Detect a file's category.

gistfile1.py

import mimetypes
import magic


magic_mime = magic.open(magic.MAGIC_MIME)
magic_mime.load()


class FileCategory(list):
    def __init__(self, *mimes):
        for mime in mimes:
            self.append(mime)

class FileCategory:
    IMAGE = FileCategory()
    AUDIO = FileCategory()
    VIDEO = FileCategory()
    DOCUMENT = FileCategory(
        'application/vnd.oasis.opendocument.text', 'application/vnd.oasis.opendocument.presentation', 
        'application/msword' #... etc.
    )
    ARCHIVE = FileCategory(
        'application/x-tar', 'application/x-cpio', 'application/x-bzip2', 
        'application/x-7z-compressed' #... etc.
    )
    OTHER = FileCategory()

def get_file_category(path):
    mime_type = magic_mime.file(path)
    if mime_type:
        mime_type = mime_type.split(';')[0]
    else:
        mime_type = mimetypes.guess_type(path)[0]
    if mime_type.startswith('image/'):
        return FileCategory.IMAGE
    if mime_type.startswith('audio/'):
        return FileCategory.AUDIO
    if mime_type.startswith('video/'):
        return FileCategory.VIDEO
    if mime_type.startswith('text/'):
        return FileCategory.DOCUMENT
    if mime_type in FileCategory.IMAGE:
        return FileCategory.IMAGE
    if mime_type in FileCategory.AUDIO:
        return FileCategory.AUDIO
    if mime_type in FileCategory.VIDEO:
        return FileCategory.VIDEO
    if mime_type in FileCategory.DOCUMENT:
        return FileCategory.DOCUMENT
    if mime_type in FileCategory.ARCHIVE:
        return FileCategory.ARCHIVE
    return FileCategory.OTHER