Multiple users sharing itunes songs?

hi,
my family shares our imac (me, wife, 2 daughters) and we all have our own identity/logon. we also all have our own devices such as ipods that we use to synch our own itunes libraries. we also all listen to some of the same music. i'm the admin on the imac and have moved my itunes library to the itunes music folder for the shared user so i can add the songs we all want to each itunes library. when i go to add these songs to someones itunes library, some songs purchased from itunes don't show up when logged on as another user other than me. logged in as me, i see everything.
have i done something wrong? any suggestions on how to do this?
thanks!
tony

what you can try is to authorize iTunes on each account (login, identity) to play/use content purchased with the other iTMS accounts.
for example, authorize daughter #1's iTunes to play music purchased with your, the wife's, and her sister's iTMS accounts.
authorizing iTunes for additional iTMS accounts is basically very easy. all you have to do is +log out+ of one account (click on the account name in the iTunes store window and select +sign out+ from the pop-up dialog) and into the other, and then they will both be authorized. (be sure to just *log out*, not de-authorize ).
JGG

Similar Messages

Multiple users/sharing itunes music folder

I have moved the administrors itunes music folder to a shared user folder. I want to do the same for each of the other 4 users folders so we can share music in one computer. Should I rename each folder and put each one into the shared user file, or will all the music files find their way in that folder from the administrator? This question is based on information I received from the folowing support page: http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=93195

how do i make this automatic so that newly downloaded songs just appear in the other users accounts?
You don't.
Each user has their own iTunes library file which tracks their own iTunes.

How can I have multiple users on iTunes (in order to connect to a shared office iPad)?

How can I have multiple users on iTunes (in order to connect to a shared office iPad)? Currently each of us has our own iTunes account, so I've made an "all office" Apple ID. However, I can't seem to get two different accounts (my personal and the office) to work on my machine. Even when I login as "the office", my personal library is still showing. Additionally, when I try to setup with a first-time use in iTunes, I get an error that I don't meet the minimum age requirement - no matter what birthdate I enter!

The library exists regardless of which user is logged in.
The only way around that is to create different user accounts on the computer.
There is no way to have 20 unique iTunes users access a shared iTunes under a single login on the computer.

3 users sharing itunes on 1 imac. How does everyone's library listing refresh when all 3 users are loading music from their own screens?

3 users sharing itunes in shared folder on one imac computer. What can we do to "refresh" our individual library listing to list music loaded by other 2 users? We listen to books in the car via ipods. How can books I have loaded show up on other 2 library listings and vice-versa? Had a couple of instances where 2 of us loaded the same book because we didn't know the other had already loaded it!!!

It sounds like you are using individual libraries (each user has library files in their iTunes folder) but shared media. iTunes doesn't have an active way of scanning a shared media folder for new additions. You will just have to tell each other that something has been added to each person can add the media information to their libraries. The only other ways I know of are to using a single user library (many disadvantages to that too, especially with 3 of you), or to use Home Sharing which also has disadvantages.

Multiple users sharing one itunes library

i have multiple users on my mac, but i'd like us all to be able to access the same itunes library. when i go to itunes prefs on one of the other users accounts and redirect their music library to my folder, it says it is doing it, but itunes still goes to their own music folder instead of mine. i can share my library with the sharing pref, but while they can now listen to my music, they still can't use it in imovie. is there any easy way around this problem??
thanks for your help.

I wrote a simple shell script that executes each time a user logs in (well, actually, each time I log in, coz' it's not really applicable to other users). It syncs my work and home addressbooks and iCal calendars to one another.
I named it "sync". Then I read somewhere that if you wanted to make it double-clickable (to launch it from the Finder), I appended a ".command" filename extension (so it's now named "sync.command"). I also did a chmod 755 to that file so that it had execute privileges. Depending on whether you give each user their own copy of this thing, or keep a single copy in, say, the /Users/Shared directory, you may have to play around with chmod. Whatever, just so long as the user that has just logged in has execute permissions to the file, and to the entire path to the file, you should be good.
Then, in SysPrefs > Accounts > Login Items, I added that "sync.command" file to the list. So, really the only difference is I'm not wrapping mine inside an Automator script like you are.
I had tried adding it to ~/Library/LaunchAgents and make a launchd plist for it, that would kick it off at login. But I didn't get that to work. Don't know why. But just adding the double-clickable executable unix script to the Login Items list did the trick. Whether the plist has to hang out there with it, I don't know. I still have it there, though, in case I ever get motivated to figure out what's wrong with my launchd plist file. So, if just adding it to the Login Items list doesn't do it for you, you could try making a (functional?) launchd plist for it and plopping them both in ~/Library/LaunchAgents, too. That's how I am now, and, like I said, it launches at user login as that user's process (not as a root process like the above referenced article said how login hooks worked -- although, you may want it to run as root since you want this to work with multiple users...in which case, you might want to listen to Cole and not me...).

