Share music on same mac with different user accounts

I'll try to make this clear, i have an imac with a large itunes collection. my two kids have accounts on that same mac, and want to be able to listen to what i have in my itunes. i can't see putting three copies of the same music on the same computer. is there a way to let them play what i have in my itunes account while they are logged in to their own account on the same computer?
imac (5 years old) Mac OS X (10.4.6) macbook, G4 I book, I book, Imac
macbook w/ superdrive, G4 with combo drive, I-book w/o cd burner Mac OS X (10.4.6) macbook, G4 I book, I book, Imac

Jase, you said "Music sharing works across different user accounts, whether they are on the same computer or different computers", but my son will log into his account where he currently has no music. in the window on the left, we can see the other computers in the house that are on line, but there is no sign of the master account (on that same imac). i assume this is because the master account is not logged in, therefore the secondary accounts can't find the master account's music, nor can I from a remote computer ( my macbook, for example). for instance, right now from my macbook i can see my son's itunes list (on the imac) in my "share window" (even though his list is empty). he can also see my macbooks list in his "share window". he cannot see either my list on that imac, or his sisters list on that same imac. all acounts on the imac have sharing turned on, as well as "look for shared music" turned on.
i guess the focus is on this: can the master user itunes list be made available to other users on that same computer while they are logged in as other users (and the master account is logged off, which it has to be in order for the secondary accounts to be logged in, right?) I can't think of any other way to ask this, so i hope that clarified what we have tried and what we are asking for.

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How do I share music from different itunes accounts in the same Mac, in different users account on that Mac with different iPhones?

Hi
My wife and I share the same Mac.
She has her session and I have mine thus each of us has our iTunes session with our own music and settings.
She has her iTunes account and I have mine too.
And..;)...she has her Iphone and of course I also have mine.
So, the big question:
Both like music that the other has bought but we do not want to buy it twice! (through her account and mine).
Is there a way to share music I purchase so she can have it in her iTunes session and therefore have it also on her iPhone when she syncs..and of course viceversa for me too?
It goes without saying that although we like music the other one has, we do not like all of the music, so basically we want to have the possibility to share those special songs we like so we can have them both in our phones and individual Itunes sessions.
Was that clear or I lost you???
Any answer will be greatly appreciated.
Thanks in advance

First of all if you havent done it yet i think u shold authorize the mac on both accounts on itunes. You also can switch the accounts on your Iphones at itunes while you are in the internet adn download the music.
This is just an idea you should think of. For sure there are other ways I dont know.

Share Photos on the same iMac with different user accounts... How do You???

Hello,
I was wondering if there is a way to share photos with another user (same computer, different log-in names) on the same iMac?
There are two users on my iMac and I want to be able to share photos and other documents, music etc. with them, but can't seem to do it.
Please help.
Thank you.

