Actionscript utility to get the mime type of a file

On more than one occasion during my Flex development I’ve found myself needing to get the mime type of a file and I have never been able to find a utility to generate it for me. So I wrote the method below that very simply returns the mime type based on the file extension. It doesn’t contain every mime type known but it’s a pretty good list and a good starting point that ought to save others a lot of typing. Just paste the method below into your class and use/modify as you wish.

		public static function getMimeTypeFromExtension(ext:String):String
		{
			var mimeType:String = "";
			switch(ext.toLocaleLowerCase())
			{
				case "stl":
					mimeType = "application/SLA";
				break;
				case "stp":
					mimeType = "application/STEP";
				break;
				case "step":
					mimeType = "application/STEP";
				break;
				case "dwg":
					mimeType = "application/acad";
				break;
				case "ez":
					mimeType = "application/andrew-inset";
				break;
				case "ccad":
					mimeType = "application/clariscad";
				break;
				case "drw":
					mimeType = "application/drafting";
				break;
				case "tsp":
					mimeType = "application/dsptype";
				break;
				case "dxf":
					mimeType = "application/dxf";
				break;
				case "xls":
					mimeType = "application/excel";
				break;
				case "unv":
					mimeType = "application/i-deas";
				break;
				case "jar":
					mimeType = "application/java-archive";
				break;
				case "hqx":
					mimeType = "application/mac-binhex40";
				break;
				case "cpt":
					mimeType = "application/mac-compactpro";
				break;
				case "pot":
					mimeType = "application/vnd.ms-powerpoint";
				break;
				case "pps":
					mimeType = "application/vnd.ms-powerpoint";
				break;
				case "ppt":
					mimeType = "application/vnd.ms-powerpoint";
				break;
				case "ppz":
					mimeType = "application/vnd.ms-powerpoint";
				break;
				case "doc":
					mimeType = "application/msword";
				break;
				case "bin":
					mimeType = "application/octet-stream";
				break;
				case "class":
					mimeType = "application/octet-stream";
				break;
				case "dms":
					mimeType = "application/octet-stream";
				break;
				case "exe":
					mimeType = "application/octet-stream";
				break;
				case "lha":
					mimeType = "application/octet-stream";
				break;
				case "lzh":
					mimeType = "application/octet-stream";
				break;
				case "oda":
					mimeType = "application/oda";
				break;
				case "ogg":
					mimeType = "application/ogg";
				break;
				case "ogm":
					mimeType = "application/ogg";
				break;
				case "pdf":
					mimeType = "application/pdf";
				break;
				case "pgp":
					mimeType = "application/pgp";
				break;
				case "ai":
					mimeType = "application/postscript";
				break;
				case "eps":
					mimeType = "application/postscript";
				break;
				case "ps":
					mimeType = "application/postscript";
				break;
				case "prt":
					mimeType = "application/pro_eng";
				break;
				case "rtf":
					mimeType = "application/rtf";
				break;
				case "set":
					mimeType = "application/set";
				break;
				case "smi":
					mimeType = "application/smil";
				break;
				case "smil":
					mimeType = "application/smil";
				break;
				case "sol":
					mimeType = "application/solids";
				break;
				case "vda":
					mimeType = "application/vda";
				break;
				case "mif":
					mimeType = "application/vnd.mif";
				break;
				case "xlc":
					mimeType = "application/vnd.ms-excel";
				break;
				case "xll":
					mimeType = "application/vnd.ms-excel";
				break;
				case "xlm":
					mimeType = "application/vnd.ms-excel";
				break;
				case "xls":
					mimeType = "application/vnd.ms-excel";
				break;
				case "xlw":
					mimeType = "application/vnd.ms-excel";
				break;
				case "cod":
					mimeType = "application/vnd.rim.cod";
				break;
				case "arj":
					mimeType = "application/x-arj-compressed";
				break;
				case "bcpio":
					mimeType = "application/x-bcpio";
				break;
				case "vcd":
					mimeType = "application/x-cdlink";
				break;
				case "pgn":
					mimeType = "application/x-chess-pgn";
				break;
				case "cpio":
					mimeType = "application/x-cpio";
				break;
				case "csh":
					mimeType = "application/x-csh";
				break;
				case "deb":
					mimeType = "application/x-debian-package";
				break;
				case "dcr":
					mimeType = "application/x-director";
				break;
				case "dir":
					mimeType = "application/x-director";
				break;
				case "dxr":
					mimeType = "application/x-director";
