File Sharing between user accounts in Lion

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File Sharing between user accounts in Lion

Every file created within the Shared folder is automatically a "read-only" for all other users.

How can I make all users able to edit all files within the Shared folder? - The "Apply to enclosed items" does only apply settings to existing files. This means that for every new file you add, you have to press "Apply to enclosed items". - Surely there must be a way to apply the folders setting to all future content?

All I want is for this folder to function as any external harddrive; accessable by all accounts without any restrictions!

MacBook Pro, Mac OS X (10.7.3)

Posted on Apr 6, 2012 6:53 AM

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Answer 1

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Alberto Ravasio

Level 5

4,279 points

Apr 6, 2012 8:13 AM in response to vidarnilsen

/Users/Shared has POSIX permission drwxrwxrwt

I'll leave that as it is.

But you can create a subdir and name it whatever you like giving everyone full access.

In my example I'll name it World.

Open Terminal and type

sudo mkdir /Users/Shared/World

type your password when asked. This create a folder World inside Shared folder.

Now type all on one line

sudo chmod +a "everyone allow list,search,add_file,add_subdirectory,delete_child,file_inherit,directory_inher it" /Users/Shared/World

type your password when asked. This set ACL to folder World for full access to everybody.

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Answer 2

vidarnilsen Author

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Apr 6, 2012 8:21 AM in response to Alberto Ravasio

Thank you, that answered my question!

- I am just wondering: As I understand it 'Everybody' is anyone in a network I connect to as well as well as Guest Account etc? I don't necessarily want the guest account to have access to all files. Would it be possible to share with a group I create instead of everybody? I have already created a group called "Shared" and added both my accounts as members.

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Answer 3

Apr 6, 2012 8:27 AM in response to vidarnilsen

Change everyone at the beginning of the second line with Shared.

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Answer 4

vidarnilsen Author

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Apr 6, 2012 9:04 AM in response to Alberto Ravasio

Thanks again, just one final question:

You said it's preferable to not change the permissions for the Shared folder itself. Does this go for all other main folders as well, such as Documents and Pictures? - Preferably I'd like to access the entire account's content from the other, but not vice versa. - I can of course just create new folders within the Shared folder as you described to solve that problem, but just wondering if there is a reason not to mess with these main folders such as Shared?

- Also noticed that I could just copy the new World-folder and paste another one in the Shared folder, which gave it exact same perimeters. Great! I thought I would have to go into Terminal every time!

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Answer 5

Apr 6, 2012 9:47 AM in response to vidarnilsen

The only reason I wrote to leave the Shared folder pristine is that, that folder is created at system setup and could possibly be used by other programs.

The same goes for the default folders you find in every user home folder.

That said you are the owner of your system and you can do whatever you want on it, but my advice is to leave what you found as it is.

The command in Terminal to show ACL is

ls -le

or

ls -lae

if you want to see the "hidden" dot files too, that are files and folder which names begins with a dot

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