How do I use one iPhoto library on multiple computers?

I have a laptop and my wife has a laptop...how do we share one commone iPhoto library? How would that work with syncing our iPhones?
I'm thinking we should get a shared network drive at home...but then our photos would not be available when we're not home - right?

The only way to do what you want is to put the Library on a USB/Thunderbolt disk and plug it into each Mac as required.
I'm thinking we should get a shared network drive at home
You can't put iPhoto on an Network location.

Similar Messages

Using One iTunes Library on multiple computers.

Hey guys,
I've currently got my iTunes library saved on a Time Capsule and use it with my mac mini.
I want to be able to use the same library on my macbook pro. have set up iTunes on both computers so that it looks for the library on the Time Capsule so at the moment both machines can play all the media.
However if i buy track using the mini and add it to iTunes it saves it in the right place and plays fine but how can i update the library on the macbook as so it can see the new songs that have been added?
Any help would be greatly appreciated
Kind regards

Another detail with this setup is that if you've got an iPod or iPhone that you want to load music to, you'll need to connect it to the computer that is the 'host' offering the music library for share. If you use the 'client' computer, then it won't let you install your mp3s to your iPod from the 'shared' library on the other computer.
In my setup, which is similar to what you're describing, it looks like iTunes lets me connect my iPhone to either computer and install mp3s.
Seth

HT1660 how can I use one single library for all users on the same laptop?

how can I use one single library for all users on the same laptop?

You are most of the way there. Each user having access to hard drive is the key. If users are limited in file privileges this is harder.
Any files you add to your library and any files she adds to her library are available to the other. Just not automatically. Each user must add the files to their own library using the add file or add folder option from menu bar.
What I have done is set library location to a location outside of My Documents\My Music. On my network storage I have a folder names s:\itunes. Both accounts iTunes are set to use this location for the library.

Can I share one iTunes Library with multiple computers on a network?

Can I share one iTunes Library with multiple computers on a network?
note: one library universally shared, not Home Sharing (one library each, shared to each.)
I want to share one library stores on my server and access it through various local computers. When I buy a song from a computer (non-server), I want it to be added to the library (stored on server). I want it to auto copy to my server, for organization. I want to be able to sync my phone from any computer.
Most of this I can do, if i figure out how to use one universal library for all my computers.
Any ideas how I can do this?

eyeinit,
You can authorize your iTunes account on up to 5 computers at a time.
However, purchased music is downloaded to the first machine to download it, but these articles have more information on moving your music between authorized computers:
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=93063
This one is for moving all your music using an iPod as a storage drive
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=300173
Hope this helps,
Nathan C.

Using the same library with multiple computers over a network Use Aperture

Hi Everyone. I am researching some cataloguing/editing programs to recommend one to my boss, and I was wondering if it was possible to use the same library between multiple computers on a network. Does anyone know if this is possible? This may be what makes or breaks the decision on whether or not to go with Aperture as we need a program that can access a large database of photos on multiple computers.
Thank you.

Welcome to the forum.
You can do it, but...
It's not supported by Apple.
Performance won't be great unless you're running a really fast network.
If more than one person tries to access the Library at one time you're likely to end up with a corrupted database, and there's no code in Aperture to limit access to one person at a time.
The Library must be stored on an HFS+ volume - don't even try putting it on a FAT32-formatted drive.
If you want 'proper' multi-concurrent-user network-enabled cataloguing software you're looking into a whole different level of investment than the low price of Aperture - think more in terms of thousands or even tens of thousands of dollars.
Ian

How do I share one Iphoto library with other User accounts on the same iMac

I have created a shared Iphoto Library. When I add this to one of the user accounts, it copies all the pictures instead of sharing the same library. The result is that it uses memory.
Is it possible to create a shared library that is shared by all the users without actually copy all the pictures to each users Iphoto library?

