[kman42]

I have now tried two different methods for sharing iTunes with my wife on the same computer and neither of them is satisfactory. I'm wondering if there are any other options? Here's how I did it:

1) We shared a single iTunes Music Folder in Users/Shared, but kept our libraries separate. Pros: we could each rate songs how we liked and base Smart Playlists on them; we could both run iTunes simultaneously. Cons: if my wife has her iPod plugged in and I launch iTunes they will sync; imported songs must be added in each account.

2) We use the same iTunes Music Folder and Library files and just use aliases to point to them. Pros: It doesn't matter if my wife's iPod is attached when I open iTunes since we have the same libraries; songs are added automatically when imported. Cons: only one of us can run iTunes at a time.

Is there a third way?

kman

[slpdLoad]

Seems like 2 should work. Why does it matter that it can't be run at the same time? You're on seperate accounts, so only 1 person can be using the computer at a time anyway.

[kman42]

If I have iTunes running and we switch accounts, she can't play music.

kman

[besson3c]

I don't think you can use the same library file, since I believe it includes hard coded links to your mp3 files. You should share the music folder with aliases or symbolic links and maintain separate library files though.

[besson3c]

Makes sense, two applications can't claim a lock on the Library file. Try only linking the music folder, and recreating the Library file on her account by manually pointing iTunes to all of the music in the shared music folder.

[kman42]

I think you are suggestion my solution #1.

[kman42]

Really? There's no good solution for this? How do families deal with four or five users?

[swiz]

I think Im in pretty much the same boat... sortof

We have an iMac upstairs and an iBook for roaming the house, I want to be able to modify a single iTunes library from either machine from a single user account but haven't found a good way to do it yet.

[mpancha]

Electronista | Sans Digital unveils NAS with iTunes support

just saw this on macitt.com... looks like it'll do everything u want

[mitchell_pgh]

I have an OLD G4 tower that I use to store all my music. It's the best solution IMHO. Granted, having another computer just for this seems silly.

[jangus]

Ok. I've got an Airport Extreme with USB 2.0. I would like to purchase a USB 2.0 external hard drive where I can hopefully store my iTunes Music folder. Then, I want to SHARE that library over the network. Do I point to that folder in iTunes Preferences/Sharing from every (G4 tower, G5 tower, MacPro) computer on the network. I want to know if this will work before I spend the cash on the external hard drive.

Right now, I can share the library, which is stored on an external firewire 800 drive hooked up the the G4 tower. Works ok, except that machine is down a flight of spiral stairs in the office and the MacPro is upstairs in the living room. If I don't have iTunes launched on the G4, but I want to listen to tunes from THAT library, on the MacPro upstairs, I've got to make the jaunt to the office before seeing any of the tunes up here on the laptop.

Any suggestions?

Dizzy