error message using python magic on Windows XP

Question

I followed the instructions here...

https://github.com/ahupp/python-magic#dependencies

I ran pip install python-magic and it installed without any issues. Then I installed cygwin and added C:\cygwin\bin to my system path. When I run the python interpreter in a Windows command prompt and import magic I get this error...

Python 2.7.3 (default, Apr 10 2012, 23:31:26) [MSC v.1500 32 bit (Intel)] on win
32
Type "help", "copyright", "credits" or "license" for more information.
>>> import magic
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "<stdin>", line 1, in <module>
  File "C:\Python27\lib\site-packages\magic.py", line 161, in <module>
    raise ImportError('failed to find libmagic.  Check your installation')
ImportError: failed to find libmagic.  Check your installation
>>>

Did I miss a step?

Answer 1

The python-magic use libmagic,

The libmagic needs magic1.dll,

That magic1.dll is in the file package of gnuwin32.

Solution 1:

Download binaries zip or setup package of file, and adding path of bin directory of it to PATH environment variable.

Solution 2:

Also there is a new change-set in code of python-magic that fixed the problem and you don't need to file package of gnuwin32 (just add bin directory of cygwin to PATH), but currently there is not yet in magic.py while you install it with pip install python-magic or by pip install python-magic --upgrade,
So you need to install python-magic from master.

Answer 2

Also have a look at this post: http://www.thehackeruniversity.com/2014/02/02/obtain-python-mime-types-windows/

This guy uses Hachoir to find the mime info for binary files.