What is MIME type "image/x-lotus-pic"?

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

image/x-lotus-pic is a MIME type that identifies a Lotus Picture image file.
This format was used in legacy Lotus applications to embed and display images. The MIME type informs systems that a file contains image data formatted for Lotus software.
When an application sees this MIME type, it knows to process the file as an image, even if the file structure differs from more common image formats.
The image data in a PIC file is arranged for compatibility with Lotus products and may include details like colors and textual elements.

Lotus Applications: Designed for use in Lotus software for document imaging.
Legacy System Support: Helps maintain compatibility with older software ecosystems.
Content Identification: Enables browsers and servers to handle the file correctly based on its MIME type.

For more technical background on MIME types, consider checking the information on MIME on Wikipedia.

Associated file extensions

.pic

Usage Examples

HTTP Header

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


    Content-Type: image/x-lotus-pic

HTML

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


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

Associated file extensions

.pic

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.