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

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

application/vnd.lotus-wordpro is the MIME type for documents created by Lotus Word Pro. It tells software that the file contains a formatted word processing document with special structures and styles.

Files with this MIME type are associated with legacy Lotus applications. They mainly use the format from Lotus Word Pro, so many such files have the LWP extension. There is also a related format used for AMI Professional Documents, indicated by the SAM extension.

Document Exchange: Helps systems recognize and correctly open legacy Lotus word processing files.
Archiving: Stores historical business documents with complex formatting intact.
Legacy Compatibility: Allows legacy applications and modern converters to handle Lotus Word Pro documents.

More details can be found in the official registration on the IANA website.

Associated file extensions

.sam, .lwp

Usage Examples

HTTP Header

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


    Content-Type: application/vnd.lotus-wordpro

HTML

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


    <a href="file.dat" type="application/vnd.lotus-wordpro">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-wordpro');    
      res.end('Content here');    
    }).listen(3000);

Associated file extensions

.sam, .lwp

FAQs

What types of files use application/vnd.lotus-wordpro?

This MIME type is used for word processing documents created by Lotus Word Pro and its predecessor, Ami Pro. These files typically bear the .lwp or .sam file extensions.

How do I configure Apache to serve .lwp files correctly?

To ensure Apache sends the correct Content-Type header, add the following directive to your .htaccess file or server configuration: AddType application/vnd.lotus-wordpro .lwp .sam.

Can modern web browsers view application/vnd.lotus-wordpro documents?

No, browsers like Chrome, Firefox, and Edge do not have built-in support for rendering Lotus Word Pro files. The browser will prompt the user to download the file instead of displaying it inline.

What is the correct Nginx configuration for this MIME type?

You should add the file extension mapping to your mime.types file or inside a types block in your nginx.conf. Use the syntax: application/vnd.lotus-wordpro lwp sam;.

How do I open a file with the application/vnd.lotus-wordpro content type?

Because the original IBM Lotus SmartSuite is discontinued, you may need to use a file converter or an open-source office suite. LibreOffice Writer usually supports opening and converting legacy .lwp files.

Why is my server sending these files as application/octet-stream?

This occurs when the web server does not recognize the .lwp or .sam extension. To fix this, you must explicitly register the MIME type application/vnd.lotus-wordpro in your server's configuration settings.

Should I use this MIME type for new web content?

No, this is a legacy format. For new documents, you should use widely supported MIME types like application/pdf for read-only documents or text/html for web pages.

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.