
``mimetypes`` --- Map filenames to MIME types
*********************************************

The ``mimetypes`` module 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 latter conversion.

The module provides one class and a number of convenience functions.
The functions are the normal interface to this module, but some
applications may be interested in the class as well.

The functions described below provide the primary interface for this
module.  If the module has not been initialized, they will call
``init()`` if they rely on the information ``init()`` sets up.

mimetypes.guess_type(filename[, strict])

   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 (missing or unknown
   suffix) or a string of the form ``'type/subtype'``, usable for a
   MIME *content-type* header.

   *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 sensitively, then case insensitively.

   Optional *strict* is a flag specifying whether the list of known
   MIME types is limited to only the official types registered with
   IANA are recognized. When *strict* is true (the default), only the
   IANA types are supported; when *strict* is false, some additional
   non-standard but commonly used MIME types are also recognized.

mimetypes.guess_all_extensions(type[, strict])

   Guess the extensions for a file based on its MIME type, given by
   *type*. The return value is a list of strings giving all possible
   filename extensions, including the leading dot (``'.'``).  The
   extensions are not guaranteed to have been associated with any
   particular data stream, but would be mapped to the MIME type *type*
   by ``guess_type()``.

   Optional *strict* has the same meaning as with the ``guess_type()``
   function.

mimetypes.guess_extension(type[, strict])

   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.

   Optional *strict* has the same meaning as with the ``guess_type()``
   function.

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

mimetypes.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.

mimetypes.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.

mimetypes.add_type(type, ext[, strict])

   Add a mapping from the mimetype *type* to the extension *ext*. When
   the extension is already known, the new type will replace the old
   one. When the type is already known the extension will be added to
   the list of known extensions.

   When *strict* is True (the default), the mapping will added to the
   official MIME types, otherwise to the non-standard ones.

mimetypes.inited

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

mimetypes.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.

mimetypes.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.

mimetypes.encodings_map

   Dictionary mapping filename extensions to encoding types.

mimetypes.types_map

   Dictionary mapping filename extensions to MIME types.

mimetypes.common_types

   Dictionary mapping filename extensions to non-standard, but
   commonly found MIME types.

The ``MimeTypes`` class may be useful for applications which may want
more than one MIME-type database:

class class mimetypes.MimeTypes([filenames])

   This class represents a MIME-types database.  By default, it
   provides access to the same database as the rest of this module.
   The initial database is a copy of that provided by the module, and
   may be extended by loading additional ``mime.types``-style files
   into the database using the ``read()`` or ``readfp()`` methods.
   The mapping dictionaries may also be cleared before loading
   additional data if the default data is not desired.

   The optional *filenames* parameter can be used to cause additional
   files to be loaded "on top" of the default database.

An example usage of the module:

   >>> import mimetypes
   >>> mimetypes.init()
   >>> mimetypes.knownfiles
   ['/etc/mime.types', '/etc/httpd/mime.types', ... ]
   >>> mimetypes.suffix_map['.tgz']
   '.tar.gz'
   >>> mimetypes.encodings_map['.gz']
   'gzip'
   >>> mimetypes.types_map['.tgz']
   'application/x-tar-gz'


MimeTypes Objects
=================

``MimeTypes`` instances provide an interface which is very like that
of the ``mimetypes`` module.

MimeTypes.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.  This is initially a copy of the
   global ``suffix_map`` defined in the module.

MimeTypes.encodings_map

   Dictionary mapping filename extensions to encoding types.  This is
   initially a copy of the global ``encodings_map`` defined in the
   module.

MimeTypes.types_map

   Dictionary mapping filename extensions to MIME types.  This is
   initially a copy of the global ``types_map`` defined in the module.

MimeTypes.common_types

   Dictionary mapping filename extensions to non-standard, but
   commonly found MIME types.  This is initially a copy of the global
   ``common_types`` defined in the module.

MimeTypes.guess_extension(type[, strict])

   Similar to the ``guess_extension()`` function, using the tables
   stored as part of the object.

MimeTypes.guess_type(url[, strict])

   Similar to the ``guess_type()`` function, using the tables stored
   as part of the object.

MimeTypes.read(path)

   Load MIME information from a file named *path*.  This uses
   ``readfp()`` to parse the file.

MimeTypes.readfp(file)

   Load MIME type information from an open file.  The file must have
   the format of the standard ``mime.types`` files.