Hi MikaelK,
SHARING IPHOTO LIBRARIES
Sharing libraries between users on the same local network
You can also share a library on the same machine between users the same way.
Sharing libraries between users on the same machine...
-both users must have sharing enabled in their iPhoto Preferences
-both users must be logged in and have iPhoto running
-Remember that you can only view the other library. You can't edit the photos or play the saved slideshows or view the made books or burn them to CD or DVD. The books and slideshows will show up as an album. You can play that album as an "on the fly" slideshow. You can drag images from the sharing library to your library in the source column to import them to your library. You can then edit, add to albums, books, slideshow, etc.
Sharing links from Apple....
Sharing your photos between computers
About shared photos
Turning off photo sharing
Looking for shared photos
SHARING ONE IPHOTO LIBRARY BETWEEN USERS ON SAME MACHINE
You can try one of these three methods:
1- Use iPhoto Library Manager-the paid version
The documentation page will give instructions on how it is done.
2- Sharing one iPhoto library between several users on one machine
3- Share an iPhoto Library in tiger Using ACL's
4- I have also read about ShareAlike
There is no other info on the site about how it works.
I strongly urge anyone wanting to try any of the methods for sharing one iPhoto Library folder among more than one user to backup all iPhoto Library folders before attemptin anything.

How I can use old iPhoto library?

Good day!
I've re-installed Lion on my Mac. Before that I had copied my iPhoto Library on external HD (copy&paste iPhoto Library folder).
When i've installed Lion - i copy my iPhoto Library to Pictures folder. But iPhoto don't work with it. I try to launch iPhoto with Alt-button and choose that library.
So, question is - how i can use my old library or it is impossible?
And if i cant - can i manually export my projects (books) to new iPhoto Library?
Dmtiriy

Hm...it is hard question
1. I see that folder not like iPhoto Library, but like common folder. So, i can open at and see files into it.
2. iPhoto see that library (when i open it with alt-button) - but then i have the messege - "Your library used by other application or broken" - sorry, i have russian version - and translate that message from russian.
I've tried to create new free library and copy files from old there - but have that messege too.

How do I import one iPhoto library into another?

I have one iPhoto library on my iMac--family photos--and just imported another one from a Mac Mini, which I've called iPhoto (hiking), as it is photos of our hiking trip. I'd like to import everything from the latter into the former, then delete the latter. I tried just dragging the latter in, but instead of merging, it replaced the former. I've fixed that, thanks to Time Machine, but now need to merge my libraries. Any ideas?
Thanks

Well I'm not sure what you did but no one else has managed to ever import one Library to another without causing a mess as described above - in fact as you describe yourself:
It imported the photos and the thumbnails. All I had to do was delete any duplicates and orginize it.
You also lost any keywords, albums, Faces and Places along the wy. Merging two libraries will not import any thumbnails, there will be no duplicates and you'll have no organising to do.

How to share one iTunes library with multiple computers AND Apple TV? Help?

It seems like my dilemma may not be easily solved. Hopefully it isn't as complicated as I think it will be. Here's the situation:
My wife hates that, in order to see or do anything with the images she takes, I need to have iPhoto open on my computer (Mac Pro), and she then has to connect to it over sharing.
By the same token, I don't like that she buys iTunes content on her MacBook, which is sometimes a duplicate of content I already have. Now that the App Store is out, that is going to start getting really expensive.
So instead, I want us to be able to:
1) Have ONE iTunes library on the network, and ONE iPhoto library. Both of these would be accessible to any computer on the network. When you launch iTunes, you would get all the media that is in that library.
2) Both be able to access iTunes at the same time to listen to / watch content.
3) Both be able to purchase iTunes content, and when it it purchased, it updates that single library. If I buy a song, the next time my wife fires up iTunes, that song is there for her to listen to.
4) Have our two Apple TV units be able to play content from this library.
So, I know that we need something on the network. I have a Drobo with DroboShare, so that is one option. I also have a spare Mac Pro laying around, along with a copy of OS X Leopard Server.
I just don't know what route we should take with this. All I want is for us to share a library, to be able to both use that library, for us to be able to sync content from that library to our portable devices, and for our Apple TVs to also see that library.
Possible?!

I'm sort of in the same boat. We've got an iMac with separate User Accounts set up and are currently sharing the same iTunes and iPhoto libraries along with streaming them to our Apple TV.
Right now I'm the only one with an iPod, however she'll be getting one in a couple of weeks.
We also just picked up a MacBook yesterday and I'd like to be able to sync certain libraries like iTunes and iPhoto so that no content gets duplicated on either the iMac or MacBook and so that we both have access to the current libraries for each program on our iPods and AppleTV.
I have an external hard drive that I back up the iMac on and I assume I could manually keep things current with that but there's got to be an easier way...that's why these are Macs right?
Bill

Using one music library with multiple user accounts

I want to use one Music Library and be able to have all my computer user accounts be able to access it. Article 93195 does not work for some reason. It is easy to share music over a network but not on the same computer? This can't be. I have talked to several Apple "Geniuses" and they all scratch their head. One guy could do it in Leopard, but not in Tiger. Could it have something to do with the permissions of the Itunes Music Folder? Any help would be appreciated. This is driving me crazy.

