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(python2.1-lib.info)mimetypes

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Map filenames to MIME types
===========================

Mapping of filename extensions to MIME types.

This manual section was written by Fred L. Drake, Jr. <fdrake@acm.org>.
The `mimetypes' converts between a filename or URL and the MIME type
associated with the filename extension.  Conversions are provided from
filename to MIME type and from MIME type to filename extension;
encodings are not supported for the later conversion.

The functions described below provide the primary interface for this
module.  If the module has not been initialized, they will call
`init()'.

`guess_type(filename)'
     Guess the type of a file based on its filename or URL, given by
     FILENAME.  The return value is a tuple `(TYPE, ENCODING)' where
     TYPE is `None' if the type can't be guessed (no or unknown suffix)
     or a string of the form `'TYPE/SUBTYPE'', usable for a MIME
     `content-type' header ; and encoding is `None' for no encoding or
     the name of the program used to encode (e.g. `compress' or
     `gzip').  The encoding is suitable for use as a `content-encoding'
     header, _not_ as a `content-transfer-encoding' header.  The
     mappings are table driven.  Encoding suffixes are case sensitive;
     type suffixes are first tried case sensitive, then case
     insensitive.

`guess_extension(type)'
     Guess the extension for a file based on its MIME type, given by
     TYPE.  The return value is a string giving a filename extension,
     including the leading dot (`.').  The extension is not guaranteed
     to have been associated with any particular data stream, but would
     be mapped to the MIME type TYPE by `guess_type()'.  If no
     extension can be guessed for TYPE, `None' is returned.

Some additional functions and data items are available for controlling
the behavior of the module.

`init([files])'
     Initialize the internal data structures.  If given, FILES must be
     a sequence of file names which should be used to augment the
     default type map.  If omitted, the file names to use are taken from
     `knownfiles'.  Each file named in FILES or `knownfiles' takes
     precedence over those named before it.  Calling `init()'
     repeatedly is allowed.

`read_mime_types(filename)'
     Load the type map given in the file FILENAME, if it exists.  The
     type map is returned as a dictionary mapping filename extensions,
     including the leading dot (`.'), to strings of the form
     `'TYPE/SUBTYPE''.  If the file FILENAME does not exist or cannot
     be read, `None' is returned.

`inited'
     Flag indicating whether or not the global data structures have been
     initialized.  This is set to true by `init()'.

`knownfiles'
     List of type map file names commonly installed.  These files are
     typically named `mime.types' and are installed in different
     locations by different packages.

`suffix_map'
     Dictionary mapping suffixes to suffixes.  This is used to allow
     recognition of encoded files for which the encoding and the type
     are indicated by the same extension.  For example, the `.tgz'
     extension is mapped to `.tar.gz' to allow the encoding and type to
     be recognized separately.

`encodings_map'
     Dictionary mapping filename extensions to encoding types.

`types_map'
     Dictionary mapping filename extensions to MIME types.