Sharing Libraries between users.

Hey All
Is it possible to share one iTunes library between multiple users on one computer?
Spencer

http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1203
I found this by typing "share itunes library" into the search bar above.

Similar Messages

Sharing libraries between user accounts question

After many years of having one user account on our iMac, I have decided to segregate user accounts for me and my wife. I'm doing this because I have an iPhone and she is going to get one soon. When we sync our respective iPhones, we want to keep iCal and and Address book information unique to each user account. What I'm trying to figure out is how to share iPhoto and iTunes content between user accounts. I know there is a share preference that will allow the master libraries in these applications to be shared, but the photo albums and playlists created on the original user account are not "shared". Would it be possible to have playlists from iTunes and albums/events from iPhoto to be shared between user accounts? This would enable my wife to sync all her iPhone data from her user account. Thanks in advance.

I have an idea that uses a different approach. I haven't done this for this purpose, so if you decide to try, please do it one step at a time so you can undo it. I'll explain it for iTunes.
Instead of using the Sharing preference in iTunes, put the iTunes Music folder in a location that can be accessed from both accounts. You might use an external drive, or the <hard drive>/Users/Shared folder.
iTunes should NOT be running. Go to /Users/<username>/Music/iTunes folder. In that folder is the iTunes Music folder. Copy this folder to a location on the external drive or to the Shared user folder. Rename the original iTunes Music folder another name, such as iTunes Music Old. Make an alias of the new iTunes Music folder (in the shared location) and put it in the user's iTunes folder (where iTunes Music Old now resides). Rename it "iTunes Music" if necessary (you are making the alias take the place of the actual iTunes Music folder). * It is very important that the name be exact.
Start iTunes. All of your music and other media should be accessible as if the iTunes Music folder is where it used to be. To prove to yourself that the files are being accessed from the new shared location, do a Get Info on a couple of songs in iTunes. "Where" should show the file to be in the new location. To prove to yourself that you can add new content to the new location, download a free song from the iTunes Store (or a Podcast) or rip a CD. Then do a Get Info on the new item.
Up to here, I'm confident it will work, because I have done it. The rest is "theory"...
Copy the old user's /Users/<username>/Music/iTunes folder (except the now duplicated iTunes Music Old folder) to the shared location. You are only doing this step so that it will be available when you log in as the new user (your wife's account), which is the next step.
Log out and log in to the new account.
Copy everything in the old user's iTunes folder (that you just put in the shared location) to the new user user's /Users/<username>/Music/iTunes folder. Replace any duplicated items. You want the new user's iTunes folder to look exactly like the old user's iTunes folder (except for iTunes Music Old). Hopefully, that iTunes Music alias will connect to the actual iTunes Music folder at the shared location. Try it. Run iTunes as the new user. Hopefully, everything looks like the old user's iTunes. Do the tests like before to prove it.
At this point, the two iTunes "looks" will start to diverge. But at least the starting point will be the same.
If something does not work as expected, log in to the old user's account. With iTunes NOT running, go to /Users/<username>/Music/iTunes folder. Delete the iTunes Music alias. Rename the iTunes Music Old folder back to iTunes Music. Everything should be back to the way it was.
If it works to your satisfaction, you can eventually delete that iTunes Music Old folder.
I don't use iPhoto, but if iTunes works, you can do the equivalent steps for iPhoto.

How can I share files/libraries between users?

I have tried to enable file sharing between me and my hubby. I would like to share iTunes and iPhoto libraries but cannot. I don't want to have the same photos & CDs replicated just so we can have two different logins.
How can I do this?

