New Mac user, question regarding sharing iTunes and iPhoto across accounts.

[asaj]

We picked up our first Mac yesterday, a 13" uMBP. I upgraded the HDD and the RAM last night and reinstalled all of the software, so it is good to go. I have a question regarding multiple accounts though, and sharing librabries.

My wife and I will each have an account on the Mac, to keep our docs and email separate. However, I want a single iPhoto library, and a single iTunes library for us both to use and sync to. I see in my account, I have Music, Pictures, Movies, etc folders, and a Public folder. As it stands, my iPhoto library is saved in my Pictures folder, which I assume my wife could not access from her account by default. Am I correct in thinking that I want to move the library to the Public folder, and then point her iPhoto to the library in the Public folder, and then we would both be accessing and working from the same library? the same would hold true for iTunes, videos, etc? Is that the best way to do it?

Thanks,
Andy

 

[swiftaw]

In the Users folder there is a folder called Shared, you should but your iPhoto and iTunes stuff in there and then both of you will be able to access it.

 

[asaj]

In the Users folder there is a folder called Shared, you should but your iPhoto and iTunes stuff in there and then both of you will be able to access it.

Ah, yes I see that. Makes sense. What's the difference between the Shared folder and the Public folder?

 

[swiftaw]

Each account has a public folder which the account holder can give other people access to, either no access, read only access, write only access, or read and write access.

The shared folder is just that, it belongs to no individual account holder but is shared across all accounts so all accounts have full permissions within it.

 

[asaj]

Each account has a public folder which the account holder can give other people access to, either no access, read only access, write only access, or read and write access.

The shared folder is just that, it belongs to no individual account holder but is shared across all accounts so all accounts have full permissions within it.

Thats perfect. So moving all my libraries there allows us both full access, and we can both sync to the same iTunes library, exactly what I was looking for.

Thanks a lot for your help, I really appreciate it.

Andy

 

[Zawamura]

I think you have to hold down alt when starting iTunes to choose what location the library is at. Same with iPhoto

 

[aristobrat]

Thats perfect. So moving all my libraries there allows us both full access, and we can both sync to the same iTunes library, exactly what I was looking for.

If you guys use Fast User Switching on your Mac, remember that you can only have a total of one copy of iTunes or iPhoto running at the same time (if you're sharing the library like you are).

 

[asaj]

If you guys use Fast User Switching on your Mac, remember that you can only have a total of one copy of iTunes or iPhoto running at the same time (if you're sharing the library like you are).

Will it throw an error if User B tries to open iTunes after fast switching from User A, who already has it running?

 

[aristobrat]

The error I've seen is that it will say that it can't open the library. When it happened to me, it didn't specifically say that it was because another user had the library opened, ... took a little bit of playing around to figure that out.

 

[asaj]

Okay, so I have iPhoto working between both accounts, sharing a library. I am trying to do the same for iTunes. I have an iTunes folder in my Shared folder, and then my iTunes Music folder, and all my other iTunes files in there. I can see all my music fine in my account. However, when I switch to my wife's account, I cannot. Even though I have set the music location to the shared folder, and I can see the music there. I just get a blank iTunes music screen. What am I doing wrong?

 

[swiftaw]

Okay, so I have iPhoto working between both accounts, sharing a library. I am trying to do the same for iTunes. I have an iTunes folder in my Shared folder, and then my iTunes Music folder, and all my other iTunes files in there. I can see all my music fine in my account. However, when I switch to my wife's account, I cannot. Even though I have set the music location to the shared folder, and I can see the music there. I just get a blank iTunes music screen. What am I doing wrong?

Hold down the option key then launch iTunes while holding down the key. It'll ask if you want to use an existing library or create a new one. Select existing, then navigate to the library file in the Shared folder. Select it and you should be golden.

 

[aristobrat]

If you still have problems with it, trying right-clicking (or CONTROL clicking) the iTunes Library file (in /Users/Shared) and Get Info.

Check the permissions at the bottom of the Get Info window and make sure "Everyone" can read and write to that file.

 

[asaj]

If you still have problems with it, trying right-clicking (or CONTROL clicking) the iTunes Library file (in /Users/Shared) and Get Info.

Check the permissions at the bottom of the Get Info window and make sure "Everyone" can read and write to that file.

That looks like it may be the issue. Maybe because I was logged in with my account when I put it all out there, and not as the admin? I have an account set up for Tracy, and one for Andy, both Standard accounts, and then I set up an Admin account, just so that for every day use, we reduce the liklihood of screwing something up.

It's weird though, because the permissions show Andy, Staff, and Everyone, but not Tracy. Why wouldn't her account show up and mine does? Is it because I created the folder under my account? Also, when I looked at the iPhoto account, there was a permission for a Wheel account, what is that all about?

I'll keep poking around, but I am thinking if I had been logged in as admin when I did this stuff, it would have made more sense....

 

[asaj]

So I figured out how to add Tracy's account to the list and giver her read/write on those shared folders, she did not have the rights before. However, still not seeing the music even though its pointing to the correct folder, and she has the rights now. What am I missing?

 

[aristobrat]

I'm not sure what to try next. Maybe move the iTunes Library to her User folder and see if she can open it there?

I understand how UNIX does file permissions, but I don't know if by changing permissions using "Get Info" in Finder makes the change on all of the files/folders that are in the lower levels. Maybe there are some weird permissions further on down.

Sorry about that, I've never had that happen before.

 

[asaj]

Well, I think I almost had it. I ended up getting it working on my wifes account, and it looked correct. All the itunes library files were saved in her account folder, and she was pointing to and able to se the music on the shared drive, so that looked good. However, something was jacked on my account, because itunes kept putting all of my library files on the shared drive, instead of on my local folder.

I found an Apple article, and I messed up when I moved all of the itunes folders into the shared folder, I should have only moved the music folder. Now, even if I delete all of the itunes files, and then I open iTunes, it throws all of those new fields on the Shared folder. I want them to be created in my account folders, like they were from the beginning. I wiped everything from all accounts, and I am just trying to start over, but I can't get iTunes in my account to put the files in the default place.

What tells iTunes where to put the new library files? I have the music location put to the default location, but that's not helping. Anybody?

Oh yeah, I did figure out the permissions, as far as changing them on all of the enclosed folders and what not, so I am good there. I think I just screwed it up initially and now I can't get it back. Can I uninstall iTunes and then redownload it?

 

[aristobrat]

What tells iTunes where to put the new library files? I have the music location put to the default location, but that's not helping. Anybody?

If you hold down the OPTION key while you open iTunes, it should give you the option to chose the iTunes location (or create a new iTunes library). As far as I know, it just remembers whatever you told it last.

Oh yeah, I did figure out the permissions, as far as changing them on all of the enclosed folders and what not, so I am good there. I think I just screwed it up initially and now I can't get it back. Can I uninstall iTunes and then redownload it?

If it's just permissions that are whacked, look in your Applications > Utilities folder for a program called Disk Utility. If you select your Macintosh HD, there's an option to Fix Permissions. That'll reset them on all system files, including iTunes.

If you want to uninstall iTunes, I think you can just drag it to the trash can. There's no real "uninstall" feature like the "Add/Remove Programs" thing in the Windows Control Panel. If you go to Apples website, you should be able to redownload the latest iTunes. But hopefully fixing the disk permissions thru Disk Utility is all you need!