NAME

       File::Type - determine file type using magic

SYNOPSIS

           my $ft = File::Type->new();

           # read in data from file to $data, then
           my $type_from_data = $ft->checktype_contents($data);

           # alternatively, check file from disk
           my $type_from_file = $ft->checktype_filename($file);

           # convenient method for checking either a file or data
           my $type_1 = $ft->mime_type($file);
           my $type_2 = $ft->mime_type($data);

DESCRIPTION

       File::Type uses magic numbers (typically at the start of a file) to determine the MIME
       type of that file.

       File::Type can use either a filename, or file contents, to determine the type of a file.

METHODS

   new
       Returns a new File::Type object.

   mime_type($argument)
       Takes either data or a filename, determines what it is, and passes the argument through to
       the relevant method below. If the argument is a directory, returns undef.

   checktype_filename($filename)
       Opens $filename (if possible; if not, returns undef) and returns the MIME type of the
       file.

   checktype_contents($data)
       Matches $data against the magic database criteria and returns the MIME type of the file.

TODO

           * Add additional magic match criteria

BUGS

       None known.

   NOTES
       Some magic definitions in the mime-magic file used in the creation of this module vary
       from those in other apps (eg image/x-png not image/png).

SEE ALSO

       File::MMagic and File::MimeInfo perform the same job, but have a number of problems that
       led to the creation of this module.

       File::MMagic inlines a copy of the magic database, and uses a DATA filehandle, which
       causes problems when running under mod_perl.

       File::MimeInfo uses an external magic file, and relies on file extensions rather than
       magic to determine the mime type.

       As a result, File::Type uses a separate module and script to create the code at the core
       of this module, which means that there is no need to include a magic database at all, and
       that it is safe to run under mod_perl.

       File::Type::Builder, which generates the code at the heart of this module.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

       File::Type is built from a mime-magic file from cleancode.org. The original can be found
       at <http://cleancode.org/cgi-bin/viewcvs.cgi/email/mime-magic.mime?rev=1.1.1.1>.

AUTHOR

       Paul Mison <pmison@fotango.com>

COPYRIGHT

       Copyright 2003-2004 Fotango Ltd.

LICENSE

       Licensed under the same terms as Perl itself.