Hi, Loker. Welcome to the Discussions.
Mac OS X and other UNIX®-based systems, in general, are not set up to easily share data between users. A fundamental idea behind UNIX security is each user's data is theirs and theirs alone, and a user must take steps to share data on their accounts with other users, either on that computer or over a network. This is why, in Mac OS X, the Users > Shared folder exists: all users have Read & Write access to such, providing a "commons" for easily sharing documents between users on the same Mac. The Public folders in each account are extant for a similar reason.
Simply changing the access privileges on the folders of a given user may provide access to the files within those folders, but does not change the access privileges on the individual files within such: you may be able to see the files, but not use them. This depends on the application. Additionally, applications often expect to find their specific content in a specific location, usually one owned by the user who created the content.
ITunes and iPhoto have generally been designed as single-user applications. Despite Mac OS X being a multi-user operating system, Apple did not initially consider the idea of a "family" computer where a family would all share and update common music or photo libraries.
Some of these issues have been addressed, albeit IMO somewhat inadequately, by adding content-sharing functions to recent versions of iTunes and iPhoto. This was primarily for sharing content over a local network, but these methods also work between users on the same Mac. You can find relevant information by searching the Help for iTunes and iPhoto. In iTunes, select Help > iTunes Help. In iPhoto, select Help > iPhoto Help.
The downside of these approaches are the requirements they place on the account sharing its music or photos. Specifically, that account must be:
1. Logged in, and...
2. The specific application -- iTunes, iPhoto -- must be running to share its content.
These functions also place limitations on what you can do with shared content, delineated in the "About" documents you will find in the Help related to sharing.
More sophisticated methods for sharing iTunes music, iPhoto photos, iMovie projects, and other application-specific files between users on the same Mac are generallly found in magazine articles or by searching the Web. A good site to search is Mac OS X Hints. You can also search or post on the iTunes Discussion, iPhoto Discussion, etc. for additional ideas.
Two useful magazine articles in praticular:
• The June 2006 issue of MacWorld also had some suggestions on iPhoto sharing that could also be applied to iTunes. That article is currently online: see "One iPhoto, many users."
• The article "Share Files and Apps with Multiple Users" by Fong and Willams in the August 2004 issue of MacAddict discussed techniques that generally involve the use of the Shared folder and UNIX symbolic links. You can order back issues of MacAddict by contacting their customer service office.
Good luck!
Dr. Smoke
Author: Troubleshooting Mac® OS X

Sharing files between users and macs

My husband and I share an iMac. I have a MBA for traveling and my husband a PC laptop (though he rarely uses for private stuff). We both have iPhones.
We are looking for a way to:
- Share our photos (we don't use iPhoto) and some files. We would like to have this in one shared folder, that we can access from both accounts in the iMac, the MBA and ideally (though not a must) the PC and iPhones. We would both need to have admin rights to edit documents, etc.
- Have access to all the information in my account on the iMac from the MBA. Ideally, same thing for his and the PC.
- Have access to all the data remotely when traveling.
- Have all the data backed up locally (we already have a cloud backup, but we'd like to have a local backup too as it's easier and quicker to access)
We have read a lot about configuration, NAS, time capsule... but we get more and more confused, as we are obviously no tech experts.
Dropbox is not our preferred choice. We already have a cloud backup system. We'd rather have the files stored and accessed locally for everyday use.
Using a NAS to store shared folders and backup the rest sounds good, but they either seem very complicated to set up, or they have mixed reviews in terms of stability, especially to access files remotely.
Timecapsule seems easier and more straightforward, but I'm not sure it would solve the "sharing files between users and macs with admin rights"? It seems to be more focused on backing up the main drive and then providing access to the backed up files. (Though I might be completely mistaken!)
We just can't manage to have one shared folder between both accounts in the iMac. We need to grant admin rights document by document. We don't manage to make it work automatically so we both have one folder to access with full rights for all the contents inside it. And this seems to me like something that should easily be done...?
Any help, advice, proposals... would be greatly appreciated!!!

Move any file you want to the other user to access to the Shared Folder. Anything you put in that folder is available to all users.
The shared folder is here:
Macintosh HD > Users > Shared

Sharing music between users on same computer

My wife and I share the same laptop yet have different itunes accounts. I turned on the home share and can see my daughters music on her computer but my wife cannot see my music when she is signed onto her account. I can go to my account and copy music into her library but there must be another way that we can see each others libraries. I tried consolidating my library and that didn't work either.
How can we keep separate libraries on the same computer yet be able to view them the same way that home share allows us to view music on my daughters laptop?

