Defining filetypes with p4 typemap

Helix Server uses the filesys.binaryscan configurable to determine how many bytes to examine when determining if a file is of type text or binary. By default, filesys.binaryscan is 65536; if the high bit is clear in the first 65536 bytes, Helix Server assumes it to be text; otherwise, it is assumed to be binary. Files compressed in the .zip format (including .jar files) are also automatically detected and assigned the type ubinary.

Although this default behavior can be overridden by the use of the -t filetype flag, it’s easy for users to overlook this consideration, particularly in cases where files' types are usually (but not always) detected correctly. Certain file formats, such as RTF (Rich Text Format) and Adobe PDF (Portable Document Format), can start with a series of comment fields or other textual data. If these comments are sufficiently long, such files can be erroneously detected by Helix Server as being of type text.

The p4 typemap command solves this problem by enabling system administrators to set up a table that links Helix Server file types with filename specifications. If an entry in the typemap table matches a file being added, it overrides the file type that would otherwise be assigned by the Helix Server application. For example, to treat all PDF and RTF files as binary, use p4 typemap to modify the typemap table as follows:

Typemap:
        binary //....pdf
        binary //....rtf

The first three periods ("...") in the specification are a Helix Server wildcard specifying that all files beneath the root directory are to be included in the mapping. The fourth period and the file extension specify that the specification applies to files ending in .pdf (or .rtf).

The following table lists recommended Helix Server file types and modifiers for common file extensions.

File type	Helix Server file type	Description
`.asp`	`text`	Active server page file
`.avi`	`binary+F`	Video for Windows file
`.bmp`	`binary`	Windows bitmap file
`.btr`	`binary`	Btrieve database file
`.cnf`	`text`	Conference link file
`.css`	`text`	Cascading style sheet file
`.doc`	`binary`	Microsoft Word document
`.dot`	`binary`	Microsoft Word template
`.exp`	`binary+w`	Export file (Microsoft Visual C++)
`.gif`	`binary+F`	GIF graphic file
`.gz`	`binary+F`	Gzip compressed file
`.htm`	`text`	HTML file
`.html`	`text`	HTML file
`.ico`	`binary`	Icon file
`.inc`	`text`	Active Server include file
`.ini`	`text+w`	Initial application settings file
`.jpg`	`binary`	JPEG graphic file
`.js`	`text`	JavaScript language source code file
`.lib`	`binary+w`	Library file (several programming languages)
`.log`	`text+w`	Log file
`.mpg`	`binary+F`	MPEG video file
`.pdf`	`binary`	Adobe PDF file
`.pdm`	`text+w`	Sybase Power Designer file
`.ppt`	`binary`	Microsoft PowerPoint file
`.prefab`	`binary`	Unity3D file
`.xls`	`binary`	Microsoft Excel file

Use the following p4 typemap table to map all of the file extensions to the Helix Server file types recommended in the preceding table.

# Perforce File Type Mapping Specifications.
#
#  TypeMap:     a list of filetype mappings; one per line.
#               Each line has two elements:
#               Filetype: The filetype to use on 'p4 add'.
#               Path:     File pattern which will use this filetype.
# See 'p4 help typemap' for more information.
TypeMap:

        text //....asp
        binary+F //....avi
        binary //....bmp
        binary //....btr
        text //....cnf
        text //....css
        binary //....doc
        binary //....dot
        binary+w //....exp
        binary+F //....gif
        binary+F //....gz
        text //....htm
        text //....html
        binary //....ico
        text //....inc
        text+w //....ini
        binary //....jpg
        text //....js
        binary+w //....lib
        text+w //....log
        binary+F //....mpg
        binary //....pdf
        text+w //....pdm
        binary //....ppt
        binary //....xls

If a file type requires the use of more than one file type modifier, specify the modifiers consecutively. For example, binary+lFS10 refers to a binary file with exclusive-open (l), stored in full (F) rather than compressed, and for which only the most recent ten revisions are stored (S10).

For more information, see the p4 typemap page in the Helix Core Command-Line (P4) Reference.