1 Quit iTunes.
2 Drag your entire *iTunes folder* from /Username/Music to /Users/Shared.
3 Log out.
1 Log in on your other account(s).
2 Start iTunes and immediately press an hold the Option key.
3 iTunes will ask to *Create new library* or *Choose existing library*. Select *Choose existing library*.
4 Select the *iTunes library file* in the *iTunes folder* in /Users/Shared.
5 Now go to File -> *Add to library* and select the *iTunes music folder* located in /Username/Music.
6 - iTunes will add all the music in from this account to the main iTunes music folder/library.
7 Delete the *iTunes folder* in /Username/Music
8 Restart iTunes normally (don't hold Option). Everything should be there.
9 Quit iTunes and log out of the account.
10 Do the above steps for all users. Don't do the first 1-3 steps. Start at the second series.
Log into your account, start iTunes normally and all music should be there.
Whenever any of you do anything in iTunes, it will be seen by all since you are using one and the same iTunes library file.
Create a "main" playlist for each user with their own music. Create a smart playlist and set it to Playlist is not the playlist you created above. Select this and it will show you everything NOT in your playlist. Do the same for the others. This will help when adding only the music you want your own playlist.
Note that iTunes can only be opened by one user at a time. If you have Fast user switching enabled, the other users must quit iTunes in order for anyone else to use it.

Can I setup common iPhoto library for multiple computers...

Hi -
Is it possible to have one library that is accessible from multiple computers in different locations? For example, my office Mac, my home Powerbook and our vacation home iMAC can all share the same photo library? I am downloading pictures from many different sources and in different locations and would like a centralized library.. I guess this would be the equivalent of cloud computing for iPhoto...
Thanks,
M.

Possibly. I've not used the feature but if you have a MMe account you could setup "Back to my Mac" so that two of your Macs could access the Mac designated to house the library you might be able to do what you want. It would be best to have an external FW hard drive connected to that library to house the library.
I've used an iPhoto library on my iMac from my laptop on our home WAN. But that was with Screen Sharing. Don't know if the Back to My Mac method would work.
I've used VNC to connect to my iMac from the laptop but don't know if that will let me add photos to the library there as that method has me virtually on the iMac. You could try it with a test library and one of the VNC applications. I use Chicken of VNC. You must setup Remote Management under Sharing on the host computer and install CVNC on the remote Macs. Create a test library and give it a try. Both with VNC and Back to My Mac if you have it.
If any of the two satellite Macs would be wirelessly connected that will be a problem due to occasional dropouts. If a wireless Mac was using the library and had a dropout that could damage the library's database and require some rebuilding effort which may or may not be 100% effective. That connection would also be slow.
If they are hard wired to the internet it would be much more probable that it would work as you'd like and be more reliable.
An alternative method for "syncing" the libraries (if you have a MMe account) would be to create iPhoto MMe galleries of new photos from each Mac with the option for downloading the full sized image file. Once each Mac has downloaded and imported the new photos the gallery could be deleted.

Multiple users using one iPhoto library on a server

I'm working in a design company and we have a huge folder stuffed with reference images on our server. Accessing it is ok using Adobe Bridge but I recently had an idea to create an iPhoto library on the server, this would allow people to quickly find relevant images and by keyword or album. I set it up and all worked fine until I tried opening the library up on a colleagues machine. turns out the folder is 'locked' and completely unaccessable if someone else had it open. Is there a way to make the library more flexible so that more than one person can use it at one time? Thanks

