Detect file type from the file contents, not the file name

Question

Possible Duplicate:
How to find the mime type of a file in python?

I want to detect the type of a file, but I don't want to look at the extension because it may be incorrect. The mimetypes module is filename based.

Is there a standard way to peek inside the file?

I don't want to use mimetypes module because this module look only for file path. For example name of file test.pdf but this is .doc file with fake name. — Gr1N, Aug 11 '12 at 19:01
NOT A DUPLICATE QUESTION -- the referenced answer is looking at file name not file content — Alvin, Feb 16 '16 at 18:46
Check my answer in the context of no file extension or false file extension, Python 3.X and web application http://stackoverflow.com/a/39356849/1209842 — Claude COULOMBE, Sep 06 '16 at 20:03

score 7 · Answer 1 · edited Aug 11 '12 at 20:48

7

Try installing the python-magic module.

 >>> mime = magic.Magic(mime=True)
 >>> mime.from_file("testdata/abc.pdf")
'application/pdf'

edited Aug 11 '12 at 20:48

msw

answered Aug 11 '12 at 18:52

NIlesh Sharma

+1 good answer, but I had to hunt for it and the documentation is um... brief. It probably only works on unixes too, but I'm not sure. – msw Aug 11 '12 at 20:49
This is good module, but I want to use only standart library. – Gr1N Aug 12 '12 at 08:33
Check my answer in the context of no file extension or false file extension, Python 3.X and web application http://stackoverflow.com/a/39356849/1209842 – Claude COULOMBE Sep 06 '16 at 20:05

1 Answers1