				break;
				case "dvi":
					mimeType = "application/x-dvi";
				break;
				case "pre":
					mimeType = "application/x-freelance";
				break;
				case "spl":
					mimeType = "application/x-futuresplash";
				break;
				case "gtar":
					mimeType = "application/x-gtar";
				break;
				case "gz":
					mimeType = "application/x-gzip";
				break;
				case "hdf":
					mimeType = "application/x-hdf";
				break;
				case "ipx":
					mimeType = "application/x-ipix";
				break;
				case "ips":
					mimeType = "application/x-ipscript";
				break;
				case "js":
					mimeType = "application/x-javascript";
				break;
				case "skd":
					mimeType = "application/x-koan";
				break;
				case "skm":
					mimeType = "application/x-koan";
				break;
				case "skp":
					mimeType = "application/x-koan";
				break;
				case "skt":
					mimeType = "application/x-koan";
				break;
				case "latex":
					mimeType = "application/x-latex";
				break;
				case "lsp":
					mimeType = "application/x-lisp";
				break;
				case "scm":
					mimeType = "application/x-lotusscreencam";
				break;
				case "mif":
					mimeType = "application/x-mif";
				break;
				case "bat":
					mimeType = "application/x-msdos-program";
				break;
				case "com":
					mimeType = "application/x-msdos-program";
				break;
				case "exe":
					mimeType = "application/x-msdos-program";
				break;
				case "cdf":
					mimeType = "application/x-netcdf";
				break;
				case "nc":
					mimeType = "application/x-netcdf";
				break;
				case "pl":
					mimeType = "application/x-perl";
				break;
				case "pm":
					mimeType = "application/x-perl";
				break;
				case "rar":
					mimeType = "application/x-rar-compressed";
				break;
				case "sh":
					mimeType = "application/x-sh";
				break;
				case "shar":
					mimeType = "application/x-shar";
				break;
				case "swf":
					mimeType = "application/x-shockwave-flash";
				break;
				case "sit":
					mimeType = "application/x-stuffit";
				break;
				case "sv4cpio":
					mimeType = "application/x-sv4cpio";
				break;
				case "sv4crc":
					mimeType = "application/x-sv4crc";
				break;
				case "tar.gz":
					mimeType = "application/x-tar-gz";
				break;
				case "tgz":
					mimeType = "application/x-tar-gz";
				break;
				case "tar":
					mimeType = "application/x-tar";
				break;
				case "tcl":
					mimeType = "application/x-tcl";
				break;
				case "tex":
					mimeType = "application/x-tex";
				break;
				case "texi":
					mimeType = "application/x-texinfo";
				break;
				case "texinfo":
					mimeType = "application/x-texinfo";
				break;
				case "man":
					mimeType = "application/x-troff-man";
				break;
				case "me":
					mimeType = "application/x-troff-me";
				break;
				case "ms":
					mimeType = "application/x-troff-ms";
				break;
				case "roff":
					mimeType = "application/x-troff";
				break;
				case "t":
					mimeType = "application/x-troff";
				break;
				case "tr":
					mimeType = "application/x-troff";
				break;
				case "ustar":
					mimeType = "application/x-ustar";
				break;
				case "src":
					mimeType = "application/x-wais-source";
				break;
				case "zip":
					mimeType = "application/x-zip-compressed";
				break;
				case "zip":
					mimeType = "application/zip";
				break;
				case "tsi":
					mimeType = "audio/TSP-audio";
				break;
				case "au":
					mimeType = "audio/basic";
				break;
				case "snd":
					mimeType = "audio/basic";
				break;
				case "kar":
					mimeType = "audio/midi";
				break;
				case "mid":
					mimeType = "audio/midi";
				break;
				case "midi":
					mimeType = "audio/midi";
				break;
				case "mp2":
					mimeType = "audio/mpeg";
				break;
				case "mp3":
					mimeType = "audio/mpeg";
				break;
				case "mpga":
					mimeType = "audio/mpeg";
				break;
				case "au":
					mimeType = "audio/ulaw";
				break;
				case "aif":
					mimeType = "audio/x-aiff";
				break;
				case "aifc":
					mimeType = "audio/x-aiff";
				break;
				case "aiff":
					mimeType = "audio/x-aiff";
				break;
				case "m3u":
					mimeType = "audio/x-mpegurl";
				break;
				case "wax":
					mimeType = "audio/x-ms-wax";
				break;
				case "wma":
					mimeType = "audio/x-ms-wma";
				break;
				case "rpm":
					mimeType = "audio/x-pn-realaudio-plugin";
				break;
				case "ram":
					mimeType = "audio/x-pn-realaudio";
				break;
				case "rm":
					mimeType = "audio/x-pn-realaudio";
				break;
				case "ra":
					mimeType = "audio/x-realaudio";
				break;
				case "wav":