What you mean by 'share'.
If you want the other user to be able to see the pics, but not add to, change or alter your library, then enable Sharing in your iPhoto (Preferences -> Sharing), leave iPhoto running and use Fast User Switching to open the other account. In that account, enable 'Look For Shared Libraries'. Your Library will appear in the other source pane.
Any user can drag a pic from the Shared Library to their own in the iPhoto Window.
Remember iPhoto must be running in both accounts for this to work.
If you want the other user to have the same access to the library as you: to be able to add, edit, organise, keyword etc. The problem here is that OS X works very hard to keep your data safe and secure from the other users. You're trying to beat what's built in to the system. So, to beat the system
Quit iPhoto in both accounts
Move the iPhoto Library Folder to an external HD set to ignore permissions. You could also use a Disk Image or even partition your Hard Disk.
In each account in turn: Hold down the option (or alt) key and launch iPhoto. From the resulting dialogue, select 'Choose Library' and navigate to the new library location. From that point on, this will be the default library location. Both accounts will have full access to the library, in fact, both accounts will 'own' it.
However, there is a catch with this system and it is a significant one. iPhoto is not a multi-user app., it does not have the code to negotiate two users simultaneously writing to the database, and trying will cause db corruption. So only one user at a time, and back up, back up back up.
Lastly: This method seems a little clunky at first, but works very well. Most importantly, it uses the System to do the job for you.
Create a new Account on your Mac, call it Media. Create an iPhoto Library there. (BTW: This will work for iTunes too.)
Enable Sharing on the Library:(Preferences -> Sharing), leave iPhoto running and use Fast User Switching to open the other accounts. In those accounts, enable 'Look For Shared Libraries'. The Library will appear in the other source pane.
This means that both users will be able to see the pics. If you want to use a pic then simply drag it from the shared Library to your own in the iPhoto Window. This means that each user can have their own edits.
If you want to add photos to the Library: Log into the Media account for that purpose.
To make it all seamless: Set your Mac to log into the Media Account automatically. Set iPhoto to launch on log-in. Then switch to your own account using Fast User Switching.
Net result: a Library that's permanently available to all users but also protected. Each user can have their own versions of the pics if they want.
No partitioning, no permissions issues. Uses no extra disk space. What's not to like?
Regards
TD

HOW TO SHARE MY ITUNES LIBRARY WITH MY WIFE ON SAME IMAC WITH DIFFERENT USER ACCOUNTS AND APPLE ID'S. PLEASE HELP, SOMEBODY!

I just created an Apple Id for my wife and a user account for her. We are on the same computer (iMac). I cant for the love of God get my itunes library to show on her user account on computer. My library shows up under shared library when i select it it just keeps loading and nothing. When i try the hold down option while opening itunes on her user account and then choose library my library doesnt show up as option. What in the world am i doing wrong, why is Apple making this so difficult. We are not going to buy separte computers just to share itunes content. Please help.

You can sync devices with the same iCloud ID, not seperate ones.
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just in case you haven't already resolved this, see: http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1203
To share your music with other accounts on the computer
On Mac OS X
1. Quit iTunes.
2. Locate your iTunes Music Folder. It is stored by default in ~/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.
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Important: Do not move the iTunes folder, the iTunes 4 Music Library file or the iTunes Library.xml file.
4. Open iTunes.
5. From the iTunes menu, choose Preferences.
6. Click Advanced.
7. Click the Change button.
8. Navigate in the Change Music Folder Location dialog to the location of your iTunes Music folder.
9. Click Choose.
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Hi -
I just got a new IMAC and me and my girlfriend use it and have two different accounts on the computer. I am trying to figure out how she can listen to my music from my itunes account when she is logged into her account. I seem to be failing at the suggested home sharing options that apple reccomends? is there a way? does she need to import all my songs into her account and recreate her own playlists that way?
thanks for any and all help
j

Ok, so the iTunes music folder holds all the music. I copy or drag my iTunes folder and my Daughters iTunes folder from our separate user accounts to the shared music folder. Then open iTunes and steer my and my Daughters iTunes Music folder location to the same place.
If she downloads new music I would have to open iTunes under my user account. Go file/add folder to library/ locate the new music on the shared music folder and that would bring something into my library file so I could see the new music on my iTunes.
I guess what I started out to do was save memory space on my computer. Does all this do that?
If it doesn’t I really don’t care anymore as long as I can copy her new music to my iTunes and vise versa.
Thanks for the help
Mainer

How can i share photos on the same mac but different users?

