How to find the mime type of a file in python?

Posted by Daren Thomas on Stack Overflow See other posts from Stack Overflow or by Daren Thomas
Published on 2008-09-04T12:07:27Z Indexed on 2010/05/02 12:07 UTC
Read the original article Hit count: 325

Filed under:

python

|

mime

Let's say you want to save a bunch of files somewhere, for instance in BLOBs. Let's say you want to dish these files out via a web page and have the client automatically open the correct application/viewer.

Assumption: The browser figures out which application/viewer to use by the mime-type (content-type?) header in the HTTP response.

Based on that assumption, in addition to the bytes of the file, you also want to save the MIME type.

How would you find the MIME type of a file? I'm currently on a Mac, but this should also work on Windows.

Does the browser add this information when posting the file to the web page?

Is there a neat python library for finding this information? A WebService or (even better) a downloadable database?

Edit: Thank you, Dave Webb.

© Stack Overflow or respective owner

Related posts about python

unmet dependencies in Ubuntu 12.04

as seen on Ask Ubuntu - Search for 'Ask Ubuntu'
I tried today to install a dvb-card on my Ubuntu 12.04 (Linux blauhai-linux 3.2.0-25-generic #40-Ubuntu SMP Wed May 23 20:30:51 UTC 2012 x86_64 x86_64 x86_64 GNU/Linux ). The installation failed with an error. After that, i tried to install python (it was already installed but i got this error): linux:~$… >>> More
How can I get sikuli-ide to work?

as seen on Ask Ubuntu - Search for 'Ask Ubuntu'
I installed sikuli-ide with sudo apt-get install sikuli-ide Everything was fine until I tried to start it from the terminal. I typed sikuli-ide But the only response I got was [info] locale: en_US The application was not started, furthermore there is no desktop file and sikuli-ide does not… >>> More
Getting PATH right for python after MacPorts install

as seen on Super User - Search for 'Super User'
I can't import some python libraries (PIL, psycopg2) that I just installed with MacPorts. I looked through these forums, and tried to adjust my PATH variable in $HOME/.bash_profile in order to fix this but it did not work. I added the location of PIL and psycopg2 to PATH. I know that Terminal is… >>> More
call python with system() in R to run a python script emulating the python console

as seen on Stack Overflow - Search for 'Stack Overflow'
I want to pass a chunk of Python code to Python in R with something like system('python ...'), and I'm wondering if there is an easy way to emulate the python console in this case. For example, suppose the code is "print 'hello world'", how can I get the output like this in R? >>> print… >>> More
Python - Calling a non python program from python?

as seen on Stack Overflow - Search for 'Stack Overflow'
Hi, I am currently struggling to call a non python program from a python script. I have a ~1000 files that when passed through this C++ program will generate ~1000 outputs. Each output file must have a distinct name. The command I wish to run is of the form: program_name -input -output -o1 -o2… >>> More

Related posts about mime

Confusion for mime files: magic, magic.mgc, magic.mime

as seen on Ask Ubuntu - Search for 'Ask Ubuntu'
I'm using Ubuntu. I'm trying to use ruby gem 'shared-mime-info' for an application I'm writing. I understand that magic.mgc is a compiled version of magic file which has magic number definitions for the different file types. BUT I don't understand why is it /usr/share/mime/magic is in binary format… >>> More
File extensions and MIME Types in .NET

as seen on Stack Overflow - Search for 'Stack Overflow'
I want to get a MIME Content-Type from a given extension (preferably without accessing the physical file). I have seen some questions about this and the methods described to perform this can be resumed in: Use registry information. Use urlmon.dll's FindMimeFromData. Use IIS information. Roll your… >>> More
Downloading Docx from IE - Setting MIME Types in IIS

as seen on Stack Overflow - Search for 'Stack Overflow'
I am sure there is a simple answer to this one. I have a docx file that I get an error when trying to download(document cannot be found).... .doc is fine .txt is also fine. I am sure this is just an iis setting, the permissions on the server are all the same for all files. >>> More
Difference between adding MIME types in IIS via Websites vs Local Computer?

as seen on Server Fault - Search for 'Server Fault'
What is the difference between adding MIME types in these 2 different situations? When in IIS 6 manager... Right click on the computer name (local computer) properties mime types Right click on the "Web sites" folder properties http headers mime types I'm guessing that perhaps option 1 adds… >>> More
An S/MIME Library for Sending Signed and Encrypted E-mail

as seen on Code Project - Search for 'Code Project'
Send signed and encrypted e-mail in accordance with RFC 2633 >>> More