IPhoto not properly sharing same library between different accounts

I have my iPhoto library installed on a 4GB thunderbird external hard drive, brand LaCie in case that matters. I made sure to select the drive and adjust the permissions as recommended in the Apple tech support article - basically you have to select the option to "ignore ownership on this drive" which I did. I also made sure to indicate that both user accounts could read and write to this drive.
Now, I'm trying to make it so that my wife and I, who each have our own accounts on the same iMac, can share the same iPhoto library and import to the same iPhoto library. The problems seem to be occurring mostly on my wife's side. These are as follows:
1) Many times when she loads up iPhoto, it starts off with the default iPhoto library in her directory and we have to keep manually selecting the iPhoto library on the external hard drive.
2) Some of the pictures in the library viewed through her account have wrong thumbnails - that is to say, pictures within a given event show one set of thumbnails but when clicking you get completely different pictures. The same problem is not seen with the same pictures viewed in my account.
3) When syncing iOS devices through her account, iTunes sometimes fails to see the correct iPhoto library, requiring us to again go into iPhoto and select the correct library on the external hard drive.
I would really appreciate some feedback as to how to fix these problems. I thought I did everything correctly but placing the library file on a shared external hard drive and fixing the permissions, but still this problem is ongoing. How can I get iPhoto to only use the library on the external HD as default in her account as well as mine? And how to fix the thumbnail problem?

I would trash the cache and the plist files in the affected account.
The cache file is here
/Users/Your Name/Library/Containers/com.apple.iPhoto/Data/Library/Caches
Try trash the com.apple.iPhoto.plist file from the HD/Users/ Your Name / library / preferences folder.
(On 10.7 or later: Hold the option (or alt) key while clicking on the Go menu in Finder to access the User Library)
(Remember you'll need to reset your User options afterwards. These include minor settings like the window colour and so on. Note: If you've moved your library you'll need to point iPhoto at it again.)
What's the plist file?
For new users: Every application on your Mac has an accompanying plist file. It records certain User choices. For instance, in your favourite Word Processor it remembers your choice of Default Font, on your Web Browser is remembers things like your choice of Home Page. It even recalls what windows you had open last if your app allows you to pick up from where you left off last. The iPhoto plist file remembers things like the location of the Library, your choice of background colour, whether you are running a Referenced or Managed Library, what preferences you have for autosplitting events and so on. Trashing the plist file forces the app to generate a new one on the next launch, and this restores things to the Factory Defaults. Hence, if you've changed any of these things you'll need to reset them. If you haven't, then no bother. Trashing the plist file is Mac troubleshooting 101.

Similar Messages

Sharing iTunes library between different user accounts

I recently purchased my imac and made the leap from the PC world. I set up another user account aside from the general administrator and followed the steps of having itunes folder go to the users/shared folder in an effort to be able to share files between users. I am able to now share the library between users but find that when I load new songs onto one user I then need to go into the other user's account and manually copy the new songs from the shared folder into itunes.
Anyone know how I can have it so when I load songs into one users itunes they will automatically appear in library of the other user's itunes without having to take the step of copying/importing?
Also when I was downloading and importing over 4000 songs my imac had the transparent black box which informed me I needed to shut down my computer at least twice. Should I be concerned? I'm assuming this notice is very similar to the "blue screen of death" known in the PC world so that can't be good especially when I paid the extra $ for fully loaded imac.
Thanks for the help!

DANMAC808, Welcome to the discussion area!
See KB 93195, iTunes: How to share music between different accounts on a single computer.
Also when I was downloading and importing over 4000 songs my imac had the transparent black box which informed me I needed to shut down my computer at least twice. Should I be concerned?
That is not normal at all.

Sharing iTunes library between two accounts on a single iMac

My wife and I are using the same iMac but through 2 separate accounts, which is quite neat to separate files, preferences, etc.
We have 'ripped' our home CD collection into the iTunes library of my account, and I am now looking for a way for my wife to belisten to the same music on the same computer from her own account.
I have tried the 'Share' functionality in iTunes, but this seems to open access to the library to other iMacs on the networkd, which we don't need.
Any pointers?
tx,
AH
PS Same request for iPhoto, question posted there

This should help:
iTunes: How to share music between different accounts on a single computer
Note that when it says "publicly accessible location", it needs to be a place where everyone has read and write access. The most common such place is the Shared folder in the Users folder.

How to automatically sync a shared itunes library between all accounts?

