[GbxDump] GBX file header viewer application

[Electron]

GbxDump is a little Windows application to indicate the contents of the file header of mainly Maps, Challenges, Replays, Packs, Blocks, Objects and Items used by the Nadeo game engine (GameBox). The tool is also able to display the file header of DirectDraw Surface files (*.dds). GbxDump is open-source.

Main features:
· Displays general track properties
· Displays external dependencies
· Displays the author comment
· Shows and exports the thumbnail
· Online interface to the TMX and MX trackbase
· Online interface to the Dedimania records database



After installation the context menu of GameBox (Gbx) files has an additional entry "GbxDump". Using this command you can view into this Gbx file.
You can also run the tool from the start menu and open any Gbx file within the program (Start » Programs » Gbx File Dumper).
Nevertheless, the easiest way is to use drag-and-drop from Microsoft Windows Explorer. Then several files can immediately be analyzed at once.

GbxDump shows lot of technical data (like block identifiers and sizes) to support all types of Gbx files and to detect future changes of the file format.
But the provided information can still be very useful for map builders, title producers, server admins and normal players.
For example:
· All map properties are indicated together at one place using only two mouse clicks.
· Links to external dependencies could be easily tested by copy'n'paste them into a browser.
· The dependence between maps to titles can be checked (via title ID).
· The Lightmap Cache hash is useful to discover the lightmap file in the cache folder.
· The T/MX map ID, the numbers of awards and records could be retrieved from T/MX or Dedimania.
· The thumbnail of (Macro-) Blocks, Objects and Items supplies a good indication of the file content.
· The used texture compression of a DDS file could discover an incompatibility with DirectX9.

Download of GbxDump 1.72
Filename: gbxdump.zip
Filesize: 1.85 MB
Filetyp: ZIP archive
Release: May 2023
Language: German, English
Games: Nadeo Virtual Skipper, TrackMania, Trackmania Turbo, ManiaPlanet, Trackmania 2020
OS Versions: Windows XP SP3/Vista/7/8/8.1/10/11

What's new in version 1.55?
· Windows 10 compatibility (new flat icon, per monitor DPI-aware)
· Added support for XBOX extended DDS file header
· Added one more Mania Exchange track property (EmbeddedObjectsCount)
· Added one new GBX class name (InputReplay)

What's new in version 1.56?
· Added support for TrackMania Lagoon

What's new in version 1.57?
· Support for version 18 NadeoPak packages (*.Pack.Gbx, *.pak)
· Support for version 8 ItemModel description chunk
· Added three new Item type values (Group, Decal, Turret)
· Added two new GBX class names (UserProfile, UserFileList)

What's new in version 1.58?
· Displays the checksum of NadeoPak packages (*.Pack.Gbx, *.pak)
· Added eight new GBX class names (Module*Model, EditorModel, Crystal)

What's new in version 1.59?
· Added full support of the Collection header
· Added full support of the NadeoPak header (if not encrypted)
· Added support for the EProdState enumeration in the Item header
· Added support for the GameSkin chunk in the Item header
· Added support for the GameSkin class as part of the Plug engine
· Added support for old serialized version 2 identifier (CMwId)
· Added partial support for the new CustomBlockModel class

What's new in version 1.60?
· Added the bit field names of the Collector description flag
· Unsupported files are now displayed as hex dump

What's new in version 1.61?
· Fixed incorrect display of file size for files > 4 GB
· Added some new GBX class names (mainly from the Module Studio)
· Added two more DDS file resource formats
· Added more flag descriptions for packed files
· Updating the list of collection names/IDs

What's new in version 1.62?
· Added another item type (EntitySpawner)
· Updating the DDS file header viewer
· Migration from Visual Studio 2005 to VS2017

What's new in version 1.63?
· DDS file header viewer: Support for proprietary swizzle FourCC tags
· Fixed: The file name is not saved during drag & drop
· The popup menu for the thumbnail can now be accessed via keyboard

What's new in version 1.64?
· Added new collection ID for Trackmania 2020 Stadium

What's new in version 1.65?
· Recognizing Item/Block icons in WebP format
· Migration to new ManiaExchange API methods and support for Trackmania 2020

What's new in version 1.66?
· Added support for Item/Block icons in WebP format

What's new in version 1.67?
· DDS files are now decoded and displayed as thumbnail image
· Thumbnails can now be exported in PNG format

What's new in version 1.68?
· Support for non-standard custom thumbnails
· Added transparent display of the thumbnail

What's new in version 1.69?
· Added query of used Objects/Items from ManiaExchange
· Using an off-screen buffer for flicker-free thumbnail display

What's new in version 1.70?
· Basic support for Windows 10 1809+ dark mode
· Data from T/MX is now parsed using Microsoft XmlLite

What's new in version 1.71?
· Changed the font in the output window from Courier New to Consolas
· The font can now be scaled with Ctrl+mouse scroll wheel

What's new in version 1.72?
· Added new item type: Generic
· Increased sanity check value for the size of custom thumbnails

[Xymph]

After three years of examining the GBX file format and 44 releases I finished my Gbx file snooper tool

Well done.

[TheM]

Great work!

[niarfman]

Seems you have made a very hard and deep work !

I will try it and share it. It seems to be useful for map creator or server admins

[Electron]

All known internals about the GBX file format are documented in the Mania Tech Wiki. The contents are based on the work of several people (Arc, Tossha, Xymph, me and more). Many thanks also to xbx for few but very important information about the "lookback" strings and the *.Pack.Gbx file header!

[TStarGermany]

A very worthy tool, indeed

[killer606]

Very cool tool, but its not possible to see how many spawns a map has for SM, that would be a cool feature too

[Electron]

I had forgotten the support of Dedimania² for TrackMania² Stadium...
Therefore, I've provided a minor update to version 1.45.

[TMarc]

Great, thanks

[Electron]

A new version of GbxDump is available.

Version 1.46 now supports Item.gbx files by adding support of a new ObjectInfo class ID. This concerns also newly saved macro blocks.
I also added support of a skin class used by vehicles, decorations and some blocks.
GbxDump now also indicates the type of an object (Ornament for objects, PickUp for pickup items, Character for bot items, DynaObject for vehicles and arena players).
In the new version the UTF-8 codepage is also used to display XML chunks (bug fix).