What is the best way to sync multiple collections of contacts among multiple users?

(I originally submitted this question under the "Mac OS X Technologies" section, but got no response. I'm submitting a duplicate here because this is where all the smart folks are! My apologies that my question is only partially related to OS X Server . . . )
What is the best way to sync multiple collections of contacts among multiple users on iOS and OS X?
For example, suppose I have three collections of contacts: Bob's, Sally's, and Common. I want Bob to be able to access and sync Bob's contacts and Common contacts, and Sally to access and sync Sally's contacts and Common contacts. Bob and Sally never need to access or sync each other's contacts. Bob and Sally would both sync and share contacts in Common.
How would I best implement this? It's my understanding I have three options for managing contacts across iOS and OS X: 1. iCloud accounts, 2. Install OS X server, or 3. Install and manage Darwin CardDAV directly. Which method would best support what I wish to do?
I am a seasoned Unix geek well versed in the terminal, so I am prepared to get my hands dirty as much as necessary to achieve what I want. Also, it is sufficient if syncing takes place over WiFi on the local network, in fact, that is desirable versus syncing over the cloud.

Thanks for your reply Nick101. I see my example was oversimplified. When I say "multiple groups of contacts over multiple users" I'm really referring to N groups of contacts over N users.
So I need to add Fred, who can access and sync Bob's contacts, Sally's contacts, and Common contacts, as well as Fred's contacts. Can I do it with OS X server?
You mention you keep your and your partner's contacts administered locally. What keeps you from administering them through OS X server as well?
I am guessing this can all somehow be accomplished with multiple contact accounts, but I can't find any information on the web explicitly describing this.

Similar Messages

  • What is the best way to sync an Outlook calendar, contacts, etc. with a Moto X?

    I am willing to buy syncing software if it works.  From what I have seen it appears I need software that syncs to Google and then it will be on my phone.  Is this correct?  Or is there a better way?

        I know how convenient it is to have everything synched on your device sooosally. We support Backup Assistant Plus/Verizon Cloud as the primary option to backup your contacts and media. I have provided additional information below to assist you.
    http://vz.to/1iZp7w4
    For syncing outlook and Google, I recommend searching the Play Store for specific apps.
    JonathanK_VZW
    VZWSupport
    Follow Us on Twitter@VZWSupport

  • What is the Best Way to Sync iPod nano to a new Computer and User?

    what is the best way to sync ipod to a new computer and user?
    moving from old mac to new mac - same ipod
    - currently won't add music etc. i guess because it is not associated with this new computer
    - i don't care if I dump all old contents - if necessary...
    BTW: what if it's the same username?

    No problem.
    What about when I have the same user name on both old and new computers - and right now the new computer sees/syncs the ipod just fine .... but it seems that on another day it might not allow the sync
    If it's syncing okay already, then you have nothing to worry about. Anyways, why would it change? It doesn't decide when to. It either syncs or it doesn't depending on the situations circumstances, in which your case, you have nothing to worry about because it's already syncing without issues.
    B-rock

  • Gave grandkids Ipads for Christmas.  I need to sync each to my Mac with their own Itune accounts.  I do have them on my computer with their own login.  What is the best way to sync their Ipads?

    I need to sync each of my grandkids IPads to my Mac with their own Itune accounts.  Each grandkid does have a login on my computer that I control.  On their IPads they each set up a ITune account.  What is the best way to sync their Ipads?  Is there something I need to make sure is turned on in their accounts on my computer?

    Hi Jodel,
    Thanks for visiting Apple Support Communities.
    If your grandkids each have a user account on your Mac, you can use the steps in this article to set up syncing with each user account and iPad:
    iTunes 11 for Mac: Set up syncing for iPod, iPhone, or iPad
    http://support.apple.com/kb/PH12113
    You may also find the advice in this article useful:
    How to use multiple iPhone, iPad, or iPod devices with one computer
    http://support.apple.com/kb/ht1495
    Regards,
    Jeremy

  • What is the best way to sync Address Book contacts?

