Using USC Email Lookup with Apple Mail

This document contains directions on how to configure all currently supported versions of Apple Mail to look up USC email addresses for you. This is done through USC's Global Directory Service (GDS) server, gds.usc.edu.

Setting Up a New Directory Service

1. While in Apple Mail, select the Mail menu (next to the Apple menu) and choose Preferences.
2. Select Composing and click the Configure LDAP button.
3. Click the Plus button to create a new server.

4. Enter a name for the server in the Name: field. The name here is arbitrary; however, it must differ from any other servers you may have setup.
5. For the server name, enter gds.usc.edu.
6. In the Search Base field, enter dc=usc,dc=edu.
7. Click Save to save the server information.
8. Make sure the blue box next to the new server marked Active is checked, and click Done to exit the window and return to the Composing preferences window.
9. Make sure the box marked Automatically complete addresses is checked, then close the window to return to Mail.

Adding Users to an Address Book using LDAP

Mac OS X allows you to import users into the Address Book from a pre-configured LDAP directory.

1. Open the Address Book application by clicking the Window menu and selecting Address Book.
2. Select the Directories option from the Group subsection and select the name of the LDAP directory you created earlier.
3. Enter parts of a name to search for in the Search field. After a few seconds, results, if any, will display in the box below.

1. Matches to your search can then be dragged from the results box to a previously created Address Book.
2. The Address Book application will only copy the name and email address from the LDAP system. The entry in the address book can then be edited to add in more personal information by selecting it from the address book and clicking the Edit button.

Adding Users to an Email Message

1. As you enter portions of a name or email address into the To: or Cc: fields in the New Message window (found by clicking the File menu, and selecting New Message), Apple Mail will search the LDAP directory for potential recipients.



2. Click an entry in the drop-down list that matches the intended recipient to add it to the addressee list.

Getting Help

Apple Mail offers basic help that can be accessed by selecting Mail Help from the Help menu.

If you have questions, please contact the Customer Support Center at 213-740-5555 or email consult@usc.edu.