BB File

What are BB files and how to open them

Are you having problems opening a BB file or are you simply curious about its contents? We're here to explain the properties of these files and provide you with software that can open or handle your BB files.

What is a BB file?

BB files have multiple uses, and Artlantis BillBoard is one of them. Read more about the other uses further down the page.

Artlantis BillBoard

These BAM files contain realistic 3D images created in Artlantis, a 3D modeling software. You use this software to create photorealistic animations for architectural visualization. You can simulate the effects of materials and lights for any 3D project.

How to open BB files

Important: Different programs may use files with the BB file extension for different purposes, so unless you are sure which format your BB file is, you may need to try a few different programs.

While we have not verified the apps ourselves yet, our users have suggested four different BB openers which you will find listed below.

Last updated: August 23, 2026

All known file formats using extension .BB

While Artlantis BillBoard is a popular type of BB-file, we know of 2 different uses of the .BB file extension. Different software may use files with the same extension for different types of data.

BigBed Track Format

The BigBed Track Format stores genomic annotation data in a compact, indexed binary form derived from the simpler BED text format. It's used for large-scale genome annotation datasets where performance and bandwidth matter. A text-based BED file is converted into this format using UCSC's bedToBigBed program. Once created, only the parts of the file needed to display a specific genome region are fetched over the web, speeding up browser displays of large tracks.

To produce one, a user takes a BED file that includes at least three standard fields (chromosome, start, end), optionally more (up to twelve plus extras), ensures entries are grouped and sorted by chromosome and start position, and supplies a chromosome size file matching the genome assembly. The bedToBigBed utility builds the binary file. Once built, tools such as bigBedToBed, bigBedSummary, and bigBedInfo allow inspection, conversion, or summarization. BigBed files are hosted on a web-accessible server and used by Genome Browser or track hubs for remote visualization.

The format's identifier is the byte sequence starting with 0xEB F2 89 87 04 00 at offset 0.

Various apps that use files with this extension

These apps are known to open certain types of BB files. Remember, different programs may use BB files for different purposes, so you may need to try out a few of them to be able to open your specific file.

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File.org helps thousands of users every day, and we would love to hear from you if you have additional information about BB file formats, example files, or compatible programs. Please use the links below or email us at submit@file.org to discuss further.