What is MIME type "application/vnd.lotus-organizer"?

A MIME type is a string that tells browsers and other tools how to handle a particular kind of file.

The MIME type application/vnd.lotus-organizer designates files created by Lotus Organizer. It is used by a personal information manager that handles scheduling, contacts, tasks, and notes. This format lets your computer know which program should open the file.

Files using this MIME type typically carry the extension ORG.

Personal Information Management: Helps store contact details, appointments, and event schedules.
Task Organization: Manages to-do lists and reminders.
Note Keeping: Saves meeting notes and quick memos.
Software Integration: Works with other Lotus suite applications.

For more technical details, refer to the IANA entry.

Associated file extensions

.org

Usage Examples

HTTP Header

When serving content with this MIME type, set the Content-Type header:


    Content-Type: application/vnd.lotus-organizer

HTML

In HTML, you can specify the MIME type in various elements:


    <a href="file.dat" type="application/vnd.lotus-organizer">Download file</a>

Server-side (Node.js)

Setting the Content-Type header in Node.js:


    const http = require('http');    
    
    http.createServer((req, res) => {    
      res.setHeader('Content-Type', 'application/vnd.lotus-organizer');    
      res.end('Content here');    
    }).listen(3000);

Associated file extensions

.org

FAQs

What is the application/vnd.lotus-organizer MIME type used for?

This MIME type represents data files created by IBM Lotus Organizer, a personal information management (PIM) application. These files, which usually have the .org extension, store calendars, to-do lists, contacts, and notes in a proprietary binary format.

Is this MIME type related to Emacs Org-mode files?

No, despite sharing the same .org file extension, they are completely different formats. Emacs Org-mode files are plain text documents (usually served as text/plain), whereas application/vnd.lotus-organizer refers to the specific binary format used by the legacy Lotus software.

How do I configure Apache to serve Lotus Organizer files correctly?

To ensure your web server identifies these files correctly, add the following line to your .htaccess file or main configuration. This prevents the browser from misinterpreting the binary data as text:
AddType application/vnd.lotus-organizer .org

How do I add this MIME type to Nginx?

You can add the type definition to your mime.types file or inside a specific server block. Use the following directive:
types { application/vnd.lotus-organizer org; }

Why does my browser download the .org file instead of displaying it?

Modern web browsers like Chrome, Firefox, and Edge do not have native support for rendering Lotus Organizer files. When a server sends the application/vnd.lotus-organizer header, the browser triggers a download so you can open the file in the appropriate desktop application.

What software can open files sent with this MIME type?

You primarily need IBM Lotus Organizer or the Lotus SmartSuite package to open these files natively. Because the software is considered legacy, users often try to export the data to generic formats (like CSV or vCard) if they no longer have access to the original application.

I am receiving a '404 Not Found' or '403 Forbidden' error when accessing an .org file. Why?

This often happens on IIS servers where the .org extension is not mapped to a MIME type by default. To fix this, you must explicitly add the extension org with the MIME type application/vnd.lotus-organizer in the MIME Types feature of the IIS Manager.

General FAQ

What is a MIME type?

A MIME (Multipurpose Internet Mail Extensions) type is a standard that indicates the nature and format of a document, file, or assortment of bytes. MIME types are defined and standardized in IETF's RFC 6838.

MIME types are important because they help browsers and servers understand how to process a file. When a browser receives a file from a server, it uses the MIME type to determine how to display or handle the content, whether it's an image to display, a PDF to open in a viewer, or a video to play.

MIME types consist of a type and a subtype, separated by a slash (e.g., text/html, image/jpeg, application/pdf). Some MIME types also include optional parameters.

How do I find the MIME type for a file?

You can check the file extension or use a file identification tool such as file --mime-type on the command line. Many programming languages also provide libraries to detect MIME types.

Why are multiple MIME types listed for one extension?

Different applications and historical conventions may use alternative MIME identifiers for the same kind of file. Showing them all helps ensure compatibility across systems.