What is MIME type "application/x-thomson-sap-image"?

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-thomson-sap-image identifies a specific disk image format. It marks files that capture an exact copy of disk data used by the SAP Thomson system.

Files with this type contain a full snapshot of the original disk's layout and data. They are often used by emulators or legacy systems to recreate the original environment. This facilitates software testing, data recovery, or preservation of vintage computing systems.

Used for disk imaging and archiving.
Essential for emulation of older Thomson computer systems.
Helps in data preservation and legacy software access.

The primary file associated with this MIME type carries the extension SAP.

Associated file extensions

.sap

Usage Examples

HTTP Header

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


    Content-Type: application/x-thomson-sap-image

HTML

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


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

Associated file extensions

.sap

FAQs

What is the application/x-thomson-sap-image MIME type?

The MIME type application/x-thomson-sap-image classifies files that are disk images for Thomson 8-bit computers (such as the MO5 or TO7). These files, typically ending in the .sap extension, are archives created using the "Système d'Archivage Pukall" format, primarily used by emulators to load legacy software.

Is this file related to SAP ERP software?

No, this is a common misconception. While they share the .sap file extension, application/x-thomson-sap-image files are vintage computing disk images. They are unrelated to the enterprise resource planning (ERP) solutions provided by SAP SE; those files usually have different MIME types like application/x-sapshortcut.

How do I open a file with this MIME type?

You cannot open these files with standard image viewers or text editors. You need a Thomson computer emulator, such as TEO or DCMOTO, which can mount the file as a virtual floppy disk or cassette to run the contained software.

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

To ensure browsers handle the file as a binary disk image rather than text, add the following line to your .htaccess file or main configuration: AddType application/x-thomson-sap-image .sap. This helps prevent encoding errors during download.

What Nginx directive is needed for Thomson SAP images?

In your Nginx mime.types file or inside a specific server block, include the following directive: types { application/x-thomson-sap-image sap; }. This ensures the server sends the correct Content-Type header to the client.

Why does my text editor show garbage data when opening this file?

Files with the application/x-thomson-sap-image type are binary files, not plain text. They contain raw machine code and data structures representing a physical disk. To view the internal file structure, you need specific tools designed for the Thomson filesystem.

Can I convert this MIME type to other disk image formats?

Yes, utilities exist within the retro-computing community to convert .sap files to raw disk images like .fd (Floppy Disk). However, because the SAP format supports compression and metadata specific to the emulator, conversion might require specialized tools like SAPToFd.

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.