File extensions and MIME Types in .NET

Question

It depends what you need the MIME type for. In general, for services (web apps, web service, etc.), it's advisable not to use a MIME list which is dependent on the OS settings, or only as fallback if you cannot find MIME information otherwise.

I think that this is also the reason why MS chose to put constant MIME types in their System.Web.MimeMapping class (unfortunately it's internal, for whatever reason).

Edit:

Wrapper (<= .NET 3.5)

public static class MimeExtensionHelper
{
    static object locker = new object();
    static object mimeMapping;
    static MethodInfo getMimeMappingMethodInfo;

    static MimeExtensionHelper()
    {
        Type mimeMappingType = Assembly.GetAssembly(typeof(HttpRuntime)).GetType("System.Web.MimeMapping");
        if (mimeMappingType == null)
            throw new SystemException("Couldnt find MimeMapping type");
        ConstructorInfo constructorInfo = mimeMappingType.GetConstructor(BindingFlags.NonPublic | BindingFlags.Instance, null, Type.EmptyTypes, null);
        if (constructorInfo == null)
            throw new SystemException("Couldnt find default constructor for MimeMapping");
        mimeMapping = constructorInfo.Invoke(null);
        if (mimeMapping == null)
            throw new SystemException("Couldnt find MimeMapping");
        getMimeMappingMethodInfo = mimeMappingType.GetMethod("GetMimeMapping", BindingFlags.Static | BindingFlags.NonPublic);
        if (getMimeMappingMethodInfo == null)
            throw new SystemException("Couldnt find GetMimeMapping method");
        if (getMimeMappingMethodInfo.ReturnType != typeof(string))
            throw new SystemException("GetMimeMapping method has invalid return type");
        if (getMimeMappingMethodInfo.GetParameters().Length != 1 && getMimeMappingMethodInfo.GetParameters()[0].ParameterType != typeof(string))
            throw new SystemException("GetMimeMapping method has invalid parameters");
    }
    public static string GetMimeType(string filename)
    {
        lock (locker)
            return (string)getMimeMappingMethodInfo.Invoke(mimeMapping, new object[] { filename });
    }
}

Wrapper (.NET 4.0)

public static class MimeExtensionHelper
    {
        static object locker = new object();
        static object mimeMapping;
        static MethodInfo getMimeMappingMethodInfo;

        static MimeExtensionHelper()
        {
            Type mimeMappingType = Assembly.GetAssembly(typeof(HttpRuntime)).GetType("System.Web.MimeMapping");
            if (mimeMappingType == null)
                throw new SystemException("Couldnt find MimeMapping type");            
            getMimeMappingMethodInfo = mimeMappingType.GetMethod("GetMimeMapping", BindingFlags.Static | BindingFlags.NonPublic | BindingFlags.Public);
            if (getMimeMappingMethodInfo == null)
                throw new SystemException("Couldnt find GetMimeMapping method");
            if (getMimeMappingMethodInfo.ReturnType != typeof(string))
                throw new SystemException("GetMimeMapping method has invalid return type");
            if (getMimeMappingMethodInfo.GetParameters().Length != 1 && getMimeMappingMethodInfo.GetParameters()[0].ParameterType != typeof(string))
                throw new SystemException("GetMimeMapping method has invalid parameters");
        }
        public static string GetMimeType(string filename)
        {
            lock (locker)
                return (string)getMimeMappingMethodInfo.Invoke(mimeMapping, new object[] { filename });
        }
    }

.NET 4.5+

No wrapper required, call the public method System.Web.MimeMapping.GetMimeMapping directly.

I have combined all these approaches in my utility lib, except maybe no.3. Btw, no.2 (urlmon.dll) doesn't require static file, it simply takes some bytes no matter where they had come from. Here's my current class

namespace Components
{
    using System;
    using System.Collections.Generic;
    using System.IO;
    using System.Runtime.InteropServices;
    using System.Text;
    using System.Xml.Serialization;
    using Microsoft.Win32;

    public sealed class MimeExtensionHelper
    {
        private MimeExtensionHelper() { }

        /// <summary>Finds extension associated with specified mime type</summary>
        /// <param name="mimeType">mime type you search extension for, e.g.: "application/octet-stream"</param>
        /// <returns>most used extension, associated with provided type, e.g.: ".bin"</returns>
        public static string FindExtension(string mimeType)
        {
            return ExtensionTypes.GetExtension(mimeType);
        }

