File Formats

Model files

The solver reads .bow model files as created by the VirtualBow model editor. These files use the text-based JSON format. JSON (JavaScript Object Notation) is a widely used standard for hierarchical data composed of objects, arrays, strings, numbers, and more. Because it is human-readable, .bow files can be easily inspected or modified with any text editor.

Result files

The solver produces .res result files containing all static and/or dynamic simulation results. These files use the binary MessagePack format. MessagePack represents the same kinds of data as JSON but in a more compact binary form. Unlike the input files, .res files cannot be viewed directly in a text editor, but Visual Studio Code, for example, can display them with a plugin such as PackLens or Data File Viewer.

Note

Earlier versions of this manual included detailed specifications of the internal structure of both input and output files. As the contents of these files have grown and evolved, maintaining those specifications has become impractical. Fortunately, their content is not too complicated. Most of it can be understood by experimenting and examining the resulting files. The field names often correspond to the names used in the VirtualBow GUI. If you have questions about the file formats or need guidance for advanced use cases, feel free to get in touch.

Warning

The internal file structure used by VirtualBow changes frequently. VirtualBow maintains backward compatibility only for .bow model files, not for .res result files. If you integrate tools or workflows with these formats, you should expect to have to update them to keep them working with newer versions of VirtualBow.