sharing files between users

[jjbankhead]

I am new here to the board and to mac.

i have a mac mini 2.0 ghz with I believe to be OSX 10.

I have set up 4 user accounts, made myself and my wife the admins and am finding we have no access to the kids (other two users) files without actually logging into their usernames. Also instead of being able to share pictures and music these files appear inaccessible to the other users if I store them in documents, or folders for Itunes, I photo, etc.

i have done some searching and only have come up with the solution of storing documents i want to share in a public folder.

is there any other means of making certain folders shared between users?

i only ask so we dont eat up a bunch of hard drive with copies of the same pictures or songs

 

[JediMeister]

Sharing iPhoto library between multiple accounts

Truth be told, the convenience of sharing an iTunes library across multiple computer users is greatly outweighed by the nightmare that can be created if each member of the family downloads his/her own choice in music, makes personal playlists, edits track info, etc. In other words, not all that worth it...

 

[i.shaun]

Check in HDD/Users/

There should be a folder named after each user with their contents in it, these are user home folders. There should also be one called "Shared" which has open access to all users.


Simply move everything there. If you have a central photo, documents, and music library, just move them to the Shared folder.


If you have separate iTunes/iPhoto libraries, you will have to move them all into one folder for quick access. That would best be done by creating a "Music" Folder in the "Shared" folder.

Each user would then have to go into their respective music folders, and move the entire "iTunes" folder into the shared Music folder you created. They would then have to re-name the "iTunes" folder's in order to tell them apart from other user's when they move theirs in. For example, you move your entire iTunes folder, then re-name the folder "iTunes John". Every other user should pick a unique name as to not confuse anyone.


What you do then is hold option while opening iTunes, and select "choose library". Navigate to /HDD/Users/Shared/Music/iTunes John/



Inside there you will find the iTunes Library file. Select it, and iTunes will open with all your songs, playlists, everything intact.



If you want to access different libraries, you should locate the 'iTunes Library' file in each person's iTunes folder (once you have all copied yours over). Right click or Control+Click, and select "Make alias". An Alias will appear in the folder, click on it, and move it to the main "Music" folder you created to sit along side each iTunes library folder. Re-name the Alias to "iTunes John", and repeat the process for each other user.

Now just do like before, hold option while opening iTunes, navigate to the Music folder, and instead of looking for individual library files, just click on an alias.



for iPhoto

iPhoto is much the same, but instead of folders you'll notice just one large file called "iPhoto Library". It should be the size of your entire photo library (provided you set it to copy photos to the library).


Just move each user's "iPhoto Library" file in a central ""Pictures" folder that you will have to create in the Shared folder. Just like with iTunes libraries, you must re-name each iPhoto library file to match the user who it belongs to in order to avoid confusion.


iPhoto works the same way as iTunes to change libraries, Hold down the option key when launching.




Hope that helps. I hope you have a "Shared" folder or all that would have almost been for nothing lol.


Edit:!!

I just read the article posted above and if libraries are not on a Drive where permissions are ignored, bad things can happen.


The above methods can still work but you'd need to either move them to an External HDD, or create a Disk Image in the Shared Folder, then move everything into the Disk Image. The Image will have to be mounted to finder if anything is to work.

See The article For more

 

[jjbankhead]

thank to both of you for the reply.

I am going to be investing in an external hard drive, i was just looking for something for the mean time.

thanks for the tips.