Patent ID: 7457805

Claim:
A method of associating at least one name extension of at least one resource with a plurality of different content types, the method comprising: facilitating hosting a resource in a virtual server namespace such that a content type returned in response to a get request is the same content type received with a put request from a client, wherein the virtual server namespace is based on a particular multi-purpose internet mail extension (MIME) map that maps a specified resource name extension and content type pair; defining a first mapping scenario having a first scope, the first mapping scenario associating the name extension for the resource with a first content type for the resource within the first scope, wherein defining the first mapping scenario includes defining a map effective for a file directory such that all resources placed in the file directory having the name extension are associated with the first content type, and wherein the first content type indicates a first format of the resource; receiving a request falling within the first scope and specifying the name extension of the resource in connection with a further content type that is different than the first content type, wherein receiving a request includes receiving a request to store a plurality of resources in the directory, wherein at least two of the resources both have the name extension, wherein a first one of the two resources is of the first content type, and wherein a second of the two resources is of the further content type; creating at least a further mapping scenario having a further scope which includes the request and is at least partially within the first scope, the further mapping scenario associating the name extension of the resource with the further content type within the further scope, wherein the further content type indicates a different format of the resource, and wherein creating at least the further mapping scenario includes creating a further mapping scenario that associates the second of the two resources with the further content type while the first mapping scenario associates the first one of the two resources with the first content type; wherein receiving a request includes receiving a request to create a subdirectory of the file directory, and wherein creating the further mapping scenario includes creating a mapping scenario that associates the name extension with the further content type for any files that are stored in the created subdirectory; determining that the first mapping scenario specifies a content type other than the further content type that is specified in the request for the name extension; wherein creating the further mapping scenario comprises creating a new map for an entire namespace that is associated with the request and that maps the name extension to the further content type within the namespace; and storing at least the further mapping scenario in a computer-readable storage medium.