Multiple users using iTunes

My wife has had an iPod and has already set up iTunes. I recently purchased an iPod and everytime I link my iPod to the computer, it configures the way she already had her iPod set up. Now when I make changes to the iTunes by setting up new folders or uploading my CDs, she will plug her iPod into the computer and it will change her iPod to what changes I have made. And the samething happens when she makes changes, it effects my iPod. Any thoughts as to how we can set up 2 different accounts and the changes I make will not effect her? Please help my marriage. Thanks.

There are basically two ways of using multiple iPods on a computer and these involve:
a) Sharing a single iTunes library and or user account or
b) Creating multiple user accounts.
Sharing a Library and/or User Account
If you want to share the one library, you can set either or all of the iPods so that they only get updated with only certain playlists (you can update from more than one if you wish):
Loading songs onto iPod automatically - Windows
Choosing the update option "Sync Music - Selected playlists" allows you to create a playlist specifically for the iPod and drag the tracks you want into it. If you tire of the list and want to change it, you just add or remove the songs you don't want. The ones you take out out remain in the library to be used some other time if you choose. You can read more about playlists at these links:
iTunes: Creating playlists of your favorite songs
How to create a Smart Playlist with iTunes
Or you can choose to update any or all of the iPods manually and just drag whatever content you want to them: Managing content manually on iPod
Loading the iPod shuffle differs slightly but it can still be used with the others, for details have a look at this page:
Loading songs onto iPod shuffle - Windows
It's also possible to have multiple libraries in a single account. To create or access a second (or more) library, hold down the Option key (or Shift key in Windows) when launching iTunes 7. In the resulting dialogue you will get the option to create a new library or navigate to the other Library.
Note: You can only have one Library open at a time and iTunes will default to the last library opened if you don't use the keyboard command to choose one. This can prove tricky when using multiple iPods, if you don't use the keyboard command you can risk syncing to the wrong library:
Using multiple iTunes libraries -Windows
Separate User Accounts
Another option is to create a separate User account for each person on your PC or Mac. Different accounts by definition would give you completely separate libraries. Each account has it's own iTunes folder, Library and iTunes Music folder and you load it with CDs etc just as you did with your original one. The iPod can be set to update however the owner chooses, sync all, manual or sync specific playlists
I don't use Windows so I can't give you a step by step on that one, however I can point you to another web page which should help you out. You can read about Windows user accounts here:
Using Windows XP User Accounts

Multi-users sharing iTunes data on Tiger?

Dear friends, I've spent some time unsuccesfully searching for an answer on this - can anyone help please?!
I have used my iMac g4 for about 3 years and share it mostly with my daughter. Last week I decided to set her up with her own account using the multi-user facility. However, I want her to be able to access out iTunes music which is in my account. I tried moving the iTunes music folder into the shared area, but then neither of us could access music, we both had empty music libraries.
Is there a simple way of allowing new users to access both the existing iTunes or other data without making copies of all the music in both user's accounts? Ta muchly.

Hello there and thanks for your input!
Actually, I am able to run iTunes with my music files in the new account I set up for my daughter, without iTunes being loaded in my own account. I noticed during reading many pages of help that you do need iTunes loaded in the 'orginators' account for any Macs that you have in a network (up to 5 in the network).
In my case I copied my iTunes Music library into my Public area and then logged into my daughter account to 'point it' to my music library. It does look as if I can delete and add music too, although I haven't tried that yet.
I've just pasted in the following from iTunes help (that I followed): -
Learn how different accounts on an single computer with iTunes can share music.
Tip: If you are trying to share music between multiple computers see one of the following articles:
Windows: Sharing your iTunes library across computers
Mac OS X: Sharing your iTunes library across computers
If you want to share music with other users on your computer , then follow the steps below.
To share your music with other accounts on the computer:
Mac OS X (Click for more)
Quit iTunes.
Locate your iTunes Music Folder. It is stored by default:
~/Music/iTunes or ~/Documents/iTunes/.
These folders cannot be accessed by other accounts on the computer. In order for other users to be able to access your music, you must move it to a publicly accessible location.
The Public folder in your home directory (~/Public), or to another folder outside your home directory that other users have access to, such as /Users/Shared. Tip: The tilde "~" refers to your home folder. For more information see Mac OS X: Using Your Home Directory.
Drag the iTunes Music Folder to a publicly accessible location. Important: Do not move the iTunes folder, the iTunes 4 Music Library file or the iTunes Library.xml file.
Open iTunes.
From the iTunes menu, choose Preferences.
Click Advanced.
Click the Change button.
Navigate in the Change Music Folder Location dialog to the location of your iTunes Music folder.
Click Choose.
To listen to another account's music files:
Open iTunes.
From the iTunes menu, choose Preferences.
Click Advanced.
Deselect the "Copy files to iTunes Music folder when adding to library file" option.
Click OK.
From the File menu, choose Add File to Library. Note: Windows users can also choose Add Folder to Library to add a folder of songs.
Navigate in the Add File To Library window to the location where the other user's music is saved (the iTunes Music folder in the case above).
Click Open.
Repeat these steps for each account that is listening to shared music.
When another user of the computer has imported new music from CD, repeat steps 6 through 8 to add the music to your library.
Thanks for you link to the iPhoto help - I'm sure I will want to do that next!!
Regards
Paul

