C# Signature:

    [DllImport("urlmon.dll", CharSet = CharSet.Unicode, ExactSpelling = true, SetLastError = false)]
    static extern int FindMimeFromData(IntPtr pBC,
          [MarshalAs(UnmanagedType.LPWStr)] string pwzUrl,
         [MarshalAs(UnmanagedType.LPArray, ArraySubType=UnmanagedType.I1, SizeParamIndex=3)]
        byte[] pBuffer,
          int cbSize,
             [MarshalAs(UnmanagedType.LPWStr)]  string pwzMimeProposed,
          int dwMimeFlags,
          out IntPtr ppwzMimeOut,
          int dwReserved);

VB Signature:

Declare Function FindMimeFromData Lib "urlmon.dll" (TODO) As TODO

User-Defined Types:

None.

Notes:

None.

Tips & Tricks:

• Use Marshal.StringToCoTaskMemUni() to prepare input parameters (IntPtr) declared to receive strings.
• Use Marshal.PtrToStringUni() to get the managed string back from the out parameter (IntPtr).

Sample Code:

public string MimeTypeFrom(byte[] dataBytes, string mimeProposed) {
   if (dataBytes == null)
     throw new ArgumentNullException("dataBytes");
   string mimeRet = String.Empty;
   IntPtr suggestPtr = IntPtr.Zero, filePtr = IntPtr.Zero, outPtr = IntPtr.Zero;
   if (mimeProposed != null && mimeProposed.Length > 0) {
     //suggestPtr = Marshal.StringToCoTaskMemUni(mimeProposed); // for your experiments ;-)
     mimeRet = mimeProposed;
   }
   int ret = FindMimeFromData(IntPtr.Zero, null, dataBytes, dataBytes.Length, mimeProposed, 0, out outPtr, 0);
   if (ret == 0 && outPtr != IntPtr.Zero) {
    //todo: this leaks memory outPtr must be freed
     return Marshal.PtrToStringUni(outPtr);
   }
   return mimeRet;
}

// call it this way:
Trace.Write("MimeType is " + MimeTypeFrom(Encoding.ASCII.GetBytes("%PDF-"), "text/plain"));

Alternative Managed API:

Do you know one? Please contribute it!

    /// <summary>
    /// Ensures that file exists and retrieves the content type
    /// </summary>
    /// <param name="file"></param>
    /// <returns>Returns for instance "images/jpeg" </returns>
    public static string getMimeFromFile(string file)
    {
        IntPtr mimeout;
        if (!System.IO.File.Exists(file))
        throw new FileNotFoundException(file + " not found");

        int MaxContent = (int)new FileInfo(file).Length;
        if (MaxContent > 4096) MaxContent = 4096;
        FileStream fs = File.OpenRead(file);


        byte[] buf = new byte[MaxContent];        
        fs.Read(buf, 0, MaxContent);
        fs.Close();
        int result = FindMimeFromData(IntPtr.Zero, file, buf, MaxContent, null, 0, out mimeout, 0);

        if (result != 0)
        throw Marshal.GetExceptionForHR(result);
        string mime = Marshal.PtrToStringUni(mimeout);
        Marshal.FreeCoTaskMem(mimeout);
        return mime;
    }
    //rename crystal.jpg to .gif to test functionality!
    string getImg = Environment.GetEnvironmentVariable("windir") + "\\Web\\WallPaper\\Crystal.gif";
        string mime = getMimeFromFile(getImg);