        /// <summary>Finds mime type using provided extension and/or file's binary content.</summary>
        /// <param name="file">Full file path</param>
        /// <param name="verifyFromContent">Should the file's content be examined to verify founded value.</param>
        /// <returns>mime type of file, e.g.: "application/octet-stream"</returns>
        public static string FindMime(string file,bool verifyFromContent)
        {
            string extension = Path.GetExtension(file);
            string mimeType = string.Empty;
            try
            {
                if (!String.IsNullOrEmpty(extension))
                    mimeType = ExtensionTypes.GetMimeType(extension);
                if (verifyFromContent
                    || (String.IsNullOrEmpty(mimeType) && File.Exists(file)))
                    mimeType = FindMimeByContent(file,mimeType);
            }
            catch { }
            return (mimeType ?? string.Empty).Trim();//"application/octet-stream"
        }

        /// <summary>Finds mime type for file using it's binary data.</summary>
        /// <param name="file">Full path to file.</param>
        /// <param name="proposedType">Optional. Expected file's type.</param>
        /// <returns>mime type, e.g.: "application/octet-stream"</returns>
        public static string FindMimeByContent(string file
            ,string proposedType)
        {
            FileInfo fi = new FileInfo(file);
            if (!fi.Exists)
                throw new FileNotFoundException(file);
            byte[] buf = new byte[Math.Min(4096L,fi.Length)];
            using (FileStream fs = File.OpenRead(file))
                fs.Read(buf,0,buf.Length);
            return FindMimeByData(buf,proposedType);
        }

        /// <summary>Finds mime type for binary data.</summary>
        /// <param name="dataBytes">Binary data to examine.</param>
        /// <param name="mimeProposed">Optional. Expected mime type.</param>
        /// <returns>mime type, e.g.: "application/octet-stream"</returns>
        public static string FindMimeByData(byte[] dataBytes,string mimeProposed)
        {
            if (dataBytes == null || dataBytes.Length == 0)
                throw new ArgumentNullException("dataBytes");
            string mimeRet = String.Empty;
            IntPtr outPtr = IntPtr.Zero;
            if (!String.IsNullOrEmpty(mimeProposed))
                mimeRet = mimeProposed;
            int result = FindMimeFromData(IntPtr.Zero
                ,null
                ,dataBytes
                ,dataBytes.Length
                ,String.IsNullOrEmpty(mimeProposed) ? null : mimeProposed
                ,0
                ,out outPtr
                ,0);
            if (result != 0)
                throw Marshal.GetExceptionForHR(result);
            if (outPtr != null && outPtr != IntPtr.Zero)
            {
                mimeRet = Marshal.PtrToStringUni(outPtr);
                Marshal.FreeCoTaskMem(outPtr);
            }
            return mimeRet;
        }

        [DllImport("urlmon.dll"
            ,CharSet = CharSet.Unicode
            ,ExactSpelling = true
            ,SetLastError = true)]
        static extern Int32 FindMimeFromData(IntPtr pBC
            ,[MarshalAs(UnmanagedType.LPWStr)] String pwzUrl
            ,[MarshalAs(UnmanagedType.LPArray,ArraySubType = UnmanagedType.I1,SizeParamIndex = 3)] Byte[] pBuffer
            ,Int32 cbSize
            ,[MarshalAs(UnmanagedType.LPWStr)] String pwzMimeProposed
            ,Int32 dwMimeFlags
            ,out IntPtr ppwzMimeOut
            ,Int32 dwReserved);

        private static MimeTypeCollection _extensionTypes = null;
        private static MimeTypeCollection ExtensionTypes
        {
            get
            {
                if (_extensionTypes == null)
                    _extensionTypes = new MimeTypeCollection();
                return _extensionTypes;
            }
        }