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We just bought an ipod nano for a second family member. Do I need to install a second itunes so we don't get the libraries mixed up, or is there an easier way?

When the iPods belong to different people, there are basically three ways of using multiple iPods on a computer and these involve:
a) Sharing a single iTunes library
b) Creating Multiple Libraries in a single user account
c) Creating multiple user accounts (every account uses the same iTunes program executable from your Programs File so it doesn't have to be installed more than once).
Note: When you are sharing an iTunes library, you don't have to set each iPod to update in the same manner, you can mix and match from the options below as each iPod has it's own update settings
Sharing a Library and/or User Account
If you want to share the one library, you can set either or all of the iPods so that they only get updated with only certain playlists (you can update from more than one if you wish): Loading songs onto iPod automatically - Windows
Choosing the update option "Sync Music - Selected playlists" allows you to create a playlist specifically for the iPod and drag the tracks you want into it. If you tire of the list and want to change it, you just add or remove the songs you don't want. The ones you take out out remain in the library to be used some other time if you choose. You can read more about playlists at these links:
iTunes: Creating playlists of your favorite songs
How to create a Smart Playlist with iTunes
Or you can choose to update any or all of the iPods manually and just drag whatever content you want to them: Managing content manually on iPod
Multiple Libraries
It's also possible to have multiple libraries in a single account. To create or access a second (or more) library, hold down the Option key (or Shift key in Windows) when launching iTunes 7. In the resulting dialogue you will get the option to create a new library or navigate to the other Library.
Note: You can only have one Library open at a time and iTunes will default to the last library opened if you don't use the keyboard command to choose one. This can prove tricky when using multiple iPods, if you don't use the keyboard command you can risk syncing to the wrong library: Using multiple iTunes libraries -Windows
Separate User Accounts
Another option is to create a separate User account for each person on your PC or Mac. Different accounts by definition would give you completely separate libraries. Each account has it's own iTunes folder, Library and iTunes Music folder and you load it with CDs etc just as you did with your original one. The iPod can be set to update however the owner chooses, sync all, manual or sync specific playlists
I don't use Windows so I can't give you a step by step on that one, however I can point you to another web page which should help you out. You can read about Windows user accounts here:
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You would think Apple, the forefront of Home computing, would have a built in preference selection allowing multiple users on the SAME computer to share simple things like address book and calendar data.
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user515989 wrote:
I'm a Forms developer, and Apex looks intriguing yet formidably intractable. Where are the triggers for
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Message was edited by: Peter O'Riordan

can you share across two computers and both access the same iTunes library and listen to music from that library at the same time?

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Hello all - Maybe someone can help with this one - I've got multiple ipods all sharing the same itunes - Once I have all the songs selected for one of the Ipods, is there a way I can save that? I'd like to have one devoted to 3 or 4 genres - and the other devoted to others - but I'm constantly having to go through and change the selections, depending on which ipod is being updated. Any ideas? Thanks!

Have you considered creating a separate playlist for each iPod and loading it using the option 'Sync Music - Selected playlists'. Syncing selected playlists is just like syncing your whole library only on a smaller scale and more "selectively". This is particularly useful when your library is larger than the capacity of your iPod. When your iPod is is set to sync selected playlists it automatically picks up any changes you made to that playlist in iTunes since you last connected. Anything you added to the playlist will be added to the iPod, anything you deleted from it will be deleted from the iPod. In other words the iTunes playlist and the iPod are kept "in sync".
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Multiple users sharing itunes songs?

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