Lightroom (two users, same iMac)

[instinkt]

Hi,

I am buying a new iMac and plan to install Lightroom (first time mac and Lightroom user!).

My wife and I will each have our separate user accounts on the iMac, but with full admin privileges; except for iTunes and Mail, we plan on sharing everything on the iMac, including all applications and Lightroom and the main Lightroom catalog (we don't want nor need our own separate catalog).

When I'm logged into my user account iMac, I want to be able to make all edits that I want in Lightroom, move photos, rename photos, and I want those changes to stick to my user account, but I also want those changes to stick and show up on my wife's user account next time she logs in, and vice versa when she makes changes in Lightroom.

Is this possible with Lightroom? Is there anything special I need to do during the installation process?

Thanks!

[acearchie]

Originally Posted by instinkt

Hi,

I am buying a new iMac and plan to install Lightroom (first time mac and Lightroom user!).

My wife and I will each have our separate user accounts on the iMac, but with full admin privileges; except for iTunes and Mail, we plan on sharing everything on the iMac, including all applications and Lightroom and the main Lightroom catalog (we don't want nor need our own separate catalog).

When I'm logged into my user account iMac, I want to be able to make all edits that I want in Lightroom, move photos, rename photos, and I want those changes to stick to my user account, but I also want those changes to stick and show up on my wife's user account next time she logs in, and vice versa when she makes changes in Lightroom.

Is this possible with Lightroom? Is there anything special I need to do during the installation process?

Thanks!

Not sure about with the users but I would recommend having two catalogs. Both catalogs will probably appear when you are logged in but you can just make sure that you open yours and not your wife's.

EDIT: sorry, I realised I completely misread the original post!

[snberk103]

Yes. You should be able to do that. Just off the top of my head, I can think of three ways.... I will let others debate the pros and cons.

First some background on how OS X users work. At the very top you have the Mac HD. At this top level is a folder called Users, as well as one called Applications. Lightroom (the application) will go into Applications, obviously. All users of the iMac will have access to Lightroom.

In the Users folder will be a folder structure for each user. In your case, you will have one and your wife will have one. Depending on how you set things you may or may not easily see what is in each others User folder. As Admin users you will each be able to "authenticate" the request. Or you can set it up to be more private. Inside each User's folder structure are the folders for Photos, Documents, Music, etc etc

So your three easy options (in no particular order) are:
1) Create a 3rd User (called Lightroom for instance) and put the Lightroom Catalogue and folders with the photos into that User's Photo folder. Then change that User's File Permissions to Read And Write for Everyone. Then you and your wife will use Lightroom in your own accounts but the Catalogue will set in a middle ground. In case one of your user accounts gets corrupted, Lightroom is protected since it is sitting off to the side.
2) Create a folder just for Lightroom (Lightroom Images, for example) way up at the root level. Make sure Permissions are set for you and your wife to Read and Write. This also has the advantage of putting the catalogue and images in a middle ground between you and your wife. However, some people advise against adding anything at this top (or root) level.
3) Create a folder in one of your User accounts (yours or wife's) specifically for Lightroom Images and the catalogue. Then change the Permissions to give the other Read and Write access (this eliminates the authentication step that would otherwise happen. Though do note I am writing this off the top of my head and not trying these things out... I am confident that things work this way, but try it out before committing yourself to a course of action, eh?). This last option puts means that the Lightroom images are then technically 'owned' by one of the Users... which means nothing at all, in this case, I believe.

Creating a special folder for Lightroom images and the catalogue, separate from that user's Photo folder means that they can have images of their own, and not in Lightroom, in their Photo folder. It's neater this way... but you could just dump Lightroom into the Photo folder of a User, if you wanted.

Make sure you are getting a good back up.

[instinkt]

Originally Posted by snberk103

Yes. You should be able to do that. Just off the top of my head, I can think of three ways.... I will let others debate the pros and cons.

First some background on how OS X users work. At the very top you have the Mac HD. At this top level is a folder called Users, as well as one called Applications. Lightroom (the application) will go into Applications, obviously. All users of the iMac will have access to Lightroom.

In the Users folder will be a folder structure for each user. In your case, you will have one and your wife will have one. Depending on how you set things you may or may not easily see what is in each others User folder. As Admin users you will each be able to "authenticate" the request. Or you can set it up to be more private. Inside each User's folder structure are the folders for Photos, Documents, Music, etc etc

So your three easy options (in no particular order) are:
1) Create a 3rd User (called Lightroom for instance) and put the Lightroom Catalogue and folders with the photos into that User's Photo folder. Then change that User's File Permissions to Read And Write for Everyone. Then you and your wife will use Lightroom in your own accounts but the Catalogue will set in a middle ground. In case one of your user accounts gets corrupted, Lightroom is protected since it is sitting off to the side.
2) Create a folder just for Lightroom (Lightroom Images, for example) way up at the root level. Make sure Permissions are set for you and your wife to Read and Write. This also has the advantage of putting the catalogue and images in a middle ground between you and your wife. However, some people advise against adding anything at this top (or root) level.
3) Create a folder in one of your User accounts (yours or wife's) specifically for Lightroom Images and the catalogue. Then change the Permissions to give the other Read and Write access (this eliminates the authentication step that would otherwise happen. Though do note I am writing this off the top of my head and not trying these things out... I am confident that things work this way, but try it out before committing yourself to a course of action, eh?). This last option puts means that the Lightroom images are then technically 'owned' by one of the Users... which means nothing at all, in this case, I believe.

Creating a special folder for Lightroom images and the catalogue, separate from that user's Photo folder means that they can have images of their own, and not in Lightroom, in their Photo folder. It's neater this way... but you could just dump Lightroom into the Photo folder of a User, if you wanted.

Make sure you are getting a good back up.

I really appreciate this. I "think" the third option may be the best one. Thanks again.

[chrfr]

Originally Posted by snberk103

3) Create a folder in one of your User accounts (yours or wife's) specifically for Lightroom Images and the catalogue.

Even simpler: Put your Lightroom catalog file in /Users/Shared. By default, everyone has read/write privileges to that folder.

[snberk103]

Originally Posted by chrfr

Even simpler: Put your Lightroom catalog file in /Users/Shared. By default, everyone has read/write privileges to that folder.

Yep. I had forgotten that option.... good recommendation.

[pete78]

Originally Posted by chrfr

Even simpler: Put your Lightroom catalog file in /Users/Shared. By default, everyone has read/write privileges to that folder.

Thanks!!!!!

[mofunk]

You can store your photos on an external drive. HD are cheap now days. Each time you log in to LR, you basically house your photos on the HD. This way you can have separate



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pVYkkPa2aZw

http://lightroomkillertips.com/


Here is another example

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GvXOwmZSJs0

[Sarmiento]

Originally Posted by chrfr

Even simpler: Put your Lightroom catalog file in /Users/Shared. By default, everyone has read/write privileges to that folder.

I've been doing this since I read your suggestion and its working perfectly. My catalog is sitting in the shared folder which is in a faster internal drive and my actual photos are on a Synology NAS. My wife and I can access the Lightroom catalog and photos independently on each others login and its working.