What is MIME type "application/x-wordstar"?

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

application/x-wordstar is a MIME type for legacy WordStar documents. It signals that a file was created by WordStar for MS-DOS.

Files such as WS, WS4, and WS7 use this type. It helps systems and software recognize and process these older documents properly.

Main use: Identifying documents formatted by WordStar.
Conversion: Enabling legacy documents to be opened or converted by modern applications.
Digital archiving: Preserving historical content from early word processing systems.
Forensics: Supporting investigations involving legacy files.

This MIME type ensures that when documents are exchanged, servers and clients know to handle them as WordStar files. For more on MIME types, check IANA media types.

Associated file extensions

.ws, .ws4, .ws7

Usage Examples

HTTP Header

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


    Content-Type: application/x-wordstar

HTML

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


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

Associated file extensions

.ws, .ws4, .ws7

FAQs

How do I open a file with the application/x-wordstar MIME type?

You can open these legacy documents using LibreOffice Writer, which maintains filters for many older formats. Alternatively, you can run the original WordStar software within an MS-DOS emulator like DOSBox, or use older versions of Microsoft Word that still support the import filter.

How do I configure Apache to serve WordStar files correctly?

To ensure your server sends the correct header, add the following line to your .htaccess file or httpd.conf: AddType application/x-wordstar .ws .ws4 .ws7. This prevents the server from incorrectly identifying the file as generic text or binary data.

Will web browsers display application/x-wordstar files directly?

No, modern web browsers like Chrome, Firefox, and Edge do not have built-in support for rendering WordStar documents. Instead of displaying the content, the browser will prompt the user to download the file to their local machine.

What file extensions are associated with application/x-wordstar?

This MIME type is primarily used for files ending in ws, ws4, and ws7. You can learn more about the specific extensions at ws and ws7.

How can I convert application/x-wordstar files to PDF or Word?

The most reliable method is to open the file in LibreOffice and use the Export to PDF or Save As feature to convert it to .docx. There are also command-line conversion tools and online services that can parse the legacy binary structure and output modern text formats.

What does the 'x-' prefix mean in this MIME type?

The x- prefix signifies that application/x-wordstar is a non-standard or experimental type not officially registered with IANA. It is used by convention to identify proprietary WordStar formats in email attachments and web downloads.

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.