MIME::Type (3)

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NAME

MIME::Type - description of one MIME type

SYNOPSIS

 use MIME::Types;
 my $mimetypes = MIME::Types->new;
 my MIME::Type $plaintext = $mimetypes->type('text/plain');
 print $plaintext->mediaType;   # text
 print $plaintext->subType;     # plain

 my @ext = $plaintext->extensions;
 print "@ext"                   # txt asc c cc h hh cpp

 print $plaintext->encoding     # 8bit
 if($plaintext->isBinary)       # false
 if($plaintext->isAscii)        # true
 if($plaintext->equals('text/plain') {...}
 if($plaintext eq 'text/plain') # same

 print MIME::Type->simplified('x-appl/x-zip') #  'appl/zip'

DESCRIPTION

types are used in entities, for instance as part of e-mail and traffic. Sometimes real knowledge about a mime-type is need. Objects of "MIME::Type" store the information on one such type.

OVERLOADED

overload: string comparison

When a MIME::Type object is compared to either a string or another MIME::TYpe, the equals() method is called. Comparison is smart, which means that it extends common string comparison with some features which are defined in the related RFCs.

overload: stringification

The stringification (use of the object in a place where a string is required) will result in the type name, the same as type() returns.

example: use of stringification

 my $mime = MIME::Type->new('text/html');
 print "$mime\n";   # explicit stringification
 print $mime;       # implicit stringification

METHODS

Initiation

MIME::Type->new(%options)

Create (instantiate) a new MIME::Type object which manages one mime type.

 -Option    --Default
  encoding    <depends on type>
  extensions  []
  simplified  <derived from type>
  system      undef
  type        <required>

encoding => '7bit'|'8bit'|'base64'|'quoted-printable'

How must this data be encoded to be transported safely. The default depends on the type: mimes with as main type "text/" will default to "quoted-printable" and all other to "base64".

extensions => REF-ARRAY

An array of extensions which are using this mime.

simplified =>

STRING

The mime types main- and sub-label can both start with "x-", to indicate that is a non-registered name. Of course, after registration this flag can disappear which adds to the confusion. The simplified string has the "x-" thingies removed and are translated to lower-case.

system =>

REGEX

Regular expression which defines for which systems this rule is valid. The

REGEX

is matched on $^O.

type =>

STRING

The type which is defined here. It consists of a type and a sub-type, both case-insensitive. This module will return lower-case, but accept upper-case.

Attributes

$obj->encoding()

Returns the type of encoding which is required to transport data of this type safely.

$obj->extensions()

Returns a list of extensions which are known to be used for this mime type.

$obj->simplified( [$string] )

MIME::Type->simplified( [$string] )

Returns the simplified mime type for this object or the specified

STRING.

Mime type names can get officially registered. Until then, they have to carry an "x-" preamble to indicate that. Of course, after recognition, the "x-" can disappear. In many cases, we prefer the simplified version of the type.

example: results of simplified()

 my $mime = MIME::Type->new(type => 'x-appl/x-zip');
 print $mime->simplified;                     # 'appl/zip'

 print $mime->simplified('text/PLAIN');       # 'text/plain'
 print MIME::Type->simplified('x-xyz/x-abc'); # 'xyz/abc'

$obj->system()

Returns the regular expression which can be used to determine whether this type is active on the system where you are working on.

$obj->type()

Returns the long type of this object, for instance 'text/plain'

Knowledge

$obj->equals($string|$mime)

Compare this mime-type object with a

STRING

or other object. In case of a

STRING,

simplification will take place.

$obj->isAscii()

Old name for isText().

$obj->isBinary()

Returns true when the type is not known to be text. See isText().

$obj->isExperimental()

[2.00] Return "true" when the type is defined for experimental use; the subtype starts with "x."

$obj->isPersonal()

[2.00] Return "true" when the type is defined by a person for private use; the subtype starts with "prs."

$obj->isRegistered()

Mime-types which are not registered by

IANA

nor defined in RFCs shall start with an "x-". This counts for as well the media-type as the sub-type. In case either one of the types starts with "x-" this method will return false.

$obj->isSignature()

Returns true when the type is in the list of known signatures.

$obj->isText()

[2.05] All types which may have the charset attribute, are text. However, there is currently no record of attributes in this module... so we guess.

$obj->isVendor()

[2.00] Return "true" when the type is defined by a vendor; the subtype starts with "vnd."

$obj->mediaType()

The media type of the simplified mime. For 'text/plain' it will return 'text'.

For historical reasons, the 'mainType' method still can be used to retrieve the same value. However, that method is deprecated.

$obj->subType()

The sub type of the simplified mime. For 'text/plain' it will return 'plain'.

DIAGNOSTICS

Error: Type parameter is obligatory.

When a MIME::Type object is created, the type itself must be specified with the "type" option flag.

SEE ALSO

This module is part of MIME-Types distribution version 2.13, built on March 07, 2016. Website: perl.overmeer.net/mimetypes

LICENSE

Copyrights 1999,2001-2016 by [Mark Overmeer]. For other contributors see ChangeLog.

This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it under the same terms as Perl itself. See www.perl.com/perl/misc/Artistic.html