GreaseRoute

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GreaseRoute is a GreaseMonkey script for the Firefox web browser which can display maps and route directions to locations embedded in websites. GreaseRoute supports the adr and geo microformats.

Why a Microformat?

Websites and data are slowly being transformed into what is known as the semantic web. By using web standards, developers and users can better mine the web for useful information.

The Semantic Web provides a common framework that allows data to be shared and reused across application, enterprise, and community boundaries.

Migrating all data and formats to single standards is a lengthy process. One of the stepping stones are Microformats. Microformats are short markups of HTML which allow for semantic description of data. For example, an address has the class="adr", and each of the parts of the address are marked:

<div class="adr">
 <div class="street-address">665 3rd St.</div>

 <div class="extended-address">Suite 207</div>
 <span class="locality">San Francisco</span>,
 <span class="region">CA</span>

 <span class="postal-code">94107</span>
 <div class="country-name">U.S.A.</div>
</div>

Make sure to check out the very cool MapThis script which overrides the mapping functionality in GMail with automatic location detection and routing and displaying a MapQuest map.

To Install

To install the GreaseRoute scripts, you need to be using Firefox and install GreaseMonkey. After you've installed GreaseMonkey and restarted Firefox, then you can click either or both of the scripts below and press "Install" on the resulting page.

greaseroute.user.js

The basic version of GreaseRoute displays links for a map, or a route, displayed at MapQuest.com for the location

greaserouteembed.user.js

This enhanced version of GreaseRoute will embed a map into the page showing how to get from your current location, to the specific address.

Imagine having the address to your store or office on your webpage. Visitors could easily click a link and get quick, accurate directions from their location to your location without the annoyance of having to copy and paste addresses into another form.

Examples

Properly encoding your address is easy. Below are some examples of how it is possible to propely write an address to use the Microformats standard.

External Examples

• YellowPencil (canada)
• Jack Wolfgang Resume