Safari 6.1.6 crashes at Google Maps

I'm experiencing the same thing. :–(

I, too, am a Mac user whose hardware is so old — (Mac Pro 1,1 built in Nov 2007; running OS X 10.7.5 Lion) — the newer OS isn't an option therefore the newest Safari isn't an option.

I have both Google Chrome and Firefox on my Mac, but I always prefer to use my Safari v6.1.6.
This is lamentable.

I can now open Google Maps in 'full map' mode in Safari without it crashing or freezing. But as soon as I try to go to a location, it crashes and quits.

(OS 10.7.5, Safari 6.1.6, iMac)

DITTO

This is exactly what happens for me. I can open Google Maps, but if I try to zoom, or input data, then it crashes.

Though it would be nice to be able to use the full version in Safari 6.1.6, the workaround using the Light version of Google Maps seems reasonable enough under the circumstances, particularly if Google Maps has set their spec for a minimum of OS X 10.8.3. It is what it is, and that's no fault of Apple as asserted previously. Apologies Apple. That said, I'm looking for a little clarification on a couple of things...

Vector50 wrote:

I downloaded the Lite version, saved it to a bookmarks file after naming it Google Maps Lite, and dragged the bogus "heavy" version into the trash. It now seems like the Lite version has become the default. Real estate pages that use Google Maps have called up the Lite version, and it seems to run OK for now. Hope this helps.

Vector50… when you say you downloaded the Lite version, do you mean you clicked on the link and loaded the lite version into your browser?… or did you actually download some kind of Google Lite App or Plug-in? Likewise, when you say you trashed the "heavy" version, did you again… trash an app or extension?… or did you simply trash the bookmark/link to the full version of Google Maps and replace it with a link for the lite version?

Also...

neversweatMay 20, 2016 6:03 PM Re: Safari 6.1.6 crashes at Google Maps
in response to neversweat

Seems to be working! Did my periodic test, no crash. Took off "?force=lite" and still no crash! Could others please confirm?

Let's hope this sticks.

Neversweat… I used the original UK link to load the lite version and it was stable and functional. I also tried removing "?force=lite" and it didn't seem to make a difference. Still loaded and remained stable. I guess for me, the question is, if we're surfing in Safari, and encounter a page with a Google Map and/or link to Google Maps, how do we make sure that that link will trigger the lite version every time. In my experience, it seems that many web pages with Google Maps links open the full version of Google Maps. Any thoughts about this? What have others experienced?

I read through this discussion list, and more and more I begin to feel my trust in Apple is not warranted. I have been experiencing the same problems as described here. Start Google maps > instantaneous crash.

For me after reading through the various comments, it is now a case of why continue to buy Premium kit from Apple if they simple don't feel the need to support Apple users?

The MacBook Pro is due to be replaced in July, I thought with another MBP .. Now I am not so sure

Vector50… when you say you downloaded the Lite version, do you mean you clicked on the link and loaded the lite version into your browser?…

Yes. I clicked on the link and the Lite version appeared and was tested with no crash. I then saved the URL as "Google Maps Lite" into a bookmark folder.

or did you actually download some kind of Google Lite App or Plug-in?

Not to my limited knowledge. GMaps Lite is saved as a bookmark like any other site I want to revisit.

Likewise, when you say you trashed the "heavy" version, did you again… trash an app or extension?…

Again, not to my limited knowledge. I did not go to an applications or extensions file and delete anything.

...or did you simply trash the bookmark/link to the full version of Google Maps and replace it with a link for the lite version?

That's pretty much what I did. I put the old full version bookmark in the trash, so the only workable reference to GM Maps was the to the LIte version.

It seems that any site that uses GMaps will go to the Lite version by default if that's what's on board. I can also open the Lite version from a bookmark.

When I called Apple support about this shortly after Safari crashed I was told that it's just time for a newer machine. No suggestion of a workaround or other solution. I have used Apple products exclusively since the IIe, and have been disappointed with their lack of legacy support. I think that Google's option to crash the browser rather than just deny access to the full GMaps version without crashing is pretty greedy.

Vector50… Thanks for the clarification. Neversweat… I was able to open and navigate Google Maps Lite both with and without the "?force=lite" in the URL for a day or so but now I can't even open GMLite without crashing Safari 6.1.6. I find it really strange that we were able to use the lite version without any problems for an entire day and now, today it crashes. How can that be? Doesn't seem logical.

