Setting mime type for excel document

user_105179 0
Viewed 511235

MS Excel has the following observed MIME types:

  • application/vnd.ms-excel (official)
  • application/msexcel
  • application/x-msexcel
  • application/x-ms-excel
  • application/x-excel
  • application/x-dos_ms_excel
  • application/xls
  • application/x-xls
  • application/vnd.openxmlformats-officedocument.spreadsheetml.sheet (xlsx)

Is there any one type that would work for all versions? If not, do we need to set response.setContentType() with each one of these mime types individually?

Also, we use file streaming in our application to display document (not just excel - any type of document). In doing so, how can we retain the filename if the user opts to save the file - currently, the name of the servlet that renders the file appears as the default name.

content-type excel mime
6 Answers

I believe the standard MIME type for Excel files is application/vnd.ms-excel.

Regarding the name of the document, you should set the following header in the response:

header('Content-Disposition: attachment; filename="name_of_excel_file.xls"');
user_2306360

For .xls use the following content-type

application/vnd.ms-excel

For Excel 2007 version and above .xlsx files format

application/vnd.openxmlformats-officedocument.spreadsheetml.sheet
user_36005530

I am using EPPlus to generate .xlsx (OpenXML format based) excel file. For sending this excel file as attachment in email I use the following MIME type and it works fine with EPPlus generated file and opens properly in ms-outlook mail client preview.

string mimeType = "application/vnd.openxmlformats-officedocument.spreadsheetml.sheet";
System.Net.Mime.ContentType contentType = null;
if (mimeType?.Length > 0)
{
    contentType = new System.Net.Mime.ContentType(mimeType);
}
user_17111060
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