        [Serializable]
        [XmlRoot(ElementName = "mimeTypes")]
        private class MimeTypeCollection : List<MimeTypeCollection.mimeTypeInfo>
        {
            private SortedList<string,string> _extensions;
            private SortedList<string,List<string>> _mimes;

            private void Init()
            {
                if (_extensions == null || _mimes == null
                    || _extensions.Count == 0 || _mimes.Count == 0)
                {
                    _extensions = new SortedList<string,string>(StringComparer.OrdinalIgnoreCase);
                    _mimes = new SortedList<string,List<string>>(StringComparer.OrdinalIgnoreCase);
                    foreach (var mime in this)
                    {
                        _mimes.Add(mime.MimeType,new List<string>(mime.Extensions));
                        foreach (string ext in mime.Extensions)
                            if (!_extensions.ContainsKey(ext))
                                _extensions.Add(ext,mime.MimeType);
                    }
                }
            }

            public String GetExtension(string type)
            {
                Init();
                return _mimes.ContainsKey(type) ? _mimes[type][0] : string.Empty;
            }

            public String GetMimeType(string extension)
            {
                Init();
                return _extensions.ContainsKey(extension) ? _extensions[extension] : string.Empty;
            }

        public MimeTypeCollection()
        {
            this.Add(new mimeTypeInfo("application/applixware",new List<string>(new[] { ".aw" })));
            this.Add(new mimeTypeInfo("application/atom+xml",new List<string>(new[] { ".atom" })));
            // ... Whole list from apache's site
            this.Add(new mimeTypeInfo("x-x509-ca-cert",new List<string>(new[] { ".cer" })));
            try
            {
                using (RegistryKey classesRoot = Registry.ClassesRoot)
                using (RegistryKey typeKey = classesRoot.OpenSubKey(@"MIME\Database\Content Type"))
                {
                    string[] subKeyNames = typeKey.GetSubKeyNames();
                    string extension = string.Empty;
                    foreach (string keyname in subKeyNames)
                    {
                        string trimmed = (keyname ?? string.Empty).Trim();
                        if (string.IsNullOrEmpty(trimmed))
                            continue;
                        if (!String.IsNullOrEmpty(GetExtension(trimmed)))
                            continue;
                        string subKey = "MIME\\Database\\Content Type\\" + trimmed;
                        using (RegistryKey curKey = classesRoot.OpenSubKey(subKey))
                        {
                            extension = (curKey.GetValue("Extension") as string ?? string.Empty).Trim();
                            if (extension.Length > 0)
                                this.Add(new mimeTypeInfo(trimmed
                                    ,new List<string>(new[] { extension })));
                        }
                    }
                }
            }
            catch (Exception ex)
            {
                string s = ex.ToString();
            }
        }

        [Serializable]
        public class mimeTypeInfo
        {
            [XmlAttribute(AttributeName = "mimeType")]
            public String MimeType { get; set; }

            [XmlElement("extension")]
            public List<String> Extensions { get; set; }

            public mimeTypeInfo(string mimeType,List<string> extensions)
            {
                MimeType = mimeType;
                Extensions = extensions;
            }

            public mimeTypeInfo() { }
        }
    }
}

}

The System.Web.MimeMapping has 3 versions - two version 4.0s (where one of these is internal), and then a version 2.0 which is also internal. As pointed out, there is a public version of the class in System.Web version 4.0 for the .NET 4.5 framework.

For RoadkillWiki I've basically reverse engineered it to save the bother of reflecting each time, the Wiki's file handler tries to the use IIS/applicationhost.config by default, and then falls through to the MimeMapping class:

private string GetMimeType(string fileExtension, ServerManager serverManager)
{
    try
    {
        string mimeType = "text/plain";

        Microsoft.Web.Administration.Configuration config = serverManager.GetApplicationHostConfiguration();
        ConfigurationSection staticContentSection = config.GetSection("system.webServer/staticContent");
        ConfigurationElementCollection mimemaps = staticContentSection.GetCollection();

        ConfigurationElement element = mimemaps.FirstOrDefault(m => m.Attributes["fileExtension"].Value.ToString() == fileExtension);

        if (element != null)
            mimeType = element.Attributes["mimeType"].Value.ToString();

        return mimeType;
    }
    catch (UnauthorizedAccessException)
    {
        // Shared hosting won't have access to the applicationhost.config file
        return MimeMapping.GetMimeMapping("." +fileExtension);
    }
}

