Data format and MIME types

In the Administration Console, you can add and manage data formats and MIME types for Dimensions CM request and item types.

In this topic:

About data format and MIME types

Define data formats and MIME types and assign them to Dimensions CM request and item types:

• To compel users to select from assigned formats when creating items of a particular type.

• To determine how the Dimensions CM desktop client and web client display requests or item files.

• To specify MIME types for the Dimensions CM web client.

If a data format is not assigned to a particular item type, you can use any format when you create an item, including formats that have not been defined.

If a data format is not registered, Dimensions CM assumes it to be of the BINARY type. Because binary files do not undergo end-of-line translation when moving from one operating system to another, it is important to plan and manage this information.

In the Data Format and MIME Types section of the Administration Console, you can:

• View the data formats and Multipurpose Internet Mail Extension (MIME) types registered in the base database.

• Filter the list of data formats and MIME types based on user-defined criteria.

• Create (register) a new data format and MIME type.

• Edit an existing data format and MIME type.

• Delete a data format and MIME type.

• Assign item types to a data format and list the current assignments.

Required roles and privileges:

• To work with data format and MIME types, you need the Manage File Format Definition privilege.

• Only the Tool Manager can define data formats and MIME types, and only a Product Manager can assign them to item types.

To open the Data Format and MIME Types section, go to Administration Console > Configuration Object Management > Data format & MIME types. For details, see Data Format and MIME Types main window.

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File classes

The file class specifies the way in which the data of a file is encoded.

For example, for the Dimensions CM desktop client, this value determines the mode in which item files are transferred between the client and the server. If you do not intend to use the desktop client, you may accept the default value, ASCII.

Dimensions CM includes the following file classes: 

• ASCII

• BINARY

• MAC (Macintosh)

• VMS

• Windows

The classes are hard-coded and cannot be modified. All items that do not have a class of ASCII are transferred between Dimensions CM clients and servers in binary mode.

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MIME types

A MIME (Multipurpose Internet Mail Extension) type is an internationally defined data format. MIME types and subtypes are allocated by the Internet Assigned Number Authority (IANA). The Dimensions CM web client uses these values to determine how to display a Dimensions CM request or item's content in a browser.

If you do not intend to use the Dimensions CM web client, you may not set a MIME type, in which case a default MIME type is used. But we recommend that you make a relevant choice from the available types.

MIME types comprise several broad categories. Each category has subtypes, defined by using a separator. For details, see MIME subtypes.

Common examples of MIME types are text/plain, text/html, application/msword and application/pdf.

The following table describes the MIME type categories.

Category	Description
text	Used to describe text of various types.
multipart	Indicates that the file contains multiple sections with potentially more than one MIME type.
message	Used for various types of messages.
application	A catchall description allowing for miscellaneous types of files.
image	Used for graphic files.
audio	Used for audio files.
video	Used for video files.
model	Multimedia modeling.

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MIME subtypes

The MIME subtypes are subdivisions of the basic categories. The following table provides a list of the MIME subtypes.

Type	Subtypes
text	enriched	plain	html
	richtext	sgml	tab-separated-values
	vnd.fmi.flexstor	vnd.latex-z
multipart	alternative	appledouble	byteranges
	digest	encrypted	form-data
	header-set	mixed	parallel
	related	report	signed
	voice-message
message	external-body	http	news
	partial	rfc822
application	activemessage	andrew-inset	applefile
	atomicmail	cals-1840	commonground
	cybercash	dca-rft	dec-dx
	eshop	hyperstudio	iges
	mac-binhex40	macwriteii	mathematica
	msword	news-message-id	news-transmission
	octet-stream	oda	pdf
	pgp-encrypted	pgp-keys	pgp-signature
	postscript	prs.alvestrand.titrax-sheet	prs.nprend
	remote-printing	riscos	rtf
	set-payment	set-payment-initiation	set-registration
	set-registration-initiation	sgml	sgml-open-catalog
	slate	vemmi	vnd.$commerce_battelle
	vnd.businessobjects	vnd.ecdis-update	vnd.enliven
	vnd.fdf	vnd.FloGraphIt	vnd.framemaker
	vnd.hp-HPGL	vnd.hp-PCL	vnd.hp-PCLXL
	vnd.ibm.MiniPay	vnd.intercon     .formnet	vnd.intertrust.digibox
	vnd.intertrust.nncp	vnd.japannet-directory-service	vnd.japannet-jpnstore-wakeup
	vnd.japannet-payment-wakeup	vnd.japannet-registration	vnd.japannet-registration-wakeup
	vnd.japannet-setstore-wakeup	vnd.japannet-verification	vnd.japannet-verification-wakeup
	vnd.koan	vnd.lotus-1-2-3	vnd.lotus-approach
	vnd.lotus-freelance	vnd.lotus-organizer	vnd.lotus-screencam
	vnd. lotus-wordpro	vnd.meridian-slingshot	vnd.mif
	vnd.ms-artgalry	vnd.ms-asf	vnd.ms-excel
	vnd.ms-powerpoint	vnd.ms-project	vnd.ms-tnef
	vnd.ms-works	vnd.musician	vnd.music-niff
	vnd.noblenet-directory	vnd.noblenet-sealer	vnd.noblenet-web
	vnd.osa.netdeploy	vnd.powerbuilder6	vnd.powerbuilder6-s
	vnd.rapid	vnd.seemail	vnd.shana.informed.formdata
	vnd.shana.informed. formtemplate	vnd.shana.informed. interchange	vnd.shana.informed.package
	vnd.street-stream	vnd.svd	vnd.truedoc
	vnd.webturbo	vnd.xara	wita
	wordperfect5.1	x400-bp	zip
image	cgm	g3fax	gif
	ief	jpeg	naplps
	png	tiff	vnd.dwg
	vnd.dxf	vnd.fpx	vnd.net-fpx
	vnd.svf
audio	32kadpcm	basic	vnd.qcelp
video	mpeg	quicktime	vnd.motorola.video
	vnd.motorola.videop	vnd.vivo
model	iges	mesh	vrml

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See also:

• Data Format and MIME Types main window
• Create and manage data formats