[Link]

Apparently it only works when you have text selected o_O

well just for those who have ever wondered:

select something..

Command shift Y will dump it into a sticky note
Command shift U will try to load it as a url in your web browser
Command shift B will dump a text file of it onto a bluetooth device.

Any others?

[Developer]

http://www.omnigroup.com/applications/omnidictionary/

[entrox]

Lots of them. The entries in the menu depend on the Applications you have installed and the services they provide. If you have OmniDictionary installed for example, you can get the definition of the selected word by pressing CMD-=.

[chris v]

One I'm pretty fond of is command+= (gotta be numpad = ) Define in OmniDictionary.


Edit: Developer must type faster than me.

CV

[lookmark]

WordService - format, clean up text, get statistics (word count, etc)

AntiWord Service - open basic .doc files in TextEdit

CalcService - calculator functions

Translation Service - translates into different languages

IceCoffee - places Services menu in contextual menu

All free except for Translation Service, which is $5.

[Diggory Laycock]

Why, oh why won't Apple put the services menu into the contextual menu?

People would then realise it existed.

I love Services - I even wrote a little app that converts Dollars to Sterling, so I can select a price on a web page and get my app to show the UK price.

[headbirth]

I second that! Services are so powerful ... almost like the old open doc. I also think MonkeyFood should create more Services! An HTML stripper Service would be awesome! or HTML to RTF conversion service ....

[lookmark]

Originally posted by Diggory Laycock:
Why, oh why won't Apple put the services menu into the contextual menu?

People would then realise it existed.

Totally! The Services menu is in a decent place conceptually, but just about the least useful practically. And so few people know it's even there.

Get thee, OS X users using APE, to IceCoffee!

[Diggory Laycock]

In fact - can I use this opportunity to ask anyone reading this who agrees with me to post feedback on the apple page about it.

They'll only implement it if they get enough requests.

(pre-emptive explanation - I know about ICeCoFE but am unwilling to install APE)

[Diggory Laycock]

Originally posted by headbirth:
I second that! Services are so powerful ... almost like the old open doc. I also think MonkeyFood should create more Services! An HTML stripper Service would be awesome! or HTML to RTF conversion service ....

Strange you should suggest those, I'm currently writing a service that does the opposite (sort of) - it tags selected text with HTML or UBB style tags.

Oh and any cocoa developers - I can highly recommend Scotland Software's Obj-C service, which creates Accessor Methods from instance Variable declarations.

http://www.scotlandsoftware.com/prod...ystemservices/

[lookmark]

I haven't had problems with APE, just using ClearDock and IceCoffee, but yeah... I understand.

I've been making requests to improve Services ever since 10.1. I get the feeling that Apple just doesn't know how to promote this as a feature, and it's fallen to the bottom of their priority list. Putting Services in a contextual menu seems like the least they can do.

BTW, a little while ago here I suggested a Services Palette, not only to enhance usability but to give a GUI to the concept and give Services a visual look to attract attention to their function.

http://www.look-designs.com/extras/s...exticons_2.gif

(This idea would require Service developers to provide an icon for their Service.)

This got a somewhat mixed reception from folk here (too much UI for too little was the general consesus), but if there's another idea to highlight Services in the OS X UI, I'd love to hear it.

[Spheric Harlot]

Originally posted by headbirth:
An HTML stripper Service would be awesome!

Agreed.

But where would you stick the dollar bills?

-s*

[Diggory Laycock]

Originally posted by Spheric Harlot:
Agreed.

But where would you stick the dollar bills?

-s*

In between their tags

Lookmark - there is something like your idea - That allows services to become drop-zones. I personally found it takes up too much screen estate.

I just tried googling for it, but I can't for the life of me remember what it was called

[lookmark]

Originally posted by Spheric Harlot:
Agreed.

But where would you stick the dollar bills?

-s*

Heh.

Originally posted by Diggory:
Lookmark - there is something like your idea - That allows services to become drop-zones. I personally found it takes up too much screen estate.

I just tried googling for it, but I can't for the life of me remember what it was called

If you remember, let me know. The idea has some downsides, I see now. Services are these weird, unwieldy gathering of verbs that are real tricky to figure out a UI for. Perhaps a contextual menu is just the best solution.

Speaking of which, I'd like to present:

Improving Services, Part 2

[Spheric Harlot]

That's not real, is it?

[DBvader]

yeah, i wonder...

god damn panther implementing things we ask for...before we ask for it. what are they thinking?

[Spheric Harlot]

Ah - no, it's not real.

There is no "Services" item in the System Preferences.

[lookmark]

Originally posted by Spheric Harlot:
Ah - no, it's not real.

Nope, it's a mock-up (by yours truly). Not meant as a hoax, but presented in a spell of Services improvement brainstorming.

Wouldn't it be nice?

[Sven G]

Originally posted by lookmark:

... And, too, as an option, add that Services preference pane icon to any OS X app's toolbar (in addition to the contextual menus and the main menu bar, à la ICeCoffEE), maybe even as an "Action Menu" - see the new Finder - item: voilà, Services are suddenly a lot more accessible and usable!

[headbirth]

Some great suggestions here (i.e. the PrefPane, and Contextual Menus)! I don't think the palette idea is the right approach ... just presents more screen clutter.

Some of you programmers, should look into implementing the Prefpane and a Non-APE version of the CM that works in all apps!

[lookmark]

News flash.

In beta but looks interesting.

Service Menu Manager

This one is real. Haven't tried it yet, as it's only beta 1 and still apparently requires some caution.

[pascalpp]

BTW, a little while ago here I suggested a Services Palette, not only to enhance usability but to give a GUI to the concept and give Services a visual look to attract attention to their function.

[snip]

This got a somewhat mixed reception from folk here (too much UI for too little was the general consesus), but if there's another idea to highlight Services in the OS X UI, I'd love to hear it. [/B]

What i think we need is a Services PreferencePane. This would provide an easily accessible (but not in-the-way) means of enabling or disabling individual services and modifying the key commands assigned to each service. Then the Services menu would only contain the things YOU want, and itwoudn't be so damned unwieldy. Ideally there would also be options to show the Services menu in the App menu, in the menu bar, or in the contextual menu.

[EDIT] Doh! Didn't see lookmark's mockup til after i posted this. Looks very nice, my man. Pretty much exactly what I was thinking. Apple (or someone) has GOT to make this happen.

[clarkgoble]

It would be nice if services could be called from the command line and Applescript as well.

BTW - any Service manager really ought to have the option to manage services at the application level. After all what services I want available in a text program are likely very different from what I want in a graphics program.