And MimeMapping:

public class MimeMapping
{
    private static Dictionary<string, string> ExtensionMap = new Dictionary<string, string>();

    static MimeMapping()
    {
        ExtensionMap.Add(".323", "text/h323");
        ExtensionMap.Add(".asx", "video/x-ms-asf");
        ExtensionMap.Add(".acx", "application/internet-property-stream");
        ExtensionMap.Add(".ai", "application/postscript");
        ExtensionMap.Add(".aif", "audio/x-aiff");
        ExtensionMap.Add(".aiff", "audio/aiff");
        ExtensionMap.Add(".axs", "application/olescript");
        ExtensionMap.Add(".aifc", "audio/aiff");
        ExtensionMap.Add(".asr", "video/x-ms-asf");
        ExtensionMap.Add(".avi", "video/x-msvideo");
        ExtensionMap.Add(".asf", "video/x-ms-asf");
        ExtensionMap.Add(".au", "audio/basic");
        ExtensionMap.Add(".application", "application/x-ms-application");
        ExtensionMap.Add(".bin", "application/octet-stream");
        ExtensionMap.Add(".bas", "text/plain");
        ExtensionMap.Add(".bcpio", "application/x-bcpio");
        ExtensionMap.Add(".bmp", "image/bmp");
        ExtensionMap.Add(".cdf", "application/x-cdf");
        ExtensionMap.Add(".cat", "application/vndms-pkiseccat");
        ExtensionMap.Add(".crt", "application/x-x509-ca-cert");
        ExtensionMap.Add(".c", "text/plain");
        ExtensionMap.Add(".css", "text/css");
        ExtensionMap.Add(".cer", "application/x-x509-ca-cert");
        ExtensionMap.Add(".crl", "application/pkix-crl");
        ExtensionMap.Add(".cmx", "image/x-cmx");
        ExtensionMap.Add(".csh", "application/x-csh");
        ExtensionMap.Add(".cod", "image/cis-cod");
        ExtensionMap.Add(".cpio", "application/x-cpio");
        ExtensionMap.Add(".clp", "application/x-msclip");
        ExtensionMap.Add(".crd", "application/x-mscardfile");
        ExtensionMap.Add(".deploy", "application/octet-stream");
        ExtensionMap.Add(".dll", "application/x-msdownload");
        ExtensionMap.Add(".dot", "application/msword");
        ExtensionMap.Add(".doc", "application/msword");
        ExtensionMap.Add(".dvi", "application/x-dvi");
        ExtensionMap.Add(".dir", "application/x-director");
        ExtensionMap.Add(".dxr", "application/x-director");
        ExtensionMap.Add(".der", "application/x-x509-ca-cert");
        ExtensionMap.Add(".dib", "image/bmp");
        ExtensionMap.Add(".dcr", "application/x-director");
        ExtensionMap.Add(".disco", "text/xml");
        ExtensionMap.Add(".exe", "application/octet-stream");
        ExtensionMap.Add(".etx", "text/x-setext");
        ExtensionMap.Add(".evy", "application/envoy");
        ExtensionMap.Add(".eml", "message/rfc822");
        ExtensionMap.Add(".eps", "application/postscript");
        ExtensionMap.Add(".flr", "x-world/x-vrml");
        ExtensionMap.Add(".fif", "application/fractals");
        ExtensionMap.Add(".gtar", "application/x-gtar");
        ExtensionMap.Add(".gif", "image/gif");
        ExtensionMap.Add(".gz", "application/x-gzip");
        ExtensionMap.Add(".hta", "application/hta");
        ExtensionMap.Add(".htc", "text/x-component");
        ExtensionMap.Add(".htt", "text/webviewhtml");
        ExtensionMap.Add(".h", "text/plain");
        ExtensionMap.Add(".hdf", "application/x-hdf");
        ExtensionMap.Add(".hlp", "application/winhlp");
        ExtensionMap.Add(".html", "text/html");
        ExtensionMap.Add(".htm", "text/html");
        ExtensionMap.Add(".hqx", "application/mac-binhex40");
        ExtensionMap.Add(".isp", "application/x-internet-signup");
        ExtensionMap.Add(".iii", "application/x-iphone");
        ExtensionMap.Add(".ief", "image/ief");
        ExtensionMap.Add(".ivf", "video/x-ivf");
