Using Time Capsule to host iTunes library for use by multiple user accounts

Question

I have recently purchased my first Time Capsule (2TB, delivered December 2010). I have also recently begun to share a single iTunes library with my partner (ie. we have separate user accounts, but following the instructions found at http://steve-on-sakai.blogspot.com/2009/07/really-sharing-your-itunes-library.ht ml, both of our iTunes apps open to the same library).
I think i've done everything correctly, as everything will work as expected ... once we are able to force our way into iTunes.
My knowledge gap seems to be with my understanding of how Time Capsule and its "Data" folder work.
I've moved our entire iTunes folder into the Data folder on the Time Capsule, and i understand that only one of our user accounts can have iTunes running (that one must quit iTunes before the other user will be able to launch iTunes).
What happens sometimes, seemingly dependant on who has signed into their account first, or who has launched and quit iTunes first, is that iTunes will not launch; we are required to choose an iTunes library. This is easily enough done, except when the Data folder is unavailable to that particular user at that time (indicated by the "do not enter" symbol). I've noticed that disconnecting and re-connecting to the Time Capsule will get around this.
I stumble through these steps whenever possible, but my partner is nervous about having to do all of this when i'm not available.
Naturally, what i would like is for either of us, at any time, to be able to simply launch iTunes without issue.
iTunes preferences on each accounts show that our iTunes Media folder location is "/Volumes/Data/iTunes/iTunes Music", and both checkboxes are checked for keeping the iTunes Media folder organized and copying files to the iTunes Media folder.
I suspect that my problem might stem from the fact that i initially followed the instructions given at the above steve-on-sakai blog post, using our Shared folder. Since then, i have moved everything to the Time Capsule, and i wonder if the Terminal command in Step 7 should be repeated for the Data folder ... but i'm not "literate" enough to know what i'm doing there (but wise enough to know i shouldn't mess around with Terminal if i don't know what i'm doing).
I have spent hours browsing the discussions here and elsewhere, and i can't seem to find anything that specifically addresses my issues. I have learned a lot from my searches, but i felt that posting a new question was my best option. I hope that i haven't duplicated anything.
I hope that someone will be able to fine tune my efforts so that everything will "just work".
Thank you so much, in advance...
Bill.

Answer 1

Jaap74 wrote:
Two things that are not clear
- I think it is not possible to have iTunes running at the same time on two Macs in the discribed setting.
- I think over a wireless connection, it will reduce speed.
Anyone with experience?
I think what you mean is that it's not possible for two Macs to access the same iTunes library (ie. the same collection of media files) at the same time. From my research, this seems to be the case, and that's not my issue.
In my particular situation -- one that i'm sure is shared by many others -- my partner and i have separate user accounts on the same Mac, +entirely sharing a single iTunes Library+ (ie. same media files, same playlists, etc., as if we were a single user) and as long as we remember to quit iTunes whenever we walk away from the Mac (allowing the other to log in and launch iTunes and access our common library), this is not a problem.
And that is when my particular problem arises: when we launch iTunes, we are often asked to choose a Library (a series of navigations that my partner isn't entirely comfortable with), and occasionally the Data folder on the TimeCapsule is unavailable.
As for the wireless connection to our library, this has not so far proven to be an issue. Depending on what other activities are going on at the time (ie. TimeMachine backups or background Internet activity, i presume), i have only rarely experienced brief interruptions in music streaming from the TimeCapsule (<1 second). In fact, last night, we watched a movie on the laptop, with the file streaming from the TimeCapsule, and it only hesitated a few times, and again for less than a second.
Message was edited by: William Mclaughlin