    Please help!
    I run a small Mac network and I need to sync all (we have 8 Macs) the Mac's Address Book's with each other and also with 5 different iPhones. We have a Mac Server running Tiger and all the Macs are running Tiger. 4 of the Macs are Intel. The server is PowerPC.
    At the moment I am just using 1 .Mac account to sync to them all, but this is causing many problems with duplications, errors and 'stress!'
    The reason for the above setup is money. But, as the problems continue and the syncing become more important, money is now allowed to be spent.
    My question really is, as the subject header says, 'What is the best way to sync Address Book contacts?' In the past I have tried XC Connect, and a few other apps, but with the introduction of the iPhones, the setup has become more complex.
    If I were to buy all new Intel Macs and an Intel Mac Server all running Snow Leopard, would the 'Address Book Server' do the job? I have found very little information on the net and the information I did find was all negative.
    Is there something Leopard can do that Tiger can't? Is Tiger nolonger a good enough system to try and run an Address Book network?
    Does anybody else out there in the Mac world have a similar setup to mine, and if so, how do you have your setup.
    Incidentally, ALL users, incuding iPhone users, need read & write access to the Address Book!!
    Any solutions or suggestions would be most welcome.
    Thanks in advance
    col_t

    Oh, I meant Leopard does do more than Tiger Server.
    I don't know enough about Server, even less abut Syncing.
    SL is to new, not enough time to iron out the kinks yet imho.
    One day SL will be better than Leo, but...
    I'd ask over in server...
    http://discussions.apple.com/category.jspa?categoryID=96
    Or perhaps Collaboration Services...
    http://discussions.apple.com/forum.jspa?forumID=1352
    They may even have a different opinion on SL.

  • I own a MacBook Pro laptop, an iPhone5 and an iPad mini with an itunes/apple account.  I just added an iphone5 for my wife. What is the best way to sync shared music, ical, etc.?

    I own a MacBook Pro laptop, an iPhone5 and an iPad mini with an itunes and apple account.  I just purchased another iphone5 for my wife.  What is the best way to sync and share iTunes music, iCal dates on her phone and my computer and devices? We don't need to sync and share contacts.

    Jordans374 wrote:
    Both are already synced to a windows laptop?
    Move iTunes Library from PC to MAC
    http://www.macworld.com/article/146958/2010/03/move_itunes_windows_mac.html

  • Using Microsoft Exchange to access Gmail (Google Apps for Business) contacts, what is the best way to sync the Corporate Directory?

    Using Microsoft Exchange to access Gmail (Google Apps for Business) contacts, what is the best way to sync the Corporate Directory? For instance, we have 40 staff members and wish to populate each phone with the Gmail profile. Right now we have a third party Android app that does this and copies my contacts to each phone. This is problematic. Any solutions to populate a phone with email and phone contacts? Even it it requires double entry for me...thats ok.

    Oh, I meant Leopard does do more than Tiger Server.
    I don't know enough about Server, even less abut Syncing.
    SL is to new, not enough time to iron out the kinks yet imho.
    One day SL will be better than Leo, but...
    I'd ask over in server...
    http://discussions.apple.com/category.jspa?categoryID=96
    Or perhaps Collaboration Services...
    http://discussions.apple.com/forum.jspa?forumID=1352
    They may even have a different opinion on SL.

  • What is the best way to sync media onto the iPhone using iTunes?

    I know of two ways- one is be simply dragging items onto the iphone folder. The other is by clicking the iphone folder and selecting which playlists,artists, ect I want to sync.
    Is there any difference between the two?

    I have the same question: what is the best way to sync documents between mac devices?
    But I want to be clear:  normally when we use the word "synchronize" or "sync" we are referring to an automatic update to the latest version of the document, whatever the document.
    Just to be clear:  to "transfer" documents is not really the same as to "synchronize".  I will add to the question here with my thoughts. Please excuse me if the om only wants to transfer documents.
    We have tried, over many months, to use SugarSync.  It worked great when I only put in about 10 files to be synced.  It took the latest version and updated it on the other computers that were connected.  But when we tried to sync the whole disk ... we just could NOT get it to work right. Meaning it would scan absolutely ALL of the files on the computer looking for the ones that were modified rather than just taking the lastest ones modified and syncing those.  Their tech department was not much help: I followed all of the steps they told me to do but we just could not get it to work right.  What a disapointment (and a loss of money).
    I would love to find a software that automatically detects what the last modified files were and it will update ONLY that on the other devices (no matter what kind of files they are).
    Any help would be appreciated.  Thanks

  • TS1324 What is the best way to sync my Outlook 2010 to my iPhone and iPad

    What is the best way to sync my Outlook 2010 to my iPhone and iPad.