        ExtensionMap.Add(".ins", "application/x-internet-signup");
        ExtensionMap.Add(".ico", "image/x-icon");
        ExtensionMap.Add(".jpg", "image/jpeg");
        ExtensionMap.Add(".jfif", "image/pjpeg");
        ExtensionMap.Add(".jpe", "image/jpeg");
        ExtensionMap.Add(".jpeg", "image/jpeg");
        ExtensionMap.Add(".js", "application/x-javascript");
        ExtensionMap.Add(".lsx", "video/x-la-asf");
        ExtensionMap.Add(".latex", "application/x-latex");
        ExtensionMap.Add(".lsf", "video/x-la-asf");
        ExtensionMap.Add(".manifest", "application/x-ms-manifest");
        ExtensionMap.Add(".mhtml", "message/rfc822");
        ExtensionMap.Add(".mny", "application/x-msmoney");
        ExtensionMap.Add(".mht", "message/rfc822");
        ExtensionMap.Add(".mid", "audio/mid");
        ExtensionMap.Add(".mpv2", "video/mpeg");
        ExtensionMap.Add(".man", "application/x-troff-man");
        ExtensionMap.Add(".mvb", "application/x-msmediaview");
        ExtensionMap.Add(".mpeg", "video/mpeg");
        ExtensionMap.Add(".m3u", "audio/x-mpegurl");
        ExtensionMap.Add(".mdb", "application/x-msaccess");
        ExtensionMap.Add(".mpp", "application/vnd.ms-project");
        ExtensionMap.Add(".m1v", "video/mpeg");
        ExtensionMap.Add(".mpa", "video/mpeg");
        ExtensionMap.Add(".me", "application/x-troff-me");
        ExtensionMap.Add(".m13", "application/x-msmediaview");
        ExtensionMap.Add(".movie", "video/x-sgi-movie");
        ExtensionMap.Add(".m14", "application/x-msmediaview");
        ExtensionMap.Add(".mpe", "video/mpeg");
        ExtensionMap.Add(".mp2", "video/mpeg");
        ExtensionMap.Add(".mov", "video/quicktime");
        ExtensionMap.Add(".mp3", "audio/mpeg");
        ExtensionMap.Add(".mpg", "video/mpeg");
        ExtensionMap.Add(".ms", "application/x-troff-ms");
        ExtensionMap.Add(".nc", "application/x-netcdf");
        ExtensionMap.Add(".nws", "message/rfc822");
        ExtensionMap.Add(".oda", "application/oda");
        ExtensionMap.Add(".ods", "application/oleobject");
        ExtensionMap.Add(".pmc", "application/x-perfmon");
        ExtensionMap.Add(".p7r", "application/x-pkcs7-certreqresp");
        ExtensionMap.Add(".p7b", "application/x-pkcs7-certificates");
        ExtensionMap.Add(".p7s", "application/pkcs7-signature");
        ExtensionMap.Add(".pmw", "application/x-perfmon");
        ExtensionMap.Add(".ps", "application/postscript");
        ExtensionMap.Add(".p7c", "application/pkcs7-mime");
        ExtensionMap.Add(".pbm", "image/x-portable-bitmap");
        ExtensionMap.Add(".ppm", "image/x-portable-pixmap");
        ExtensionMap.Add(".pub", "application/x-mspublisher");
        ExtensionMap.Add(".pnm", "image/x-portable-anymap");
        ExtensionMap.Add(".pml", "application/x-perfmon");
        ExtensionMap.Add(".p10", "application/pkcs10");
        ExtensionMap.Add(".pfx", "application/x-pkcs12");
        ExtensionMap.Add(".p12", "application/x-pkcs12");
        ExtensionMap.Add(".pdf", "application/pdf");
        ExtensionMap.Add(".pps", "application/vnd.ms-powerpoint");
        ExtensionMap.Add(".p7m", "application/pkcs7-mime");
        ExtensionMap.Add(".pko", "application/vndms-pkipko");
        ExtensionMap.Add(".ppt", "application/vnd.ms-powerpoint");
        ExtensionMap.Add(".pmr", "application/x-perfmon");
        ExtensionMap.Add(".pma", "application/x-perfmon");
        ExtensionMap.Add(".pot", "application/vnd.ms-powerpoint");
        ExtensionMap.Add(".prf", "application/pics-rules");
        ExtensionMap.Add(".pgm", "image/x-portable-graymap");
        ExtensionMap.Add(".qt", "video/quicktime");
        ExtensionMap.Add(".ra", "audio/x-pn-realaudio");
        ExtensionMap.Add(".rgb", "image/x-rgb");
