by Kusaanko·Workflow
Images © Kusaanko. Used for product review; image policy.
Format bridges like this are narrow by design, and BVE Import/Export earns its spot in the Blender extensions library by covering both the X file and CSV sides of the BVE and OpenBVE pipeline in a single add-on, with over 6,000 downloads to date. Version 5.1.3 added a "Use AddFace2" property to the OpenBVE CSV Properties node and fixed material naming when exporting X files.
BVE Import/Export handles DirectX X (.x) files in Blender, moving geometry in and out for use with BVE. It also exports CSV files covering both BVE and OpenBVE, and supports a range of OpenBVE-specific CSV features. The add-on has been tested with Bve versions 5.8 and 6.0, and is compatible with strview5 and csvview5.
On the X file side, it works with vertices, faces, normals, materials and textures, and reads or writes text, binary and zipped-binary formats. For OpenBVE CSV, supported features include SetColorAll, LoadTexture, SetEmissiveColorAll, SetBlendMode, SetWrapMode, NighttimeTexture, SetDecalTransparentColor and EnableCrossfading. To set OpenBVE feature properties, you place a node called "OpenBVE CSV Properties" inside the material's node tree.
From Blender, it reads material color without nodes, Principled BSDF and texture nodes, base color, alpha, emission and gamma, plus flat and smooth shading. Modifier support is included but does not work completely. The add-on runs on Blender 4.3.0 and newer and is released under the GNU General Public License v3.0 or later.
BVE Import/Export is best for blender users building or converting models for BVE and OpenBVE who need to move geometry between .x or CSV files and Blender materials.
BVE Import/Export is completely free to download and use.
BVE Import/Export supports Blender 4.3.0 and newer, so version 4.3 and later releases are covered. It installs like other Blender extensions: drag and drop the add-on into Blender, or download it and use Install from Disk. The add-on requests file permission to import and export model files from and to disk, which it needs to read and write the .x and CSV formats. If you run an older Blender version, you'll need to update before installing, since 4.3.0 is the minimum listed.
BVE Import/Export has been tested with Bve versions 5.8 and 6.0, and it is compatible with strview5 and csvview5. On the format side, it imports and exports DirectX X (.x) files and exports CSV files for both BVE and OpenBVE. X files can be handled in text, binary and zipped-binary formats. If your workflow relies on a different Bve build, check the developer's page, since those two versions are the ones confirmed here.
BVE Import/Export exposes OpenBVE CSV features through a dedicated material node. To set OpenBVE feature properties, place a node called "OpenBVE CSV Properties" inside the material's node tree. Supported OpenBVE CSV features include SetColorAll, LoadTexture, SetEmissiveColorAll, SetBlendMode, SetWrapMode, NighttimeTexture, SetDecalTransparentColor and EnableCrossfading. Version 5.1.3 added a "Use AddFace2" property to the OpenBVE CSV Properties node, and it also fixed material naming when exporting to X files.
BVE Import/Export is listed as free here, and it is released under the GNU General Public License v3.0 or later. Being GPL, the source is open, and issues can be reported through the developer's GitHub tracker. For the latest licensing terms and any updates, check the developer's page. The add-on is compact at 22.0 KB and requests only file permission, used to import and export model files from and to disk.
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