Mime
Types
Explanation of Mime Types
The MIME Types tool in your control panel allows you to set
certain programs to be used for specific extensions.
In easier-to-understand terms, MIME types help your web
server to identify what type of file is being requested by
your browsers.
For instance, when the web server gets a request from a
browser such as Internet Explorer or Netscape, for a file that
ends in .html, the web server knows that it is an html
document because that extension is stored in the Mime Type.
If the web server gets a request from a browser for a file
that ends in .gif, the web server knows that it is an image
because that too is stored in the Mime Types.
This applies to every file, image, application, etc. that
may be requested by a web browser.
If the extension is not stored within the Mime Type, the
web server will not recognize it and will not be able to
assist the browser and that particular file type will not be
viewable by the user.
Mime types are identified by the server by the following
format:
subtype/type extension
For example, adding the following two Mime types will allow
users to view ipx images on your web pages:
application/x-ipscript .ips
application/x-ipix .ipx
application identifies
the subtype,
x-ipscript identifies
the application,
.ips
identifies the extension used for that application.
Note: This
feature is not for FrontPage users. Is any Mime types are
needed, FP users will have to add them using FrontPage.