        ExtensionMap.Add(".ram", "audio/x-pn-realaudio");
        ExtensionMap.Add(".rmi", "audio/mid");
        ExtensionMap.Add(".ras", "image/x-cmu-raster");
        ExtensionMap.Add(".roff", "application/x-troff");
        ExtensionMap.Add(".rtf", "application/rtf");
        ExtensionMap.Add(".rtx", "text/richtext");
        ExtensionMap.Add(".sv4crc", "application/x-sv4crc");
        ExtensionMap.Add(".spc", "application/x-pkcs7-certificates");
        ExtensionMap.Add(".setreg", "application/set-registration-initiation");
        ExtensionMap.Add(".snd", "audio/basic");
        ExtensionMap.Add(".stl", "application/vndms-pkistl");
        ExtensionMap.Add(".setpay", "application/set-payment-initiation");
        ExtensionMap.Add(".stm", "text/html");
        ExtensionMap.Add(".shar", "application/x-shar");
        ExtensionMap.Add(".sh", "application/x-sh");
        ExtensionMap.Add(".sit", "application/x-stuffit");
        ExtensionMap.Add(".spl", "application/futuresplash");
        ExtensionMap.Add(".sct", "text/scriptlet");
        ExtensionMap.Add(".scd", "application/x-msschedule");
        ExtensionMap.Add(".sst", "application/vndms-pkicertstore");
        ExtensionMap.Add(".src", "application/x-wais-source");
        ExtensionMap.Add(".sv4cpio", "application/x-sv4cpio");
        ExtensionMap.Add(".tex", "application/x-tex");
        ExtensionMap.Add(".tgz", "application/x-compressed");
        ExtensionMap.Add(".t", "application/x-troff");
        ExtensionMap.Add(".tar", "application/x-tar");
        ExtensionMap.Add(".tr", "application/x-troff");
        ExtensionMap.Add(".tif", "image/tiff");
        ExtensionMap.Add(".txt", "text/plain");
        ExtensionMap.Add(".texinfo", "application/x-texinfo");
        ExtensionMap.Add(".trm", "application/x-msterminal");
        ExtensionMap.Add(".tiff", "image/tiff");
        ExtensionMap.Add(".tcl", "application/x-tcl");
        ExtensionMap.Add(".texi", "application/x-texinfo");
        ExtensionMap.Add(".tsv", "text/tab-separated-values");
        ExtensionMap.Add(".ustar", "application/x-ustar");
        ExtensionMap.Add(".uls", "text/iuls");
        ExtensionMap.Add(".vcf", "text/x-vcard");
        ExtensionMap.Add(".wps", "application/vnd.ms-works");
        ExtensionMap.Add(".wav", "audio/wav");
        ExtensionMap.Add(".wrz", "x-world/x-vrml");
        ExtensionMap.Add(".wri", "application/x-mswrite");
        ExtensionMap.Add(".wks", "application/vnd.ms-works");
        ExtensionMap.Add(".wmf", "application/x-msmetafile");
        ExtensionMap.Add(".wcm", "application/vnd.ms-works");
        ExtensionMap.Add(".wrl", "x-world/x-vrml");
        ExtensionMap.Add(".wdb", "application/vnd.ms-works");
        ExtensionMap.Add(".wsdl", "text/xml");
        ExtensionMap.Add(".xml", "text/xml");
        ExtensionMap.Add(".xlm", "application/vnd.ms-excel");
        ExtensionMap.Add(".xaf", "x-world/x-vrml");
        ExtensionMap.Add(".xla", "application/vnd.ms-excel");
        ExtensionMap.Add(".xls", "application/vnd.ms-excel");
        ExtensionMap.Add(".xof", "x-world/x-vrml");
        ExtensionMap.Add(".xlt", "application/vnd.ms-excel");
        ExtensionMap.Add(".xlc", "application/vnd.ms-excel");
        ExtensionMap.Add(".xsl", "text/xml");
        ExtensionMap.Add(".xbm", "image/x-xbitmap");
        ExtensionMap.Add(".xlw", "application/vnd.ms-excel");
        ExtensionMap.Add(".xpm", "image/x-xpixmap");
        ExtensionMap.Add(".xwd", "image/x-xwindowdump");
        ExtensionMap.Add(".xsd", "text/xml");
        ExtensionMap.Add(".z", "application/x-compress");
        ExtensionMap.Add(".zip", "application/x-zip-compressed");
        ExtensionMap.Add(".*", "application/octet-stream");
    }