Hi Guys
I have my itunes library on a separate drive in my desktop computer. My account points on this desktop to this library. I have another account on my laptop, set to automount this drive. iTunes on the laptop points to this library also. Both have admin rights to the iTunes library drive. I can add music or files from either account.
In order to sync what each account sees in iTunes, the iTunes Library file and the xml file in each accounts' iTunes folder needs to be the same in both accounts.
This is a pain whenever I have added to the library, eg downloaded a podcast, or ripped a CD. I know I can either manually drag the added files into the window of the iTunes that needs updating, or I can copy the iTunes Library file and the xml file from the most recently modified iTunes, or I can export the added playlist from the newer iTunes then add it to the older iTunes. All of these manual methods are not ideal.
Now, my question is, has anyone achieved an automated way of doing this with the minimum degree of fuss? I'm thinking along the lines of Automator perhaps, or using a backup program on either computer to sync the library files say every night. Or is there another way. Or is my method of sharing one library not the best way. (I know I can use iTunes sharing, but it means I can't modify the library from all accounts.)
Any comments?
Thanks
Michael

have you done a consolidate in iTunes?
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=93195
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=301748
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?path=iTunesMac/5.0/en/670.html

Sharing itunes library between two accounts on the same imac

We just got a 27" imac and my wife and I have our own log on accounts. We share our itunes library. I have moved our itunes library to the shared folder so both of us can see its contents and pointed itunes on both user accounts to that shared folder. But, if she or I purchase an app or music it doesn't go into that shared folder. So I have to copy and paste it into the shared folder. Am I missing something there should be an easier way? I just want us to share the music and iphone apps we purchase.
We are using the same itunes account on the same imac, we just have different user accounts on the imac. Thanks

levidan wrote:
We just got a 27" imac and my wife and I have our own log on accounts. We share our itunes library. I have moved our itunes library to the shared folder so both of us can see its contents and pointed itunes on both user accounts to that shared folder. But, if she or I purchase an app or music it doesn't go into that shared folder. So I have to copy and paste it into the shared folder. Am I missing something there should be an easier way? I just want us to share the music and iphone apps we purchase.
We are using the same itunes account on the same imac, we just have different user accounts on the imac. Thanks
hi levidan and welcome to the discussion area !
take a look at this read for information.

Sharing iTunes Library between user accounts...possible?

Hello all,
I'm an experienced Mac user but am currently setting up a new iMac for my family. I've never had more than one user account because I'm the only one who uses my macbook but now my family wants 3 different user accounts for the new iMac in their home.
Because I only use my one user account at home, I never thought about the fact that different user accounts would also split up iTunes music libraries. If I import music from a CD, I would like that to be accessible and available when using any 1 of the 3 user accounts. Is this possible?
For example, my mother and father purchase CDs together...so they both own the same albums. They want to share music on the iMac, but if I import discs twice it takes up twice the amount of time and much more importantly twice the amount of space. How can I get around this??? Can one user access another users iTunes library and make that the default folder?
Thanks for your help as always!!

What you need to do is locate the iTunes Music Folder that contains the actual music in a location that is read/writable by all users. By definition, the security on each user's home folder keeps others out.
A common suggestion is to locate the music in the /Users/Shared/ folder and make sure that everyone has read/write privileges. Bear in mind that means that anyone will be able to delete all the shared music.

HT1203 iTunes: How to share music between different accounts on a single computer - I tried to use the instructions to configure 2 different windows users sharing the same iTunes library. I could not get this to work per the instructions.

I tried to configure 2 windows users accounts using a single library per the instructions in HT1203. My iTunes library is on an external drive. I cannot get this to work. Any suggestions?

To give other users read-only access to your iTunes library, use the Sharing features of iTunes. Sharing works over the local network as well as on the same computer. See the built-in help for details.
If you want to give full read/write access to more than one user, see the support article linked below.
iTunes: How to share music between different accounts on a single computer
There is a way to share the library without moving it to a secondary volume. If you really need to do that, ask for instructions.

Sharing I tunes music library between different user logins on same PC

Due to my computer crashing I recently bought a new PC running Microsoft Vista. I am attempting to set the PC up so that different members of the family can have their own login. I have downloaded I tunes 7 and it shows on each desktop. My problem is that I cannot figure out how to share the music library between each login.

the following document may be of some assistance with that:
iTunes: How to share music between different accounts on a single computer

Sharing itunes Library between 2 acccounts on the same Mac

Hi,
My wife and I have created two separate user accounts on our mac due to different desktop preferences. However, when she uses itunes under her account, it does not acknowledge the itunes library that is under my account. I tried to import the library but it says the folder is locked. Is there any way for the 1 library to be shared by both accounts since the library is our joint collection.
Thanks,
-Keith

Have a look at this page: iTunes: How to share music between different accounts on a single computer

ITunes Library between different users on Same Mac

Hi,
If I create multiple users, say one for me and one for my wife and probably another for a guest, How do I share the music library among all the users? I am a new Mac user and would appreciate your help.
Thank you
Dinesh

iTunes: How to share music between different accounts on a single computer describes two methods.
Each method has it's (dis)advantages.
Fast user switching enables listening to each others music, but iTunes of the acount you're listening to, has to be active.
By using this method, you can't mess up each others library.
Putting the music in a shared folder (second method) gives each user full access. If one user adds or deletes files, the others have to do the same.
Hope this helps.
M
17' iMac fp 800 MHz 768 MB RAM Mac OS X (10.3.9) Several ext. HD (backup and data)