Hi,
isn't there another way to share iTunes libraries between users on the same Mac, i.e. so that they other user can listen to other user's songs but cannot add, delete or change anything?
To be specific I have my iTunes songs stored in the Music folder under my account (the standard way), but would like my kids being able to access my songs without being able to modify or delete any files. If I would copy my songs to the Public Folder, they would be able to modify or accidentally delete my songs - which I would like to avoid.
Any ideas welcome - but reading some of the articles in this forum I am not very optimistic that this is possible.

How to share libraries between users

My wife and I both have a logons on our macbook. If i logon I can only see photo that I uploaded, same with my wife. is there a why to combine our libraries so that we can both see all the photos from our respective logons?

Are you wanting have both of you able to edit, add, delete the photos in the library(s)? Or just be able to view them?
If it the first option, see this Apple document: iPhoto: Sharing libraries among multiple users.
If it's the later option just turn on Photo sharing in iPhoto in each account and have iPhoto running in both accounts. Use Fast User Switching to move between accounts.
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) 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. It's compatible with iPhoto 6 and 7 libraries and Tiger and Leopard. 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: There now an Automator backup application for iPhoto 5 that will work with Tiger or Leopard.

Sharing iPhoto6 between users on one computer

I would like multiple users on a single iMac to have access to all the pictures in iPhoto. And when I import new photos under one user, I want everyone to see them.
I've read the answers to previous posts on this topic, but hoped that in the last 6 months, it may now be possible to share photos between users on a single iMac. I don't have an external disk, and it seems that that's the best previous answer. Is that still the best answer?
Thanks.
Ken

Ken
Put the iPhoto Library Folder in the Shared Folder, set the permissions to allow everyone access and then point iPhoto in the various accounts to that Shared folder. (To do this, hold down the option (or alt) key and launch iPhoto. Choose Locate and navigate to the iPhoto Library Folder).
Some caveats: Only one user can access the library at a time. There is no way around this. iPhoto is a single user app not a file server. The risk of database corruption is increased, so backing up vital.
Regards
TD

Sharing music between users on the same computer

I'd like to make one iTunes library that serves multiple users on that computer (all the users are me anyway). Is that even possible?

Yes. In your Main account, use the iTunes Preferences to enable Sharing. Leave iTunes running and use Fast User Switching to move to the next account. In that account, use iTunes Preferences to 'Look for Shared Libraries'. Wait a moment and the main library will appear in the new account's iTunes.
Repeat as necessary.
Regards
TD

Sharing Library Between Users

new to iPhoto...is there a way to share and/or use the same library between two users of the same computer?
i don't want to have to duplicate our photo collection...and my wife and i both have seperate user accounts on our macbook. is there a way to be "tied" to the same library?
MacBook Mac OS X (10.4.6)

Skimout:
Welcome to the Apple Discussions. There are a number of ways to share a conventional library between users on the same Mac. I'm not versed in them but there are some, like Lori, who have compiled a lot of links covering that subject.
However, I am familiar with a way to share a single set of source files on a Mac with multiple user using iPhoto's alias system. This way each user does not have to copy the files into their library, taking up drive space. Each user will have their own edits, albums, slideshows, etc. They will be able to delete photos from their library but not from the source files.
I've creates some Tutorials on how users can convert over to an alias based system and use it for sharing with others. If you don't find what works for you this method might be of some use.
Do you Twango?

Sharing iTunes between users - problem

When sharing iTunes (6.0.4) between users on the same mac some of the mp3 files I have show up in the remote iTunes within Get Info as QuickTime movie files (remote). They will not play. In my home folder they are mp3 files. They are inaccessible to the remote user to change. Any ideas anyone?

The files probably have the wrong creator.
Discussions member Charlie Minow wrote a script to fix it and explains what could be the cause on this page
Hope this helps.
M
17' iMac fp 800 MHz 768 MB RAM Mac OS X (10.3.9) Several ext. HD (backup and data)

Basic File Sharing question between user accounts on my iMac

I don't understand how to be able to share and download to one common folder among User Accounts on my iMac. I am trying to use a Clean Account as a test, and wanted to copy a file I downloaded from the web in one account into this clean account folder, and install the file.
I went to Sharing and thought I turn File Sharing on. Logged into the Clean account and Apple+I the folder, changing access priviledges to the folder. Then copy the file into the Clean User Account.
But it doesn't work that way. Can anyone help me understand sharing between accounts?

