What is MIME type "application/x-endnote-refer"?

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

The MIME type application/x-endnote-refer signals that a file works with EndNote, a tool used for managing academic references. It tells programs that the file holds citation data used in bibliographies and research work.

Files with this MIME type support tasks like importing reference details into a library or exporting data for backup and sharing. Common EndNote files include ENW, ENL, ENR, ENLX, and ENLP.

Main Use: Importing and exporting citation data for academic and research work.
Functionality: Organizes detailed bibliographic information.
Flexibility: Allows easy transfer of reference data between different libraries or versions of EndNote.

For more on how MIME types work, see MIME on Wikipedia.

Associated file extensions

.enw, .enl, .enr, .enlx, .enlp

Usage Examples

HTTP Header

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


    Content-Type: application/x-endnote-refer

HTML

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


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

Associated file extensions

.enw, .enl, .enr, .enlx, .enlp

FAQs

What is the application/x-endnote-refer MIME type used for?

The MIME type application/x-endnote-refer is primarily used to serve EndNote citation files over the internet. When a web server uses this type, it instructs the user's browser to hand the file off to the EndNote application for importing references, rather than displaying it as plain text.

Which file extensions are associated with application/x-endnote-refer?

This MIME type is most commonly associated with the .enw (EndNote Import File) extension. However, it may also be used for EndNote libraries and packages such as .enl, .enlx, and .enlp.

How do I configure Apache to serve EndNote files correctly?

To ensure browsers recognize EndNote files, add the following line to your .htaccess file or main Apache configuration: AddType application/x-endnote-refer .enw. This ensures that when a user clicks a citation link, their computer attempts to open it with EndNote automatically.

How do I add support for this MIME type in Nginx?

In your nginx.conf file, locate the types block and add the mapping for the file extension. It should look like this: application/x-endnote-refer enw;. After saving the file, restart Nginx to apply the changes.

Why is my .enw file opening as text in the browser instead of downloading?

If an .enw file displays as raw text in the browser, the server is likely misconfigured to send it as text/plain. You must update the server's MIME type settings to send application/x-endnote-refer, which forces the browser to treat it as a downloadable file intended for an external application.

Is application/x-endnote-refer the same as the RIS format?

No, while both are used for citations, they are different standards. EndNote files use application/x-endnote-refer, whereas the generic RIS format usually uses application/x-research-info-systems. EndNote software can typically open both types, but web servers should distinguish between them.

What software is required to open files with this MIME type?

Files served with this MIME type are designed for Clarivate EndNote. While other reference management tools (like Zotero or Mendeley) might be able to import the underlying data, the MIME type specifically targets the EndNote ecosystem.

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.