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Is it possible to have 2 users on the same computer share a music library? Would this have to involve an external hard drive?
If someone could describe the optimal workflow for getting 2 users' music into one iTunes library that both users share, I would greatly appreciate it! Thanks for your help.
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share a library between 2 users?
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#3
drew79 
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Posted 08 August 2007 - 12:04 PM
Thank you, but that's not what I meant.
I mean, I have 2 users on one hard drive, and I'd like to no longer be filling up space on the hard drive with 2 iTunes libraries that duplicate a lot of music. I'd like to merge our libraries, and then set things up so that iTunes in each user's account points to the SAME library. Does that make more sense?
I'm looking for some help thinking through the workflow to cover all the steps involved in doing this.
Thanks!
I mean, I have 2 users on one hard drive, and I'd like to no longer be filling up space on the hard drive with 2 iTunes libraries that duplicate a lot of music. I'd like to merge our libraries, and then set things up so that iTunes in each user's account points to the SAME library. Does that make more sense?
I'm looking for some help thinking through the workflow to cover all the steps involved in doing this.
Thanks!
#4
mdawson
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Posted 08 August 2007 - 05:58 PM
As you have already noted, activating sharing in iTunes, does not permit sharing across user accounts on the same machine. iTunes sharing is for sharing libraries among different Macs across a network. If you want to provide multiple users access to a single library on the same Mac, you will need to move your music library and the Album Artwork folder into the Shared folder on your system drive (Mac HD/Users/Shared). If you wish to retain the librarys structure (e.g., playlists, folders, etc.) then you will also need to copy the support files, iTunes Library and iTunes Music Library.xml, in to the Shared folder.
In each additional account, you will need to copy of the support files and the Album Artwork folder into the iTunes folder of that user account; you do not need to copy over the music files as long as they are in the Shared folder. You will then need to open iTunes in each account and change the location of the music library in iTunes Preferences/Advanced/General to the Shared folder. The preferences will also need to be changed in iTunes on the primary user account, because you moved the actual music files to a new location.
When you add new music to iTunes in any of your user accounts, the new music file(s) should automatically be placed in the Music folder contained in the Macs Shared folder and thus available to all users.
In each additional account, you will need to copy of the support files and the Album Artwork folder into the iTunes folder of that user account; you do not need to copy over the music files as long as they are in the Shared folder. You will then need to open iTunes in each account and change the location of the music library in iTunes Preferences/Advanced/General to the Shared folder. The preferences will also need to be changed in iTunes on the primary user account, because you moved the actual music files to a new location.
When you add new music to iTunes in any of your user accounts, the new music file(s) should automatically be placed in the Music folder contained in the Macs Shared folder and thus available to all users.
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