Syncing Address Books Across Users

[jamesmcnee]

I want to sync my address book with my wife's. We both use the same iMac but have different user accounts on the Mac and use our own email addresses, inboxes, folders, etc.

I'd like it when I add an address book record or edit an entry that the same current info show up in her address book. Right now we have to remember for me to collect all changes, make them in my account / address book and periodically import that address book to her. You can imagine that potential for me to screw up that process!

We just want to share the Address Book -- not our emails.

People had suggested .mac but I can't figure out how to get it to share the same address book info synced across two users. It would be great if we could just share the same address book or have an address book that sat in a common part of the hard drive that would refresh every time.

(We're running OS X 10.4.11 on a G5 iMac and use the Mail and Address Book programs).

My challenge seems pretty straight forward but I'm having one of those "you can't get there from here" moments.

I'm not married to the .mac / mobileme solution as I would have no use for the service beyond our address books and would rather not pay Steve Jobs ten bucks a month just for a common address book so if you have any suggestions I'm all ears.

 

[swiftaw]

In Leopard (can't remember if it is there in Tiger) there is an option in the File menu of Address Book to subscribe to another .mac (mobileme) member's address book. So if you both had an address book and both had mobileme accounts, then you could subscribe to each others address book.

Leopard address books also lets you sync with either a yahoo or google address book, so you could use that as a go between. (Again, cant remember if this is possible in Tiger)

Finally, you could syncing software (like Chronosync) to keep the address book files in sync across the two users.

 

[GGJstudios]

I haven't tested this yet, but I will:

http://www.macosxhints.com/article.php?story=20041202101923651

 

[GGJstudios]

People had suggested .mac but I can't figure out how to get it to share the same address book info synced across two users. .

If you both have MobileMe accounts, it's easy. It won't work, however, if you're trying to use just one MobileMe account with different email aliases. If you do have separate accounts, go to Address Book > Preferences > Sharing:

 

[jamesmcnee]

Great Advice -- Thanks!

Thanks to both of you for your advice.

Looks like have work to do!