Google Maps Lite still works for me in Safari 6.1.6 and OS 10.7.5.

To enter Lite mode, use the URL www.google.com/maps/?force=lite

Subsequent navigation in Google Maps may not show "force=lite" in the URL. The program sets a cookie which maintains Lite mode until you delete the cookie. Look at the lightning icon at the bottom right of the screen to verify whether you are in Lite or Full Map mode.

For me, using that lightning icon at bottom right to switch back to Full Map mode crashes Safari.

Thank you daysailor; I'm grateful to you for sharing the result of your efforts!
It sounds like you've found the golden solution!

Thank you day sailor, Google Maps Lite works for me too. Thanks for sharing.

Well… I just tried loading GMaps Lite and it works again so the problem seems to be intermittent. I've added "?force=lite" back to the end of the URL, though I was able to load GMaps Lite without it and it worked fine. When I load GMaps Lite, it brings up a map of the USA and what appear to be its GPS coordinates in the URL. It's working for now so I'll save this link and use it when I can.

Given that it didn't work yesterday however, I'd resigned myself to the Firefox workaround and wrote a couple of easy Applescripts to facilitate the workaround.

The first is an app icon that sits on the desktop (You could just as easily put it in the dock). One click and it launches Firefox, opens a new page and loads the full version of Google Maps. If Firefox is already open, it just opens a new page and loads the full version of Google Maps. One click and done.

Given the fact that many web pages for stores, restaurants, bars, etc., that embed Google Maps actually open to the full version of Google Maps and subsequently crash Safari 6.1.6, the second applescript is a service that now sits in the Safari 6.1.6 services menu, such that, if you load a page in Safari with a link to Google Maps and you're not sure if it's going to open the full or lite version of Google Maps, you can just highlight the URL of the page your on, pull down the services menu and activate the service which will open the current page in Firefox. Once it opens in Firefox, you can proceed to use the links to Google Maps, even if they open to the full version. You can also write a keyboard shortcut for the service such that all you have to do it highlight the URL (cursor in URL field and command-A), then type the shortcut to activate the service. Fairly easy workaround.

If anyone is interested, I can post the Applescripts for the app and the service, for those instances when Google Maps Lite also crashes Safari 6.1.6.

The App, a one-click icon I keep on my desktop that opens the full version of Google Maps in FireFox, is written entirely in Applescript. Find the native Applescript Editor inside the Utilities folder inside your Applications folder. Open it.

Here's a link to a web page with details on how to write the code:

http://stackoverflow.com/questions/3645763/how-do-i-instruct-applescript-to-open -a-new-firefox-window-with-a-link

My code ended up looking like this:

tell application "Firefox" to activate

tell application "Firefox"

open location "https://www.google.com/maps/"

end tell

After you've successfully run and/or compiled the code, save your work as an Application. Mine sits on the desktop and looks like this. I substituted a custom icon for the default Applescript Icon so it's a little easier to spot on the desktop.

One small thing about this code... if Firefox is not already open -- when it opens, it opens a blank page and then opens an additional page to load Firefox so you end up with two Firefox windows instead of one. Not a big deal. The extra window sits beneath the active Google Map and doesn't impede workflow. It's just an extra window to close when you're done with Firefox. There's probably a way to write this script such that you'll only get one window when you activate Firefox and load Google Maps but the extra window was not enough of an annoyance for me to sort it out. This code was tested in OS X 10.7.5 and works great.

_________________________________

The Service, written for Safari, enabling you to open your current Safari page/URL, in Firefox, is actually written using Automator (native). Find Automator inside your Applications folder, open it, and select "Service" from the icon options and drag "Run Shell Script" from the list of actions, into the Automator workflow area. Here's a link to a page with detailed instructions.

https://discussions.apple.com/thread/6624316?start=0&tstart=0

Follow them exactly as explained in the post by Hiroto -- careful to make sure you execute all the instructions in both step 0 and step 1. If you duplicate his settings in "Run Shell Script", it should work perfectly. Again, I've tested this service in OS X 10.7.5 with Safari 6.1.6 and it works every time. The only catch is that the Safari active webpage URL must be highlighted entirely in order for the Service to show up in the Services Menu. (click URL field + command A). This is what the Safari Service looks like when it's done. When I saved it in Automator, I named it "Open Safari URL in Firefox".