Sharing aperture library between two computers in same house

How do I go about sharing the same library between two computers in the same house? I would like to take some or all photos around with me on my laptop and be able to have them also at home for use by my family. Will I have trouble with changes and keeping things in sync? Would I locate the library on a portable drive on our home network? Thanks,
Todd

cut and dry ???
are you wanting to constantly move the external around from machine to machine ??? or are you looking for simultaneous access ???
if you had a library on an external and moved it between computers, it could work ... just be careful to always have the external connected before starting aperture, else it will create a new null library for you ...
you could have db issues if you tried to have two people access it at once ... i dont believe that the aperture db could handle multi access at once ... not robust enough ... no locking of records, etc ...

Sharing an iTunes library between multiple accounts on one machine

I have tried to set up a shared library so that all users on my computer can access the same music. I have tried moving my iTunes folder to the HD under Users, Shared and setting the filepath in the Preferences, Advanced, General to point to that location. It works fine with the main admin account but other users have an empty library despite their paths being altered also.
Any advice would be much appreciated.

It's a misunderstanding that setting the 'iTunes Music folder location' tells iTunes to look at that location.
The iTunes Music folder location is the location where your next imported CD is stored. The song locations however are stored inside the 'iTunes Library' file which is in ./Users/YourUsername/Music/iTunes.
Moving the music folder to another location without 'telling' iTunes normally will lead to loss of links. You will see exclamation marks before the song name, telling that iTunes can't find the files.
Recent versions of iTunes can track a moved folder, when it's moved on the same disk.
The other users will not see this music. You have to copy the 'iTunes Library' file and put it in the iTunes folder of the other user(s).
--edit
Instead of copying the 'iTunes Library' file, you can add the entire music folder to each users library.
This will enable every user to apply their own rating (which is not stored in the song file, but in the 'iTunes Library' file).
--end of edit
They will then have full access to the library, which means, every user can add and delete music from the shared library.
The methods of sharing music are described here:
iTunes: How to share music between different accounts on a single computer
Hope this helps.
M
Message was edited by: macmenno

Sharing an iTunes library between 2 accounts

I am setting up iTunes on a new iMac with OS 10.5.6 There is no obvious way to share one library between two accounts. I have tried the official apple method listed here:
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1203
but it does not seem to work. I have also tried copying the complete iTunes folder to /users/shared, but that did not work. Any suggestions?
You would think this could all be done with the press of a button.

It's a misunderstanding that setting the 'iTunes Music folder location' tells iTunes to look at that location.
The iTunes Music folder location is the location where your next imported CD is stored. The song locations however are stored inside the 'iTunes Library' file which is in ./Users/YourUsername/Music/iTunes.
Moving the music folder to another location without 'telling' iTunes normally will lead to loss of links. You will see exclamation marks before the song name, telling that iTunes can't find the files.
Recent versions of iTunes can track a moved folder, when it's moved on the same disk.
The other users will not see this music. You have to copy the 'iTunes Library' file and put it in the iTunes folder of the other user(s).
--edit
Instead of copying the 'iTunes Library' file, you can add the entire music folder to each users library.
This will enable every user to apply their own rating (which is not stored in the song file, but in the 'iTunes Library' file).
--end of edit
They will then have full access to the library, which means, every user can add and delete music from the shared library.
The methods of sharing music are described here:
iTunes: How to share music between different accounts on a single computer
Hope this helps.
M
Message was edited by: macmenno

How do you share the same library across different mac accounts on same computer?

I have 3 accounts on the same Mac and want to share the library (or parts) across all 3. Home sharing does not seem to work -- I've activated it but there are no shared libraries showing up on itunes. thanks.

iTunes: How to share music between different accounts on a single computer

HT3819 How do I share my itunes library with my mother on the same computer, but different accounts?

How do I share my itunes library with my mother on the same computer, but different accounts?
My mother and I share a desktop computer (apple) and we have seperate itunes accounts. How do we share accounts?

iTunes Home Sharing now works between users on same computer - https://discussions.apple.com/thread/3865597
You could set up two completely separate libraries and share music via Home Sharing.
iTunes: How to share music between different accounts on a single computer - http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1203 - relocating iTunes' media folder to a shared area but leaving separate library files - extra tip at https://discussions.apple.com/message/17331189
Chris CA's instructions on sharing one iTunes music library between multiple user accounts - https://discussions.apple.com/message/8974074 - Multiple users using a single library file - similar post at: https://discussions.apple.com/thread/3753008
Suggestion by Turingtest for multiple users and one library - http://discussions.apple.com/message/9117622 - use smart playlists and tags to isolate groupings.
Discussions on using purchases from multiple AppleIDs in one iTunes library - https://discussions.apple.com/message/19543804

IPhoto not properly sharing same library between different accounts

Similar Messages

Maybe you are looking for