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Mappie Map

Send addresses quickly to mobile phone (server required)

3 July 2009

The new iPhone is good, so I think it’s time to tell all the world once again information that I find really helpful as I try to get around town. This is how I get street addresses from my home Mac to my mobile iPhone with ease.

Requirements:
0. Want to get a street address to your iPhone more easily.
1. Use Safari or Firefox on your computer at home. (IE is untested.)
2. Have a server somewhere that runs PHP and can send you email.

Basically, if you have access to a server, here’s an easy solution I call Mappie Map. It’s kind of like iPhoneSender, but you don’t have to type something every time you use it.

First, create a script file on your server and name it iphone.php:

< ?php
function mystrip($s) {
	$s = trim($s);
	$s = str_replace("\xA0",' ',$s);
	$s = preg_replace('/\s+/','+',$s);
	return $s;
}
$to = "YOUREMAIL";
$address = $_REQUEST["address"];
echo $address . "<br />";
$subject = "Map: " . $address;
$address = mystrip($address);
$message = "http://maps.google.com/?q=" . $address;
$from = "Mappie Map YOUREMAIL";
$headers = "From: $from";
mail($to,$subject,$message,$headers);
echo $address;
?>

Then drag this link [Mappie Map] to your Safari bookmark bar and click on it after highlighting an address in your web page.

Of course, you’ll have to edit the bookmark first, with your server name; you’ll have to edit the other script with your email info, too. Once it’s running, click on the bookmarklet, a new window pops up showing the sent info which you must close manually, and you’ll soon get a message from Mappie Map. Just tap on its contents, and the address will now appear in your iPhone’s Maps app without you having to type it in. I find this real real handy. Leave a comment if you find it handy, too!

Posted July 3, 2009 at 5:33 pm

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