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Sharing files and folders between two users – permissions

Hi, I have a question about permissions. I have two users on my mac, both of which are me – one for everyday stuff and the other which I use for work.


I want to have a space on my mac where I can add and edits files via either user and either user can edit those files without having to enter a password.


I started utilising the Users/Shared/ folder for this and have set the permissions on that folder to Read & Write for both users. I've also selected the "Apply to enclosed items..." setting so that Read & Write applies to everything inside the Shared folder. However I've noticed if a new file or folder is added inside, the user who created that file or folder has permission to write to that file and the other user doesn't.


Can I set it so that all new files and folders inside Users/Shared/ take on the permissions of the parent folder, e.g. all new files and folders are allocated Read & Write for both users? If not, is there some other way I can achieve what I'm trying to achieve on my mac? (A space on my mac where new files and folders can be edited by both users without requiring a password.)


Cheers, Darren

iMac

Posted on Jul 21, 2022 4:09 AM

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Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on Jul 21, 2022 4:49 AM

Share files with others who use your Mac


From above Link ( some of the information from that link )


On your Mac, do any of the following:

  • Put a file in your Public folder: Click the desktop to make sure you’re in the Finder, choose Go > Home, then drag the file (or a copy of it) into your Public folder.
  • Put a file in the computer’s Shared folder: Click the desktop to make sure you’re in the Finder, choose Go > Go to Folder, type in /Users/Shared, press Return, then drag the file (or a copy of it) into the Shared folder.

Files in a user’s Public folder or in the Shared folder can be read by all users of the Mac, but edited or deleted by only the owner of the file. If you want to allow other users to edit those files, you need to change the file permissions. See Change permissions for files, folders, or disks.


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2 replies
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Jul 21, 2022 4:49 AM in response to saturnine33

Share files with others who use your Mac


From above Link ( some of the information from that link )


On your Mac, do any of the following:

  • Put a file in your Public folder: Click the desktop to make sure you’re in the Finder, choose Go > Home, then drag the file (or a copy of it) into your Public folder.
  • Put a file in the computer’s Shared folder: Click the desktop to make sure you’re in the Finder, choose Go > Go to Folder, type in /Users/Shared, press Return, then drag the file (or a copy of it) into the Shared folder.

Files in a user’s Public folder or in the Shared folder can be read by all users of the Mac, but edited or deleted by only the owner of the file. If you want to allow other users to edit those files, you need to change the file permissions. See Change permissions for files, folders, or disks.


Jul 21, 2022 4:51 AM in response to saturnine33

The permissions on the folder have no or little effect on the files created in the folder.

You have to set an ACL to allow both users read and write of the files. You could create a separate group and put you both users in it or you can probably just use the staff group since it’s really just you.

If both users are in staff group, copy this to Terminal and run it.

 chmod -R +a "group:staff allow list,add_file,search,add_subdirectory,delete_child,readattr,writeattr,readextattr,writeextattr,reads ecurity,file_inherit,directory_inherit" "/Users/Shared/"


Sharing files and folders between two users – permissions

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