague know this.  From the Cindex Import
> function, at 'Files of type'  you would choose DOS Cindex Data (it's
> just a basic delimited .text file) Alternatively, just select your
> file with the .dat extension and Cindex will import it.  Because Sky
> structures indexes slightly differently, you might have some fields
> appear differently in the hierarchy than you expect, but it's easily
> edited.
>
> Cindex will also easily import Sky text files created more
> seamlessly.  To transfer files from Sky to Cindex, you can follow
> the instructions here: https://opencindex.org/wp-content/
> uploads/2024/04/Indexes-from-MACREX-or-SKY-Index.pdf <https://
> opencindex.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Indexes-from-MACREX-or-
> SKY-Index.pdf>
>
> Sky indexes saved this way easily become Cindex files!
>
> And if your colleague still needs an .ixml file for some other
> purpose, they can create the .ixml file from their Cindex index file.
>
> Maria
>
> Maria Sullivan
> www.sullivanindex.com <http://www.sullivanindex.com>
> www.OpenCindex.org <http://www.OpenCindex.org>
>
>
>
> On Wednesday, February 4, 2026 at 9:40:36 PM UTC-5 Lisa Sorenson wrote:
>
> Thank you, everyone, for the information, and multiple offers
> for assistance with conversion. I did find someone to do this,
> and I'll hopefully learn to do it myself. A summary of the
> correspondences from today:
>
> * To convert a SKY file to a format that Cindex can read
> (within the SKY program):
> o Export as an .ixml file
>
>                                      OR
>
> *
> o Export as a .dat file
>
> * SKY version 7 and the earlier version 8 have the .ixml
> option. If the later version 8 is used, then .ixml is not an
> option.
> * Not all versions of Cindex are able to read .dat files,
> only .ixml.
>
> Lisa Sorenson
>
>
> On Wednesday, February 4, 2026 at 11:17:54 AM UTC-8 Lisa
> Sorenson wrote:
>
> Hello!
>
> I need to export this index (I'm on version 8) to someone
> who requests and ixml file, and cannot use the .dat file. I
> can't see anywhere to do this in the program or the manual.
> Does anyone have suggestions?
>
> Thank you,
> Lisa
>
> --
> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google
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Lisa Sorenson

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Feb 27, 2026, 1:39:12 PMFeb 27
to Maria Sullivan, SKYIndexUsers
Thank you, Maria!

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