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You may try moving ur librarie to the folder /Users/shared if and link it to iphoto from there
You may locate and link libraries from arkiv-->change library in iphoto

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If so how??
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Share M4P music on same computer with different windows Sessions

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Jase, you said "Music sharing works across different user accounts, whether they are on the same computer or different computers", but my son will log into his account where he currently has no music. in the window on the left, we can see the other computers in the house that are on line, but there is no sign of the master account (on that same imac). i assume this is because the master account is not logged in, therefore the secondary accounts can't find the master account's music, nor can I from a remote computer ( my macbook, for example). for instance, right now from my macbook i can see my son's itunes list (on the imac) in my "share window" (even though his list is empty). he can also see my macbooks list in his "share window". he cannot see either my list on that imac, or his sisters list on that same imac. all acounts on the imac have sharing turned on, as well as "look for shared music" turned on.
i guess the focus is on this: can the master user itunes list be made available to other users on that same computer while they are logged in as other users (and the master account is logged off, which it has to be in order for the secondary accounts to be logged in, right?) I can't think of any other way to ask this, so i hope that clarified what we have tried and what we are asking for.

Adding music to iTunes from a different user account on the same computer

I have recently begun using a PowerMacG5 at my college and I imported some music, all from CDs into iTunes under my user account. Then I discovered that this Mac already had music in a different location under a different user account. How do I merge these two libraries together so that both have the same music, same library? Or is that impossible?

hi Zags!
this document should be helpful:
iTunes: How to share music between different accounts on a single computer
love, b

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So, those are my two thoughts, but I'm sure there are others. I'm open to any and all suggestions.

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.

Help using file sharing with different users accounts on same Macbook

Hi, I just wanted a little help using the file sharing option. My wife and I had different users accounts on the same MacBook, but when I am trying to share my baby's picture from my documents folder for my wife to have the same picture, I can't find the way to do that; I am not been able to find my pictures on my wife's account. Is there any way that I could share a folder from my account and my wife to have the same files at the same time on her account?
I mean, something like the smart play list on the itunes?
Thank you

You can't do that directly unless you change permissions on your whole Documents folder which is not a good idea. Your wife can see your Documents folder from her account by going to Users/yourusername/Documents. However, this folder has no read privileges for others except yourself by default so she won't be able to open it.
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Migrate itunes from pc to mac with multiple user accounts

I've read the numerous articles on transferring one's itunes library from a windows machine to a mac and I *think* I've got the details sorted (have itunes copy everything and then organize my library, then copy whole folder to external drive). I only have one itunes account but it my full library and itunes account is used across different windows user accounts.
My mac is setup with multiple user accounts and I'd like to have a single library and single itunes account (same apps, etc.,). I'm not quite sure how to migrate the library from windows and then set it up on the mac such that all mac user accounts are sharing the same library and itunes account. Any guidance?
Forgot to mention, have 2 iphones and 1 ipad as well, all attached to the same apple id.

See these support documents:
How to share iTunes between multiple accounts on a single computer: http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1203
How to use multiple iPods, iPads, or iPhones with one computer, http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1495

Multiple Macs with multiple user accounts

I have a Mac computer connected to airport and use Time Machine for backups. This works well.
I have now purchased a second Mac and would like to include this second Mac so that I can move between Macs and work. There does not appear to be any mechanism to allow this.

After searching the web and the discussion here, here's my minimal impact solution for multiple Macs with multiple users in a household:
1) Set up Mac1 for myself only
2) Set up Mac2 for the wife and kid
3) Set up each Mac to backup to the Airport base station using Time Machine (this would create two separate backups on the Airport base station's drive, which from what I've read has its own problems)
4) On Mac1 setup "empty user accounts" for the wife and kid. These will not have any files in them - just an access mechanism. If they want to access their files, they can use Time Machine's "The Browse Other Backup Disks Option" to get their file from Mac2, work on it and then drop it in the Shared Folder. Next time they are on Mac2, remember to copy the updated/created file from the Shared Folder into their Mac2 user account. If possible, get Time Machine to not backup the "empty user accounts".
5) Do the same for me on Mac2.
Not the most elegant solution, but until Apple get off their backside and make this seamless, I can't think of anything else :-( .
P.S. iCloud is not a soluton since it costs hundreds of dollars a year, uses up intenet data allowance and is slow.

Share music on same mac with different user accounts

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