CUPS provides a MIME-based file typing and filtering mechanism to convert files to a printable format for each printer. On start up, CUPS reads the MIME database files in the directory /etc/cups with a suffix *.types. It also includes the mime.types file that defines the information about the known file types. These files consist of rules that help CUPS recognize a MIME type when it performs autotyping. These database files are plain ASCII text, and can be edited with your favorite text editor.
Note
MIME types describe a file format in a non-ambiguous way. MIME types are separated into different categories such as main_category or minor_category, and they are registered with IANA (Internet Assigning Numbers Authority). Vendors may register their own proprietary file formats with IANA, provided they explain the method to recognize the format in a unique and unambiguous method.
Each line of the file starts with the MIME type and may be followed by one or more...