NAME

MIME::Types - Definition of MIME types

INHERITANCE

 MIME::Types
   is a Exporter

SYNOPSIS

 use MIME::Types;
 my $mimetypes = MIME::Types->new;
 my MIME::Type $plaintext = $mimetypes->type('text/plain');
 my MIME::Type $imagegif  = $mimetypes->mimeTypeOf('gif');

DESCRIPTION

MIME types are used in MIME compliant lines, for instance as part of e-mail and HTTP traffic, to indicate the type of content which is transmitted. Sometimes real knowledge about a mime-type is need.

This module maintains a set of MIME::Type objects, which each describe one known mime type. There are many types defined by RFCs and vendors, so the list is long but not complete. Please don't hestitate to ask to add additional information.

METHODS

Instantiation

MIME::Types->new(OPTIONS)

Create a new MIME::Types object which manages the data. In the current implementation, it does not matter whether you create this object often within your program, but in the future this may change.

 Option         Defined in  Default
 only_complete              <false>

. only_complete BOOLEAN

Only include complete MIME type definitions: requires at least one known extension and an explicit type of encoding. This will reduce the number of entries --and with that the amount of memory consumed-- considerably.

In your program you have to decide: the first time that you call the creator (new) determines whether you get the full or the partial information.

Knowledge

$obj->addType(TYPE, ...)

Add one or more TYPEs to the set of known types. Each TYPE is a MIME::Type which must be experimental: either the main-type or the sub-type must start with x-.

Please inform the maintainer of this module when registered types are missing.

$obj->mimeTypeOf(FILENAME)

Returns the MIME::Type object which belongs to the FILENAME (or simply its filename extension) or undef if the file type is unknown. The extension is used, and considered case-insensitive.

Example: use of mimeTypeOf()

 my MIME::Types $types = MIME::Types->new;
 my MIME::Type  $mime = $types->mimeTypeOf('gif');

 my MIME::Type  $mime = $types->mimeTypeOf('jpg');
 print $mime->isBinary;

$obj->type(STRING)

Return the MIME::Type which describes the type related to STRING. One type may be described more than once. Different extensions is use for this type, and different operating systems may cause more than one MIME::Type object to be defined. In scalar context, only the first is returned.

DIAGNOSTICS

Warning: type $type already registered.

You try to register a type, when it is already known. This means that you are duplicating work (with chance on errors) or have knowledge you can contribute to this module (please contact the author).

REFERENCES

See the Mime::Types website at http://perl.overmeer.net/mimetypes/ for more details.

COPYRIGHTS

Module version 1.09. Written by Mark Overmeer (mimetypes@overmeer.net). See the ChangeLog for other contributors.

Copyright (c) 2001-2003 by the author(s). All rights reserved. This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it under the same terms as Perl itself.