What is the VUE file format?
.vue is the native scene format of Vue, a 3D application by e-on software (acquired by Bentley Systems in 2015) specializing in photorealistic natural environments. A .vue file stores a complete hierarchical scene graph - terrains, procedural atmospheres, vegetation ecosystems, lighting rigs, cameras, and references to 3D objects - in a proprietary binary/text hybrid container.
The format has no public specification and has evolved across Vue's many versions since the software's debut as *Vue d'Esprit 1.0* in 1996. Scene files from early versions are generally not directly compatible with later releases without re-saving. Assets such as textures and plant species data may be embedded directly or stored as external references, which can create portability issues when moving a project between machines.
Vue was primarily used by visual effects artists and digital matte painters for environment work. It supports export to standard interchange formats including .OBJ, FBX, and Alembic, allowing its terrains and vegetation to be brought into Maya, Cinema 4D, or other DCC applications.
In May 2024, Bentley Systems made Vue and its companion tool PlantFactory free to download after announcing the discontinuation of active development. An open-source release was under consideration as of late 2025.
Security & safety
RISK: LOWVue scene files are data files, not executables; no known security concerns. Download Vue software only from Bentley Systems official site.
Format details
in a nutshell- Vue.js Single-File Component - Web development file format containing HTML template, JavaScript, and CSS in a single .vue file; entirely unrelated to e-on Vue 3D software - opened by VS Code, WebStorm, Vite etc.
- Microsoft Schedule+ Configuration File - Legacy Windows 3.x/95-era personal information manager config file; the db_name 'Microsoft Schedule+ configuration file' refers to this obsolete format.
Programs that open VUE files
Windows1 app
Vue (by Bentley Systems, formerly e-on software)
Free Download Vue 2023/2024 free from Bentley. Open File → Open Scene and select the .vue file. 
macOS1 app
Technical details
deep spec| Scene contents | Terrain, procedural atmosphere, vegetation ecosystems, cameras, lights, and object references |
| Format type | Proprietary binary/text hybrid scene container |
| Byte order | Little-endian (binary sections) |
| Compression | Optional, version-dependent |
| Typical size | 1 MB - 500 MB (varies with embedded asset data) |
| Asset storage | Textures and plant data may be embedded in the file or stored as external references |
| Version compatibility | Files from earlier Vue versions generally require re-save in a newer release |
| Export formats | OBJ, FBX, Alembic, LightWave, 3ds (via Export dialog) |
| Atmosphere model | Physically-based spectral sky and atmospheric scattering |
| Platform | Windows, macOS |
| Development status | Free to download since May 2024; active development discontinued |
| Ecosystem tool | Companion to PlantFactory for procedural plant creation and import |
| Released | 1996 (Vue d'Esprit 1.0 by e-on software) |
| Latest version | Vue 2024 (final Bentley-era release, free since May 2024) |
VUE conversions
Community Q&A
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