Re: FTP type proposed solution..

tpaquett@AEC.CA said:
} if you cannot find a MIME type from the above.. extract the first X
} bytes from the file. Scan the bytes looking for a character with the
} high bit set.

} If you find one byte with the high bit set, then set the MIME type to
} application/octet-stream.

} If you do not find one, assume text/plain.

ongbh@zpoprp.zpo.dec.com said:
} There will be some performance problem with this method. For instance,
} if someone were to check the directory of a large ftp archive with 100
} files, you will have to download 100 * x bytes and fire up 100
} connections.

This isn't the case... you only fetch the file if it is being retrieved
not if the directory is being listed. Its simply a case of putting a one
or 2 kilobyte buffer into the ftpget program and filling and inspecting
that prior to putting out the header and first part of the file.

Nice, simple and elegant, although not fool-proof.

Incidently the test should be for high bit characters or null bytes.

I think that you should also be able to hand over an extra bit of URL in
the same way that parameters for a GET type cgi script (ie add
?parameter=something), and be able to pass over the mime type that way.

        Nigel.

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