Welcome to the Apple Discussions. IPhoto is not designed to be used on a network server. iPhoto is not reliable on any drive that isn't formatted OS X Extended. If the library is located on an OS X Extended formatted external HD withownership set to be ignored and connected to a Mac it can be accessed and used by other Macs. Just create a guest account that others can use to get to the external HD.
If you want multi user compatibility I suggest you look at one of the DAM (digital asset management) applications that offer that - like Media Expression. Other possible DAM applications are described and discussed at The DAM Forum.
TIP: For insurance against the iPhoto database corruption that many users have experienced I recommend making a backup copy of the Library6.iPhoto (iPhoto.Library for iPhoto 5 and earlier versions) database file and keep it current. If problems crop up where iPhoto suddenly can't see any photos or thinks there are no photos in the library, replacing the working Library6.iPhoto file with the backup will often get the library back. By keeping it current I mean backup after each import and/or any serious editing or work on books, slideshows, calendars, cards, etc. That insures that if a problem pops up and you do need to replace the database file, you'll retain all those efforts. It doesn't take long to make the backup and it's good insurance.
I've created an Automator workflow application (requires Tiger or later), iPhoto dB File Backup, that will copy the selected Library6.iPhoto file from your iPhoto Library folder to the Pictures folder, replacing any previous version of it. There are versions that are compatible with iPhoto 5, 6, 7 and 8 libraries and Tiger and Leopard. Just put the application in the Dock and click on it whenever you want to backup the dB file. iPhoto does not have to be closed to run the application, just idle. You can download it at Toad's Cellar. Be sure to read the Read Me pdf file.
NOTE: The new rebuild option in iPhoto 09 (v. 8.0.2), Rebuild the iPhoto Library Database from automatic backup" makes this tip obsolete.

HT5037 How do I use the iPhoto Library Upgrader? I've downloaded it, now what??

I have just downloaded the iPhoto Library Upgrader how do I use it to upgrade my Photo Library?

Just open the app and follow the steps. It should look for your library and upgrade it. Make a backup of the iPhoto library before using the application

How do I use/copy iPhoto library from my MBP to iMac?

I purchased a new 3TB iMac and wanted to use my existing ~128GB iPhotoLibrary from my MBP. I tried to AirDrop the library, but, after 12 hours or so, it was downloaded as a "package" kind file instead of a "photoLibrary".
For now, I have both machines in the sharing mode and "switched" the iPhoto library on my iMac to use the MBP one.
Any help is appreciated.
-- Regards,

The iPhoto Library is a package since iPhoto 7 (08). Did you try to open the packaged library after the transfer was done?
A safer way to copy the library to your iMac is to connedt the two with a LAN or in Target Disk Mode, Transferring files between two computers using FireWire, and manually drag the library from the MBP to the iMac. If you new iMac doesn't have a FW port you might need a Thunderbold to FW adaptor to do the Target Disk Mode.
Another way would be to use an external HD or large enough flash drive to copy.
OT

How do I use an iPhoto library stored on an external HDD (time capsule) on the new photos app?

I have recently upgraded to a MacBook Air with the latest 10.10.3 updates as such it has photos installed, not iPhoto. The MacBook I'm upgrading from still had 10.9 and as such had iPhoto app.
The MacBook air has a smaller SSD (128GB) than the HDD from my 2008 MacBook, and isn't big enough to store my iPhoto library (over 150GB). I want to just keep my library on the external HDD (which is an Apple Time Capsule).
When I follow the steps on Designate a System Photo Library in Photos - Apple Support it seems to want to import all the photos, it took hours to get to just 3% of importing so I left over night. In the morning it said my MacBooks storage isn't big enough, which of course it isn't - I didn't want to import the library on my new MacBook Air !
I just want to change the location that photos looks for the library every time it opens, I don't actually want it to import the whole library which it appears to have tried to do. thanks!

Thanks for getting back to me!
It is connected over wireless. I don't have an RJ45 connection on the MacBook Air (although will purchase an adapter if needed). Even if I do have an RJ45 connection does this mean I can only ever use wired to view my external photo library?
I suppose having the wired connection will give me the time to organise my photos and delete some of the rubbish (which I would have liked to do on my old MacBook first but it was running too slow, especially with such a big photo library - so I treated myself to a new MacBook Air so I did!).
And I guess I could then put my favourite photos on the MacBook Air and have a separate library of older/lesser used photos on the Time Capsule and just access those as and when over RJ45 network cable. I prefer to use wireless as much as possible as the Time Capsule is normally stored in a room I don't use the MacBook or other wireless devices !

How do I use one iPhoto library on multiple computers?

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