Sharing Photos: Different Users, Same Computer

Hi chris,
these are the links I have for sharing. You might want to try the ACL way.

SHARING IPHOTO LIBRARIES

Sharing libraries between users on the same local network
You can also share a library on the same machine between users the same way.
Sharing libraries between users on the same machine...
-both users must have sharing enabled in their iPhoto Preferences
-both users must be logged in and have iPhoto running
-Remember that you can only view the other library. You can't edit the photos or play the saved slideshows or view the made books or burn them to CD or DVD. The books and slideshows will show up as an album. You can play that album as an "on the fly" slideshow. You can drag images from the sharing library to your library in the source column to import them to your library. You can then edit, add to albums, books, slideshow, etc.
Sharing links from Apple....

Sharing your photos between computers
About shared photos
Turning off photo sharing
Looking for shared photos

SHARING ONE IPHOTO LIBRARY BETWEEN USERS ON SAME MACHINE
You can try one of these three methods:
1- Use iPhoto Library Manager-the paid version
The documentation page will give instructions on how it is done.
2- Sharing one iPhoto library between several users on one machine
3- Share an iPhoto Library in tiger Using ACL's

4- I have also read about ShareAlike
There is no other info on the site about how it works.

I strongly urge anyone wanting to try any of the methods for sharing one iPhoto Library folder among more than one user to backup all iPhoto Library folders before attemptin anything.

Lori

Chris,
I am not using IPLM right now, so I am not sure. Check out his page on Sharing
http://homepage.mac.com/bwebster/Documentation/iPhoto%20Library%20Manager/
Click on the Sharing link in the left hand column.
You can also email the author of the program.

Lori

Chris,
Have you tried going to the library folder and giving read/write access to everyone who needs to use it and copy to all files inside. I do share a library between two users of the same computer. The only issue is that when new folders are created, they are created with ownership of the one using the app at the time. The other person will not be able to import any pics into that folder. You can always go in and change the ownership later to give access again, but it is a ongoing process.

I now have a Buffalo Linkstation network drive that handles files differently - there is no ownership for Macs. So I can point either user to it without having to update.

Chris,

I having trying to achieve the same goal but no luck so far. Just a thought, what if the entire iPhoto Library is migrated to the "share folder" under users and point iPhotos of all accounts to the "share".

Anyone tried this???

kevin,
many have tried it and it might work for awhile, but then the permissions get messed up again. iPhoto is not meant to be shared this way.
Try the ACL link I posted above.

Lori

Thanks Lori.

What a painful process to what appears to be a simple task...

I know, but you must remember that iPhoto is not meant to be a central database for all users. It is meant to be a personal database for one user. There are a lot of permission issues that come to play.

Hi Lori.

I followed all of the steps for setting up the sharing Using ACLs putting my wife's library into the shared users folder. When I open iPhoto, I get a message saying, "The main iPhoto Library folder you have selected appears to be locked or on a read-only CD" When I check the folders info, it does not indicate that it is locked. My wife's iPhoto accesses the library fine. Where did I make a mistake?

Also, when I set up the sharing this way does that mean that my wife and I will have the same slideshows and albums in iPhoto? And is there an easier way to combine our two original libraries other than importing my photos into the now shared library (originally my wife's) using the import command in iPhoto?

Any help would be appreciated.

Kevin.

iMac G5 Mac OS X (10.4.4)

Hi kev dog,
I can't give you any more info on using ACL's because that is out of my territory. You might want to email the author.
As far as merging libraries, you can import your photos into your wives library or you can download and pay for iPhoto Library Manager, which can merge libraries. Read the documentation page and all the links in the left column of that page so you know what it can and can't do. The link is in one of my posts above in this thread.