    public static string GetMimeMapping(string fileExtension)
    {
        if (ExtensionMap.ContainsKey(fileExtension))
            return ExtensionMap[fileExtension];
        else
            return ExtensionMap[".*"];
    }
}

I've written a program to fetch and convert the Apache mime.types file to a C# Dictionary<string, string> keyed by file extension. It's here:

https://github.com/cymen/ApacheMimeTypesToDotNet

The actual output is this file:

https://github.com/cymen/ApacheMimeTypesToDotNet/blob/master/ApacheMimeTypes.cs

Hopefully someone else finds it useful too!

Nisus - would you be willing to post the entire source code for your utility somewhere? that would really be helpful. thanks!

Never mind....

I edited the apache definition file to only contain entries with defined extensions, then extended the code to load in the types/extensions from the text file at run time. Not elegant perhaps but sure beats creating/maintaining 630 lines of source code for the mime types.

[in the constructor for MimeTypeCollection instead of this stuff: this.Add(new mimeTypeInfo("application/applixware",new List(new[] { ".aw" })));]

        // import mime/extension definition list to facilitate maintenance
    string dir = AppDomain.CurrentDomain.BaseDirectory;
    using (TextReader streamReader = new StreamReader(Path.Combine(dir, "MimeDefinitions.txt")))
    {
      string input;
      while ((input = streamReader.ReadLine()) != null)
      {
        if (input.Substring(0, 1) != "#")
        {
          // text line format ::= [contenttype]<tab>[space delimited list of extensions, without dot]
          string contentType = input.Group("0\t1");
          string extensionList = input.Group("1\t1");
          string[] extensions = extensionList.Split(" ".ToCharArray());
          List<string> extensionSet = new List<string>();
          foreach (string term in extensions)
          {
            extensionSet.Add("."+term);
          }
          this.Add(new mimeTypeInfo(contentType, extensionSet));
        }
      }
    }

I also found that the Init() method would be called and the _extensions and _mime members would not be completely initialized so I changed it to read:

if (_extensions == null || _mimes == null || _mimes.Count != this.Count)

Anyway, I now how a class that can handle the external defs and local registry I needed.

Thanks!

I also found that the Init() method would be called and the _extensions and _mime members would not be completely initialized so I changed it to read, and the best way is, remove call GetExtension in constructor from MimeTypeCollection:

        public MimeTypeCollection()
        {
            this.Add(new mimeTypeInfo("application/applixware", new List<string>(new[] { ".aw" })));
            this.Add(new mimeTypeInfo("application/atom+xml", new List<string>(new[] { ".atom" })));
            // ... Whole list from apache's site
            this.Add(new mimeTypeInfo("x-x509-ca-cert", new List<string>(new[] { ".cer" })));
            try
            {
                using (RegistryKey classesRoot = Registry.ClassesRoot)
                using (RegistryKey typeKey = classesRoot.OpenSubKey(@"MIME\Database\Content Type"))
                {
                    string[] subKeyNames = typeKey.GetSubKeyNames();
                    string extension = string.Empty;
                    foreach (string keyname in subKeyNames)
                    {
                        string trimmed = (keyname ?? string.Empty).Trim();
                        if (string.IsNullOrEmpty(trimmed))
                            continue;
                        if (this.Exists(mime => mime.MimeType == trimmed))
                            continue;
                        //if (!String.IsNullOrEmpty(GetExtension(trimmed)))
                        //  continue;
                        string subKey = "MIME\\Database\\Content Type\\" + trimmed;
                        using (RegistryKey curKey = classesRoot.OpenSubKey(subKey))
                        {
                            extension = (curKey.GetValue("Extension") as string ?? string.Empty).Trim();
                            if (extension.Length > 0)
                                this.Add(new mimeTypeInfo(trimmed
                                        , new List<string>(new[] { extension })));
                        }
                    }
                }
            }
            catch (Exception ex)
            {
                string s = ex.ToString();
            }
        }