    Note, I'm on the latest iOS - not 6.1.1 as the original post suggests.

  • What is the best way to sync iCal, AdressBook, etc on several devices? (iMac, MacBook, iPad and iPhone)

    I have several Apple devices (iMac, MacBook and iPhone) and I was wondering what is the best way to sync iCal, AdressBook, etc on these devices?
    I have an iCloud acount as well, but how to sync without seeing enteries double (iCal)?
    Many thanks!

    iCloud should not cause duplicate entries in Calendars unless you are syncing using iTunes as well as Wi-Fi. No need for both.
    iCloud backs up:
    Purchased music, TV shows, apps, and books
    Photos and video in the Camera Roll
    Device Settings
    App data
    Home screen and app organization
    Messages (iMessage, SMS, and MMS)
    Ringtones
    Calendars
    From here > Apple - iCloud - Store and back up your content in iCloud.
    Instructions here >  Learn how to set up iCloud on all your devices

  • What's the best way to sync video and sound?

    If I'm going to make a music video with performance shots (lip-syncing) interspersed with story-line shots, what's the best way to line them up. I mean, I start with some video shot from a car while the song is playing, then transition to a shot of me singing. Say I get the singing clip lined up perfect, then when I add the transition, isn't that going to mess with the timing? And of course, I'll be doing this multiple times throughout the video. Say I get the first one right, then add some more storyline video and another performance clip and I lock that (second) clip to the audio. Isn't that going to shift my first performance clip when I add a transition? Am I making sense?

    First look at all your material ..'review' it.
    As you say so rightly: "..then when I add the transition, isn't that going to mess with the timing?.." ..yes; but only if you haven't allowed for the length of each transition when you first line up your clips.
    So watch your footage, think where you want to cut it, and then immediately think "what kind of transition there, and for how long?" ..Imagine it, in your head, so if you think "that would work best with a quick two-thirds of a second dissolve" jot down that you want to leave an extra two-thirds of a second at the start of the clip which you want to transition into.
    In the US of A, at 30 frames per second of NTSC video, two-thirds of a second is 20 frames. (..The frame counter gets up to 0:29 and then changes to 1:00, because the 30th frame changes it over to the next second..)
    In Europe the frame rate is 25 per second - so after 0:24 comes 1:00 - so two-thirds of a second is about 0:16.
    So when you start to cut your video clips, if you're going to have a two-thirds of a second dissolve between your first two, you'll need to leave an extra 20 (NTSC) or 16 (PAL) frames at the start of your second clip, before the action you want begins onscreen, so that those frames will be "eaten away" in the dissolve between the end of the previous clip and the start of the clip which follows it.
    If you definitely want to see the last few frames of "lip-sync" - for some reason - of the first (outgoing) clip, then leave the extra frames on the end of that clip, instead of at the start of the following clip, but it usually works best to ensure that the follow-on clip starts with those extra "sacrificial" frames.
    If you want to use any embedded audio that's in the video clips - and you're not simply matching up the video to external sound (..such as an iTunes track or your own material which you're pre-recorded..) then be sure to Extract the audio from your clips as soon as you've cut them, and before you apply any transitions. This keeps their audio safely "marooned" on an audio track, where you can edit it separately, and then match it to the edited video.
    So prepare all your video first, and cut it to have excess "tops and tails" which you can eat away during the transitions. (The only transition which doesn't eat away material is iMovie's "Overlap", which freezes the outgoing clip, and dissolves the incoming clip into that freeze-frame. But that - in my opinion -doesn't look to good with music videos, because it freezes the flow of the video, and makes it seem too pointlessly 'jerky'.)

  • What is the "best" way to configure iTunes on an iMac with personal user acounts so each user can access the media library but sync devices on their personal user account?

