Multiple User Accounts with Front Row

abijnk · Oct 12, 2009

Here is what I am trying to do:

I have my MBP (running SL) with two user accounts, mine and my fiance's. I watch movies on my ACD and would like to be able to just pick up my remote, open front row and select any movie, regardless of which account is actually signed in at the time.

Can I do this?

To be clear, we have separate accounts and separate iTunes libraries within our respective accounts, each containing some movies.

I've read several threads that say "turn on sharing in iTunes" so I did that, but it isn't working. I can see the content in iTunes itself, but nothing is showing up in Front Row. Does anyone know A) if this is possible and B) how to do it?

Thanks

wrldwzrd89 · Oct 13, 2009

Do you have all your stuff managed by iTunes? If you do, the procedure for getting sharing working is a little different than it is if you do not. The way I'd approach this is with a few Terminal commands and a few permission tweaks.

Basically, the approach boils down to two fundamental questions:
1. Do each of you maintain separate movie collections, or is there duplication between the two?
2. Would you mind using the Shared folder in the Users folder for shared storage, or would you rather not?

The approach I'll suggest depends on your answers.

abijnk · Oct 13, 2009

wrldwzrd89 said:
1. Do each of you maintain separate movie collections, or is there duplication between the two?

Separate movie collections.

2. Would you mind using the Shared folder in the Users folder for shared storage, or would you rather not?

I would rather not.

Also, I am competent enough with terminal if that is what the solution requires.

Thanks

wrldwzrd89 · Oct 13, 2009

Fortunately, the solution here is fairly straightforward.

1. Grant read permission to yourself for the other account's Movies, and grant the other account read permission for your Movies. This is easily done from the Finder - 2 folders need to be modified for each user. The Movies folder in each user folder, AND the Movies folder inside Music -> iTunes -> iTunes Music (which obviously requires read permission on all the folders above it).
2. 4 symbolic links need to be created:
2a. Link the other accounts Movies folder to yours.
2b. Link your Movies folder to the other accounts'.
2c. Link the other account's and your iTunes Movies folders.

Step 2 is done in the Terminal, with the command:

Code:

ln -s source target

...where source is the folder to be linked to, and target is the name of the link.

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Multiple User Accounts with Front Row

abijnk

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wrldwzrd89

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abijnk

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wrldwzrd89

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