OS X Safari automatically convert selection to contact

Question

I am relatively new to OS X.

Is there a downloadable app or service which will allow me to select some text (address, phone number) from a web page or other text and automatically create a new contact in the address book?

Thanks.

Answer 1

So long as you are using OS X 10.6 then the standard OS X data detectors should pick up addresses, phone numbers, dates, flight numbers, etc, so that you can generate contacts, calendar entries, etc. If you find a page where this does not work the file a bug report using Apple's Bug Reporter.

Answer 2

Search on Data Detectors - in Mail these are automatically enabled, but in other apps they can be contextual (i.e. you need to select the text first and right-click) or require activation (again via the context menu) first.

If they require activation, you can probably change the default from Preferences or Terminal.

As you say you are new to OS X, Services are another area that it is worth looking into and understanding - it is possible for third party programs to register that they offer a service on selected text, images, etc - which will appear in the contextual services menu. These can be bound to a custom shortcut key, etc.

You can relatively easily develop your own services using any of the variety of supported scripting languages, or Automator. Third party apps often expose scripting APIs (see AppleScript, but their usage is not restricted to AppleScript as a language).