OS X Tip #145
Maybe you never noticed the OS X Services menu or did not know what it was for. The services are programs that accept input from the user selection, process it, and optionally put the result back in the clipboard. The concept originated in the NeXTSTEP operating system, from which it was carried over into Mac OS X. Mac OS X’s services feature allows you use one application’s abilities from within another.

Mastering the Services menu can be a huge productivity boost in using your Mac. The Services menu is located under the Application’s menu (example: if you’re in Safari, click the menu ‘Safari’) -> Services. A entire menu will drop down revealing many options. Some of the options maybe grayed out, or un-clickable. All you need to do is highlight some text and go back to the Services menu and there will be many useful options to increase your productivity.

The Service menu can works with every application on your Mac (some non-Cocoa apps may not work). You can even add more useful services to boost your productivity even higher. Here is a link to some freeware services that you can add. There are many third party services that are available for free. Just search for ‘service’ on MacUpdate to find many choices.

My favorite is the free WordService 2.6.1 that adds 34 functions to convert, format, or speak the currently selected text, as well as insert data or show statistics of the selection within all Cocoa applications. I will give you some examples on the way I have used it.

Here’s how:
You left the CAPS LOCK ON and typed out a long sentence. Instead of erasing it and retyping the long sentence, use the Services -> Convert -> Lowercase or Convert -> Initial Caps of Sentences to have every letter lowercase except the first letter of the first word in a sentence.

Example, you typed:
THIS IS A TEST OF THE SERVICES MENU IN ACTION.

Services menu -> Convert -> Initial Caps of Sentences you get this:
This is a test of the services menu in action.

Have you ever needed a long list to be alphabetized? Words or lines of text? Try this:
Services menu -> Format -> Sort Lines Ascending, the entire selection becomes alphabetized.

You typed more than ONE space in between words? Try this:
Services -> Format -> Remove Multiple Spaces – fixed!

Moving text from one app to another, using an application’s feature installed on your Mac without first launching it, adding contacts, removing quotes, shift text left or right, summarizing an articles text (Services -> Summarize) are just some of the things the Services menu can do for you faster.

Congested Services Menu?
The Services menu can get a bit congested with some things you would never use. Many applications you install on your Mac like to add “Services.” Sometimes these additions are great and useful, sometimes they just congest and add options you would never think of using. If this happens, you can easily adjust what services display in the Services menu using Service Scrubber which is a free download (donationware).

With Service Scrubber, you can end the overcrowding of the Services menu and:

• restructure the services menu
• change service keyboard shortcuts
• disable services

Also try Blacktree Inc’s free Service Manager. This is a preference pane that lists all applications that include a services entry. Using it you can disable those services that you don’t wish to appear in the Services menu.

Promote Services Menu to Menu bar
If you would like to use services without digging into the Services menu from the Application’s menu? Try the free ICeCoffEE. Along with several other features ICeCoffEE can promote the Services submenu to full-menu status allowing you to see right on the menu bar. ICeCoffEE also allows services to show up in contextual menus (when you Control + click on text for instance). ICeCoffEE has the ability to edit the contextual Services menu in a lot like Service Scrubber does for the Services menu. So only what you want will show up!

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