Uniform Type Identifier
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
A Uniform Type Identifier (UTI) is a string that uniquely identifies the type of a class of items. Added in Apple's Mac OS X 10.4 operating system, UTIs are used to identify the type of files and folders, clipboard data, bundles, aliases and symlinks, and streaming data. UTIs use a reverse domain structure. UTIs support multiple inheritance allowing multimedia files to be identified as not as single type (as in MIME), but as all the types it is; An identifier can inherit from public.audio, public.video, public.text, public.image, etc.
The public domain is only editable by Apple and contains the base data types used by all UTIs.
| Identifier | Conforms to | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| public.item | base class in the physical hierarchy | |
| public.content | base class for all document content | |
| public.data | public.item | base class for all files, byte streams, pasteboard, etc. |
| public.image | public.data, public.content | base class for all images |
UTIs are even used to identify other file type identifiers:
| Identifier | Conforms to | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| public.filename-extension | public.case-insensitive-text | Filename extension. |
| public.mime-type | public.case-insensitive-text | MIME type. |
| com.apple.ostype | public.text | Four-character code (type OSType). |
| com.apple.nspboard-type | public.text | NSPasteboard type. |
[edit] External links
- System-Declared Uniform Type Identifiers
- "Introduction to Uniform Type Identifiers", Apple Developer Documentation
- Ars Technica article on UTIs
Applications
Address Book • Automator • Backup • Calculator • Chess • Dashboard • Dictionary •
DVD Player • Finder • Front Row • Grapher • iCal • iChat • iSync • iTunes • Mail • Photo Booth • Preview • QuickTime Player • Safari • Sherlock • Stickies • TextEdit
Utilities
Activity Monitor • AirPort Admin Utility • Audio MIDI Setup • Bluetooth File Exchange • BOMArchiveHelper • Classic • ColorSync Utility • Console • Crash Reporter • DigitalColor Meter • Directory Access • DiskImageMounter • Disk Utility • Font Book • Grab • Help Viewer • Image Capture • Installer • Internet Connect • Keychain Access • Migration Assistant • NetInfo Manager • Network Utility • ODBC Administrator • Printer Setup Utility •
Software Update • System Preferences • System Profiler • Terminal •
Universal Access • VoiceOver • X11
Technology & User interface (future features italicized)
⌘ • ⌥ • Apple Advanced Typography • AppleScript • Aqua • ATSUI • Audio Units • Bonjour • Boot Camp • Carbon • Cocoa • ColorSync • Core Animation • Core Audio • Core Data • Core Foundation • Core Image • Core Video • CUPS • Darwin • Exposé • FileVault • Inkwell • icns • Keychain • Mach-O • OpenGL • plist • Quartz • QuickTime • Rosetta • Smart folder • Spaces • Spotlight • Time Machine • Uniform Type Identifier • Universal binary • WebKit • Xgrid • XNU
