Services

Services only work with those applications designed to use them. Contact the software's developer for assistance.

Also, you need to activate Services: System Preferences->Keyboard->Keyboard Shortcuts->Services->check those that you want to use, restart, and try using them again.

Glad to here I am not alone. I have exactly the same problem. It has affected all my Apple computers and all my browsers (Firefox and Safari). It must be a OS glitch. Like you I fill the appropriate check boxes, but it does not save that info despite restarting browser or the computer. Love to fine the answer. I also am a user of MacGourmet, and also use the clipper for Notetaker, MacJournal, Notebook, and others. It is a hugh loss of functionality.

I am also having the identical problem. I have checked the boxes in services prefs and have repaired permissions. I cannot find a decent review article on the subject of services for beginners.
Could there be an incompatibility problem?
David Thomas

I too am having the same issue. After searching and reading I still cannot get Services to work. I have enabled them in the keypboard menu under preferences. But no matter what application I go to, each and every one states "No Services Apply". Despite rebooting the problem exists. Is there a global setting that needs to be enabled?

Not sure if this is helpful in troubleshooting, but when I go to services preference under keyboard it says to double click to add keyboard shortcut. If I double click any of the enabled services (check box) nothing happens and I am not able to add a shortcut. Weird.

That crazy service menu that was in 10.4 and previous was removed in either leopard or snow leopard, I can't remember which and replaced with a context sensitive much reduced services menu.


ie. no more 'covert selection to simplified chinese'

But no matter what application I go to, each and every one states "No Services Apply".

Did you try selecting some text first?

Duh! Do I feel stupid now. Yes, that solved the issue. Thanks. Should have realized that one.

Humbly, with tail between my legs.............

My services section of system preferences>Keyboard seems to be empty. When I select text and choose the services menu in an application, instead of showing available services, it says "building".

This doesn't seem normal? This is occurring on my Mac Mini running 10.6.6.

What would I need to do to fix the issue?

I'm in the same boat as described above. I found it when testing Devonthink on a laptop running 10.5.8 and my desktop running 10.6.6.

I have the expected services from Mail in 10.5 but the dreaded "no services apply" in 10.6.

Can't seem to add any services to mail... changes to services preferences in keyboard shortcuts pane don't seem to do anything.

This got me looking around a bit and I do find the services in both the contextual menu and in the "menu menu" under file and plenty of option in there... but nothing in either location when it comes to mail.

And in the preferences pane (pain?) the only references I have that are mail-related are "New Email to address" "New Email with attachment" and two others.... but no other references to handling messages or applying a service to a message....

So... is there some way to add a Mail category to services? Or is there another tree I should be barking up?

Am going to dig around other forum posts... but any help or direction appreciated.

cheers
darren

I am having the same issue. Noticed since upgrading to 10.6.6 that my little 'move to' utility at the bottom of the right-click menu had dissappeared. Searched and found the helpful workflow to duplicate it and couldn't get it to work. Having not really used services before thought I was missing something but after hours fiddling and reading the forums I realise NO services are available in any app anymore - just says 'Building...' (greyed out).

24" iMac 2.8GHz Penryn 2Gb Ram 800MHz
Running OSX 10.6.6

In what application(s) do you see that?

All applications. Across the board. I just checked a few more core apps like iCal and Contacts. Seems to be system-wide.

Open a Terminal window, and drag or copy & paste the following text into it:

/System/Library/CoreServices/pbs

Press the Return key. See if that makes a difference.

Linc - you're a genius ! (are you ?)
That solved it - I am very grateful.
If you have the time to explain what the issue was and what the solution did it will help me and others learn a bit more but either way I am v happy.

Now I can (have actually) install the lovely 'move selected items' workflow from rodney weston ( http://hints.macworld.com/article.php?story=20110102042351229 ) and get that functionality back in my right-click menus. And this has inspired me to start exploring automator for other jobs.

Thx again - great resource !