Sharing iPhoto Library between Two User Accounts

If you want the other user to have the same access to the library as you: to be able to add, edit, organise, keyword etc. then:

Quit iPhoto in both accounts

Move the iPhoto Library Folder to an external HD set to ignore permissions. *You could also use a dmg*.

(Some people have had success putting the library in the Users/ Shared folder. If you do this make sure the file permissions are set to allow read/write access to everyone. But that's unlikely to work on 10.5 because of the way that the permissions have changed with the new OS.)

In each account in turn: Hold down the option (or alt) key and launch iPhoto. From the resulting dialogue, select 'Choose Library' and navigate to the new library location. From that point on, this will be the default library location. Both accounts will have full access to the library, in fact, both accounts will 'own' it.

However, there is a catch with this system and it is a significant one. iPhoto is not a multi-user app., it does not have the code to negotiate two users simultaneously writing to the database, and trying will cause db corruption. So only one user at a time, and back up, back up back up.

Regards

TD

I have had success in this by granting Read/Write access to the iPhoto package to the other user in the system in which I want to share with.

Then, that user will log in and choose this iPhoto package and they have full, shared, access.

So far so good.

Manderson

Welcome to the Apple Discussions.

Good to hear. I've done it on a test basis, but many others report problems, and the official article on the Knowledge base suggests using an external or dmg.

Regards

TD

found in the sharing preferences

Is this in the iPhoto preference?

If you want the other user to be able to see the pics, but not add to, change or alter your library, then enable Sharing in your iPhoto (Preferences -> Sharing), leave iPhoto running and use Fast User Switching to open the other account. In that account, enable 'Look For Shared Libraries'. Your Library will appear in the other source pane.

Remember iPhoto must be running in both accounts for this to work.

Regards

TD

let me restate my aim here. I want to put the iPhoto library in the users/shared folder and have both my account and my wife's account granted permissions to add and change any and all pictures within the library.

Then I have to tell you that most people have enourmous difficulty using the Shared folder under 10.5, Apple don;t support it and suggest - as I said above - that you use an external, and if you don't have an external then use a disk image (dmg).

If you want to persist, I found the using BatchMod first from my account and then again from the second account worked for me. But it has not worked for others. I set the permissions to allow everybody read and write access. You can Download BatchMod from

http://macchampion.com/arbysoft/

Regards

TD

gr8scottME wrote:
However, let me restate my aim here. I want to put the iPhoto library in the users/shared folder and have both my account and my wife's account granted permissions to add and change any and all pictures within the library. I do not have an external drive available.

gr8scottME,

I have the same configuration and have it working perfectly. Briefly, this is what I did:

1) Move your iphoto library to the Shared folder

2) Open Terminal

3) cd to the Shared folder (not on a mac right so not sure of the exact path)

4) enter this command:

*chmod 777 -R "iPhoto Library Shared"*

(replace between the quotes with whatever your library is named)

5) Start iphoto holding the ALT key then select the shared library.

6) Repeat step 5 for each account.

Let me know if you need more detail and I can try to put some better instructions together when I'm back on my mac.

Chris

Gr8, the easiest way is to open the terminal, type cd <space> and then go to the finder and drag the shared folder into the terminal window. This will put the full path to the shared folder in the terminal window. Then hit return and continue with the chmod ... command.

Regards, VinceH

Hi Terence, I have 3 machines. I don't want to share a library, but I would like to do this... per the help menu in '08.

Sharing your photos between computers on a network

"If you want others to be able to import your shared photos into their computers, try iPhoto album sharing instead."

Doesn't seem to work though. Any idea why?
TIA
David

Gr8,

OK, I'm back on my new macbook (oh the joy!).

Here's copy of my terminal session:


{quote}Last login: Thu Jan 10 23:33:31 on ttys000
chriss-macbook:~ chris$ cd /users/Shared
chriss-macbook:Shared chris$ ls
iPhoto Small Library
iTunes Small Library
chriss-macbook:Shared chris$ chmod -R 777 "iPhoto Small Library"
chriss-macbook:Shared chris$ exit
logout

[Process completed]{quote}

I had the -R in the wrong place in my first reply. Also note it's case sensitve (including capital S for Shared)

Chris

David

Doesn't seem to work though. Any idea why?

Not unless you tell me what you've attempted. 😉

If you want the other user/ machine to be able to see the pics, but not add to, change or alter your library, then enable Sharing in your iPhoto (Preferences -> Sharing), leave iPhoto running and use Fast User Switching to open the other account/ machine. In that account, enable 'Look For Shared Libraries'. Your Library will appear in the other source pane.

Remember iPhoto must be running in both accounts / machines for this to work.

Regards

TD

I want to allow users to access and save MY pictures to THEIR computer.

In iphoto '08 - (iphoto help) in the section...
**Sharing your photos between computers on a network**
it says...
When you view shared photos, they’re streamed over the network to your computer. You can view them, but you can’t add them to your library, albums, slideshows, books, calendars, and cards, or burn them to a CD or DVD. *If you want others to be able to import your shared photos into their computers, try iPhoto album sharing instead. * This last line. That's what I want to do. Allow them to import the ones they want into they're own library.

But it doesn't allow - other than viewing.

The problem could be that there are different versions of iphoto running on these machines.

Thank you.

David

But what have you tried?

Have you tried dragging the a pic from your Library in their sidebar to the their Library on the same sidebar?

Have you tried dragging the pics from your Library to their desktop?

Yes, having different versions of iPhoto may be a factor.

Regards

TD