Re: filename extension mime types

[Rubywand <rubywand@swbell.net>]

Jeff Blakeney writes ...
> 
> On Fri, 18 Feb 2000 02:58:55 -0600, Rubywand <rubywand@swbell.net>
> wrote:
> 
> >     The following suffixes (in both lower and upper case) should be
> >associated with a .bin mime type (i.e. the files should be treated as
> >generic .bin files):
> >
> >.2mg      .dsk      .qq
> >.acu      .do       .sdk
> >.alu      .hqx      .sea
> >.apf      .img      .shk
> >.bnx      .lbr      .shr
> >.bny      .nib      .sit
> >.bqy      .pd       .zoo
> >.bse      .po
> >.bxy      .ps
> 
> Let's examine this list
> 
> .acu   .alu   .bnx   .pd   .bse   .img
> Unkown formats
> I have no idea what these extensions are supposed to represent.

     These are mainly compressed archive filename extensions. There are more
detailed descriptions in the Apple II FAQs at
http://home.swbell.net/rubywand/Csa2T2TCOM.html#014.



> 
> .sit   .hqx
> Macintosh archive formats
> These formats should already have MIME types associated with them

     They may. If they do, fine. Scratch them from the list.

> not
> to mention that SIT files aren't really useable by Apple II's anymore
> and the fact that HQX files are text files, not binary.

     The concern is not with using the files on an Apple II. The concern is
that Apple II software is sometimes offered for download by Mac users in Mac
file formats.

     The fact that a file is in a Text form does not, per se, protect it from
Textmode corruption.

     For example, Apple II binscii-ed files are routinely corrupted during
downloads from http sites as well as from ftp sites when transferred in Text
(or ASCII) mode. It just happens that the A2 utilities which decode the files
screen out the corruption.

     Since, in the case of A2 binscii files and binscii-ed NuFX compressed
files, the corruption appears to do no harm, it makes sense to retain the
advantages of Text mode-- e.g. clicking the file displays the Text which,
especially for binscii, often includes readable information about the file.

     If Mac users experience no difficulties downloading and using .sit and
.hqx files, then there is no reason to assign a .bin mime type.

 
> 
> .sea
> Self Extracting Archive
> This is another extension that should already have a MIME type
> associated with it as it is used by several platforms.

     Agree, it _should_. Evidently, it is one of several important A2 and Mac
extensions which defaults to Text mime type. Check the Apple II and Mac
software support areas on Apple Computer's site. (For example, check out the
files in folders at
ftp://ftp.apple.com/Apple_Support_Area/Apple_Software_Updates/US/Apple_II/ .)

You will discover that Apple now uses the trick of tacking on ".bin" to assure
that .sea and other kinds of A2/Mac files are not corrupted during download.



> .zoo
> An archive format that is standard for another non-Apple II system.
> I can't remember exactly what system this was used on mostly but I
> have never seen an Apple II file in this format.

     Neither have I. .zoo files are mentioned as supported by a few Apple II
decompression/unpacking utilities; so, it seems like a good idea to make sure
that they are not treated as Text.


 
> .2mg   .dsk   .do   .nib   .po
> Emulator disk image formats
> These formats shouldn't be available for download as they should be in
> a compressed format to reduce download times.

     In general, yes. A problem is that the kind of compression employed may
require a decompression utility not available to all downloaders. It is useful
to be able to obtain at least some disk images-- for example, images which
include decompression utilities-- in non-compressed form.

     Besides, the files are binary. It does no harm to have them treated
properly on the net.


 
> .apf   .shr   .ps
> As far as I can tell these describe graphic files

     Right.

> Apple Preferred and Super Hi-Res images should at least be in a Binary
> II wrapper and you'd definitely want to compress SHR images to reduce
> download times so these shouldn't really show up on web sites unless
> we get a graphical web browser.  PostScript files are again used
> mostly on other machines and of very little use on an Apple II.

     On A2, .ps files are SuperPac compressed super-res graphics files.

     Since there are situations where it may be useful to offer the various
kinds of graphics files 'as is' (e.g. not in .shk form), they should be mime
typed as binary files.

     
 
> .qq   .lbr   .bny   .bqy
> Old Apple II archive formats
> I'm assuming LBR stands for Library file which is what ShrinkIt
> archives are often referred to as.  However, a ShrinkIt archive should
> have an SHK extension, not LBR.

     An .lbr Librarian file is different from a Shrinkit file. It is a way of
packing together several non-compressed files.

> QQ files are squeezed files using a
> very old utility that hasn't been used for ages.  BQY files are just
> one or more QQ files in a Binary II wrapper which, again, haven't been
> used in ages.  BNY is one or more files in a Binary II wrapper however
> these files are most likely not compressed which is not a good idea
> because you want to reduce the download times as much as possible not
> to mention save on drive space.

     Some stuff is in archaic form on the net. The files might as well be
downloadble without having to worry about Textmode corruption.


 
> .sdk   .bxy   .shk
> Standard Apple II archive formats
> These are the types of files should be used for Apple II archives.
> However, SHK should be avoided as you will lose the file type, aux
> type, creation date/time and modification date/time of the archive
> which is often handy to know and saves users from having to set this
> sort of thing manually.
 ....

     Yes; it is sometimes useful to know the creation date and modification
date of an .shk or .sdk file. The filetype of a ShrinkIt file is nice to
retain; but, it does not much matter to ShrinkIt or GS-ShrinkIt.

     In nearly all cases, the dating and filetyping of files within a ShrinkIt
files is what matters; and, this information is preserved.




Rubywand