Maps and directions via the Services menu

MappingService helps you use mapping websites with address information in other applications — including email, the web and your Mac’s Address Book. Get directions to or from any address in your Address Book, or simply show a map of any address.

MappingService on Mac OS X Snow Leopard

Mac OS X Snow Leopard (10.6) introduces major changes to the operation of system services like MappingService. MappingService 2.0 public beta works fine with Snow Leopard, but the way you set it up and use it is different.

Follow the installation instructions in the ReadMe.rtf file included in the download. You then need to go to System Preferences > Keyboard > Keyboard Shortcuts > Services, and turn on one or more of the Directions…, Map and Preferences… menu items provided by MappingService.

Your selected menu items will then be available when you control-click on selected text in any services-aware application.

Apple provides a Show Address in Google Maps service as part of Snow Leopard. However, it only works with recognised complete addresses, and can’t give you directions using your Address Book. In the above screenshot, only MappingService can give you a map from all four of the text lines shown.

Mapping Service uses the following sites to display maps:

1. •Google Maps (http://maps.google.com and several country-specific sites)
   

2. •ZoomIn (for Australia and New Zealand only).
   

Directions are a new feature in beta version 2.0 of MappingService, which also simplifies the menu structure. If you don’t like using beta software, version 1.1 is still available. Both versions of MappingService are Universal, and may work on other versions of Mac OS X than those specified.

If you like this software, please show your support by making a donation.

You might also be interested in Via Directions:

directions from A to B via C on your iPhone.