How to use .gbx files

The .gbx file extension is used for different types of files. Apart from being a CAD (computer-aided design) file type when making and pro­cess­ing circuit boards, the .gbx file format can also be used as a game or text file. Due to the various functions that a gbx file can have, different programs are needed to open a .gbx file.

The most common use for the gbx file extension. is for Gerber PCB files. Gerber is a file structure in an ASCII format, which allows data to be trans­ferred from CAD to CAM (computer-aided man­u­fac­tur­ing). As a CAD file, the .gbx file format is used to create and edit layout data for circuit boards. In this case, the .gbx files contain, among other things, 3D objects, sta­tis­ti­cal data, settings for format and layout as well as ad­di­tion­al metadata for .gbx projects. The Gerber format is an es­tab­lished standard for the de­vel­op­ment of circuit boards.

Since the .gbx file format has very specific use cases, you probably don’t encounter this file type very often. However, if you receive a .gbx file, it could be from the French game developer NADEO. The developer of gaming series, such as Track­ma­nia, Virtual Skipper and Shoot­ma­nia, uses .gbx to save graphics, maps, profiles and replays. This type of .gbx file is not a CAD file but is instead used for gaming purposes. The .gbx file format is also used in the budget analysis software Great Budget. This ap­pli­ca­tion uses the .gbx file extension for text files.

Before opening a .gbx file, you need to check what type of .gbx file it is. You can do this by right clicking on the file. With a Windows operating system, you’ll then choose “Prop­er­ties” and “File type”. On a Mac system, the in­for­ma­tion is located under “More in­for­ma­tion” and “Type”. You can normally open a .gbx file with a double click. Your operating system will then au­to­mat­i­cal­ly use the correct software. If this doesn’t work, you’ll have top either select a suitable program or download one.

Since all possible .gbx file formats are rel­a­tive­ly specific and not com­pat­i­ble with a wide range of programs, you might need separate software to open and edit the files. If you are using a .gbx file extension to work on a Gerber PCB file, you can use one of the following programs:

• Pen­ta­Logix ViewMate
• Pen­ta­logix View­Mas­ter
• Graph­iCode GC-Prevue
• Osmond PCB
• Cadence OrCAD PCB Designer

If it’s a NADEO game file, you’ll only be able to open the .gbx file if the cor­re­spond­ing game is installed. The company uses .gbx with the following software:

• Track­ma­nia (versions 1 to 10)
• Virtual Skipper (versions 1 to 5)

If you want to open a .gbx format text file from Great Budget, you will need the Great Budget program from the company In­ter­scape. These files are not com­pat­i­ble with any other program.