File Sharing is for sharing files between two different machines, not between different accounts on the same machine. If you want to share files on one machine, you just need to put them in a folder everyone has access to, like the /Users/shared folder. Also, don't go fooling around with folder permissions... that's a good way to mess things up. If I had a nickel for every time someone messed up their system using the "Apply to enclosed items" option when changing permissions, I'd be a rich man!

Sharing content between users

My wife and I have separate accounts on our mac running osx lion. I want to be able to share all content in iTunes between the 2 accounts that automatically updates on the 2 accounts if either user imports a new cd, or buys a new app.
Has anyone managed to do this? and can anyone tell me how to do this?
Many thanks in advance for any replies.

A *.tpc file is the file type that is generated when you select Standalone Topic when you publish content.
If user A publishes a topic as a standalone file, and then sends it to user B in an email, or copies it to a shared drive, then user B can import it by clicking Tools --> Import Topic. Be sure that when you import you are on the topic level in the outline and you are importing where you want the topic to display, although you can move it after you import it but why make extra work for yourself? :)
When user A publishes, a box displays that asks if you want to open the folder where the file published. Select that choice, and then right click the file, and user A can send the file using email immediately using the Send To from the shortcut menu. Easy.

Sharing photos between users

Hello....I'm new to the MAC world and I'm having an issue with Iphoto. I have an account and my wife has an account on our mac. The pictures she has in her account cannot be viewed by myself, and vice versa. I have not been able to figure out how to share those photos between users. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks again James

first be sure you are up to date - this works starting with iPhoto '09 version 8.0.2
Sharing via the Shared Folder -- Another major annoyance with versions of iPhoto prior to iPhoto '09 was that you couldn't just put your iPhoto Library in the /Users/Shared folder to share it among multiple accounts on the same Mac, since iPhoto always set the permissions on thumbnails to the account that imported the photos, preventing other accounts from editing those photos and having the edits reflected in the thumbnails.
That limitation has now been fixed in iPhoto '09, so you can share an iPhoto library merely by moving it to /Users/Shared and then double-clicking it to open in iPhoto from each account. You may be prompted to repair permissions on the first access - click the Repair button to do that. Note that this also works for storing an iPhoto library on an external hard disk that's shared among users or on a network volume for access across a fast network.
Only one person may access a shared iPhoto library at a time.
http://db.tidbits.com/article/10204
LN

Sharing pictures between users

I want to be able to share photos with another user on the same computer. I am aware its possible when there are two computers on the same network. I have one computer, 2 users, just want to share our library automatically. Can anyone help?

Welcome to the Apple Discussions.
For iPhoto 09 (version 8.0.2) and later:
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.
Quit iPhoto in both accounts. Move the Library to the Users / Shared Folder
(You can also use an external HD set to ignore permissions, a Disk Image or even partition your Hard Disk.)
In each account in turn: Double click on the Library to open it. (You may be asked to repair the Library Permissions.) 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.
Regards
TD

UPK - Sharing Content between users of local UPK Developer

Hi!
We have two people using UPK Developer (2.7.4) who need to share content. Both are using locally installed, licensed, versions of the Developer. The instructions on how to merge content seems to be missing a few steps - such as where/how to upload the content files to a shared space (drive, website, etc).
The PDF references *.tpc files but neither person has these file types anywhere on their drives. Any help would be greatly appreciated!

A *.tpc file is the file type that is generated when you select Standalone Topic when you publish content.
If user A publishes a topic as a standalone file, and then sends it to user B in an email, or copies it to a shared drive, then user B can import it by clicking Tools --> Import Topic. Be sure that when you import you are on the topic level in the outline and you are importing where you want the topic to display, although you can move it after you import it but why make extra work for yourself? :)
When user A publishes, a box displays that asks if you want to open the folder where the file published. Select that choice, and then right click the file, and user A can send the file using email immediately using the Send To from the shortcut menu. Easy.

Sharing Libraries between users.

Similar Messages

Maybe you are looking for