					mimeType = "audio/x-wav";
				break;
				case "pdb":
					mimeType = "chemical/x-pdb";
				break;
				case "xyz":
					mimeType = "chemical/x-pdb";
				break;
				case "ras":
					mimeType = "image/cmu-raster";
				break;
				case "gif":
					mimeType = "image/gif";
				break;
				case "ief":
					mimeType = "image/ief";
				break;
				case "jpe":
					mimeType = "image/jpeg";
				break;
				case "jpeg":
					mimeType = "image/jpeg";
				break;
				case "jpg":
					mimeType = "image/jpeg";
				break;
				case "png":
					mimeType = "image/png";
				break;
				case "tif":
					mimeType = "image/tiff";
				break;
				case "tiff":
					mimeType = "image/tiff";
				break;
				case "ras":
					mimeType = "image/x-cmu-raster";
				break;
				case "pnm":
					mimeType = "image/x-portable-anymap";
				break;
				case "pbm":
					mimeType = "image/x-portable-bitmap";
				break;
				case "pgm":
					mimeType = "image/x-portable-graymap";
				break;
				case "ppm":
					mimeType = "image/x-portable-pixmap";
				break;
				case "rgb":
					mimeType = "image/x-rgb";
				break;
				case "xbm":
					mimeType = "image/x-xbitmap";
				break;
				case "xpm":
					mimeType = "image/x-xpixmap";
				break;
				case "xwd":
					mimeType = "image/x-xwindowdump";
				break;
				case "iges":
					mimeType = "model/iges";
				break;
				case "igs":
					mimeType = "model/iges";
				break;
				case "mesh":
					mimeType = "model/mesh";
				break;
				case "":
					mimeType = "";
				break;
				case "msh":
					mimeType = "model/mesh";
				break;
				case "silo":
					mimeType = "model/mesh";
				break;
				case "vrml":
					mimeType = "model/vrml";
				break;
				case "wrl":
					mimeType = "model/vrml";
				break;
				case "css":
					mimeType = "text/css";
				break;
				case "htm":
					mimeType = "text/html";
				break;
				case "html":
					mimeType = "text/html";
				break;
				case "asc":
					mimeType = "text/plain";
				break;
				case "c":
					mimeType = "text/plain";
				break;
				case "cc":
					mimeType = "text/plain";
				break;
				case "f90":
					mimeType = "text/plain";
				break;
				case "f":
					mimeType = "text/plain";
				break;
				case "h":
					mimeType = "text/plain";
				break;
				case "hh":
					mimeType = "text/plain";
				break;
				case "m":
					mimeType = "text/plain";
				break;
				case "txt":
					mimeType = "text/plain";
				break;
				case "rtx":
					mimeType = "text/richtext";
				break;
				case "rtf":
					mimeType = "text/rtf";
				break;
				case "sgm":
					mimeType = "text/sgml";
				break;
				case "sgml":
					mimeType = "text/sgml";
				break;
				case "tsv":
					mimeType = "text/tab-separated-values";
				break;
				case "jad":
					mimeType = "text/vnd.sun.j2me.app-descriptor";
				break;
				case "etx":
					mimeType = "text/x-setext";
				break;
				case "xml":
					mimeType = "text/xml";
				break;
				case "dl":
					mimeType = "video/dl";
				break;
				case "fli":
					mimeType = "video/fli";
				break;
				case "flv":
					mimeType = "video/flv";
				break;
				case "gl":
					mimeType = "video/gl";
				break;
				case "mp2":
					mimeType = "video/mpeg";
				break;
				case "mp4":
					mimeType = "video/mp4";
				break;
				case "mpe":
					mimeType = "video/mpeg";
				break;
				case "mpeg":
					mimeType = "video/mpeg";
				break;
				case "mpg":
					mimeType = "video/mpeg";
				break;
				case "mov":
					mimeType = "video/quicktime";
				break;
				case "qt":
					mimeType = "video/quicktime";
				break;
				case "viv":
					mimeType = "video/vnd.vivo";
				break;
				case "vivo":
					mimeType = "video/vnd.vivo";
				break;
				case "fli":
					mimeType = "video/x-fli";
				break;
				case "asf":
					mimeType = "video/x-ms-asf";
				break;
				case "asx":
					mimeType = "video/x-ms-asx";
				break;
				case "wmv":
					mimeType = "video/x-ms-wmv";
				break;
				case "wmx":
					mimeType = "video/x-ms-wmx";
				break;
				case "wvx":
					mimeType = "video/x-ms-wvx";
				break;
				case "avi":
					mimeType = "video/x-msvideo";
				break;
				case "movie":
					mimeType = "video/x-sgi-movie";
				break;
				case "mime":
					mimeType = "www/mime";
				break;
				case "ice":
					mimeType = "x-conference/x-cooltalk";
				break;
				case "vrm":
					mimeType = "x-world/x-vrml";
				break;
				case "vrml":
					mimeType = "x-world/x-vrml";
				break;
				case "spx":
					mimeType = "audio/ogg";
				break;
			    default:
			    	mimeType = "application/unknown";
			    break;
			}
			return mimeType;
		}