    I am trying to determine the best way to set up our imac so each user account can access the same media (songs, movies etc.) through itunes and also back up and manage their personal devices under their own personal user account.  There are 4 users on our iMac.  Me, my wife, and our 2 children.  We have built an extensive library of music/media together using the same iTunes store account.  I would like to establish a seperate apple id and iTunes store account for each of us going forward but have the ability for each of us to share our purchases.  What is the best way to configure our system and devices in order to allow shared access to media and at the same time allow for individual management of devices including contacts, apps, photos, etc. Please help, I would like to do this once!
    Thank you in advance! 

    OK, seeing as no-one replied (presumably because a lot of this information is on the forums in bits elsewhere) here's how I've got on so far.
    Applications - just went through them.  About the only one I needed was my media server app.  Just downloaded and re-installed, had a quick look back though my email to find the license key and it all went on fine.  Installation never seemed quite right on my old machine so solved that problem too. 
    Movies - New iMovies just copied across the clips and projects into their respective folders.  Seems to have worked but haven't checked it all that thoroughly.  Some duplicate footage here but I can trim this out at some point when I get a chance to go through here. 
    Documents - Just copied these across. 
    Photos - used an app called iPhoto Library Manager.  You can download for free but have to pay to use the part that consolidates your libraries.  Possibly if I was willing to spend a bit more time I could have got away without using this but given I didn't know the state of my different libraries and just how many duplicates I had this was too much of a convenience to ignore.  Also got my library into a state where I can now spend a few hours organising it a bit better with Faces / Events etc. 
    Not attempted Music or iPhone sync yet as been stuck trying to solve a problem with my power adapter. 

  • What is the best way to sync contacts and calendars

    Advice please
    I am pulling my hair out trying to determine the best way to sync my work computer using outlook and exchange, my iphone and my mac at home.
    In an ideal world I want to have two calendars that is home and work, two sets of contacts that is home and work. And all appear on on outlook, iphone and my mac at home
    I also have Linkedin Contacts (about 690).They appear to be pulled in separately into outlook via the LinkedIn Addin.
    At the moment I have certain contacts who appear three times on my iphone, and its not obvious which database they are coming from.
    I accept you cannot sync outlook secondary calendars to google, therefore what is the best way to set this all up.
    Any advice would be very welcome.

    The only way to do that is to use Exchange server.
    --Pete

  • What is the best way to sync contacts with a webdav host?

    I'm using Thunderbird and Android Contacts as client apps along with a owncloud 8 hosted remotely. I've activated the Contacts app on Owncloud and now I want to sync the contacts between all of these systems. What is the best way to do this?
    I'm trying to get Thunderbird sorted first. I've tried Addressbooks Synchronizer but this currently gives me either a message telling me that my credentials are wrong or sits silently doing nothing. I'm aware that this is a file sync, not record sync method, so it isn't ideal anyway.
    Is there a better, proper sync, method that I can use? I refuse to thing that this is an unreasonable request or that no one has asked it before me, but I just can't seem to find the answer.
    Thanks,Martin

    webdav my initial reaction was the sogo connector.
    These guys recommend the same http://kb.mozillazine.org/Sharing_address_books
    Here http://www.sogo.nu/english/downloads/frontends.html

  • What is the best way to Sync Digital Output(TTL) with Analog Output?

    I am trying to generate Analog waveform that synchronize the rising edge of a digital signal(TTL). The ttl will be used as trigger for camera. The board I have is USB-6343X. In my draft,  I used a clock as ttl so I can tune frequency easily. Could any one tell me what's the best way to accomplish such task? My draft seems working, but I hope there's more neat way. Thanks in advance for any help!
    Kind regards,
    Eric

    Hi Econg,
    You should be able to trigger your TTL output with the analog output by using the ao/StartTrigger as your trigger source on the counter task. You wouldn't have to have the extra Get Full Terminal Name.vi in your analog output task.
    Here is an example using your modified code. You will have to change the cDAQ1/ao/StartTigger to *your device*/ao/StartTrigger, but it should then trigger the counter output at the exact time when the analog output starts.

Maybe you are looking for