entourage multiple users

[newtomac]

i am new to mac and have entourage installed. I want to be able to
share my contacts and my email with my wife like i did in IBM PC by
pointing to the same pst file. How can I do that here?

 

[Corentin Cras-Méneur]

Hi,

i am new to mac and have entourage installed. I want to be able to
share my contacts and my email with my wife like i did in IBM PC by
pointing to the same pst file. How can I do that here?

You can probably export the contacts to an Entourage archive and
re-import them in her account.
If you want to have them in sync all the time, now that's a different
issue :-\

Corentin

 

[newtomac]

That is the problem. In XP with outlook, you logged in under different
accounts just like I do now with the IMAC but you were able to point
your outlook to the same PST file so you were sharing the contacts,
calendar and email while still maintaining your own desktop,
shortcuts... Any ideas anyone?

 

[Nathan Herring [MSFT]]

Entourage's Identity could be shared between multiple users with the
gigantic caveat that you cannot be using the same identity at the same time
as someone else, e.g., through Fast User Switching. One way to do so would
be to move your Microsoft User Data folder out of your ~/Documents folder
and put it in ~Shared/Documents. You would have to make sure that both users
has permissions to the Microsoft User Data and its contents, and you would
have to create a symlink or alias in both of your ~/Documents folders named
"Microsoft User Data" that pointed to the shared version.

The reason you cannot have multiple users of the same identity is that there
is only one reader/writer of the database inside the identity at one time:
the Database Daemon, through which all data flows. If one user has the
Database Daemon opening the database in one process, and another user tries
to do the same, it will probably simply fail, though if it did not, I could
imagine you very quickly corrupting your database.

Since the Database Daemon adds itself to your Startup Items (so it can let
the Office Notifications application know when to start and pop up and give
you notice of upcoming events/tasks), if you're using Fast User Switching,
then this setup will be generally problematic; you'd have to make sure you
quit Entourage and the Daemon before switching to the other user to let them
access Entourage (and vice versa).

-nh

 

[Nathan Herring [MSFT]]

Alternatively, you could use a shared project to do sharing between
identities. It would not be 100% duplication, but then again, you also would
not have the same issues with simultaneous use.

In 2004, you can create a new project, and then share it out. Share it to,
say, /Users/Shared/Documents/Office Projects. In the original identity, you
can assign all your contacts and calendar items to the new project and they
will get shared. In the other user space, create a new identity with the
same e-mail accounts (this will work for IMAP/Exchange, but not POP3, unless
the option to leave mail on the server is kept), and then subscribe to the
project. (File/Subscribe to project... choose the Archive.rge file in the
project folder you put in /Users/Shared; make sure to switch it to share new
items added to the project by default).

You have to be careful to create new contacts/calendar items and attach them
to the project, but if you do, the other user(s) will see them.

Since IMAP/Exchange mail lives on the server, there's no problem having
separate accounts that keep cached copies in different local identities, so
you don't have to do any project maintenance w/ e-mail.

-nh

 

[newtomac]

Thanks for the info. I see that it is somewhat more difficult and may
just be easier to use the one calendar and email and contacts. Leaving
it on the server would just mean duplicate emails when downloading. So
I think for now I will leave it be until I get more comfortable with
it. Thanks a bunch. Hey by the way, what is the best tool for MAC to
make web pages? I used to use both Dreamweaver and Publisher in
Windows?

 

[Corentin Cras-Méneur]

In 2004, you can create a new project, and then share it out. Share it to,
say, /Users/Shared/Documents/Office Projects. In the original identity, you
can assign all your contacts and calendar items to the new project and they
will get shared. In the other user space, create a new identity with the
same e-mail accounts (this will work for IMAP/Exchange, but not POP3, unless
the option to leave mail on the server is kept), and then subscribe to the
project. (File/Subscribe to project... choose the Archive.rge file in the
project folder you put in /Users/Shared; make sure to switch it to share new
items added to the project by default).

You have to be careful to create new contacts/calendar items and attach them
to the project, but if you do, the other user(s) will see them.

That's a very neat trick that I had completely forgotten about.
I've used it in the past using my iDIsk to sync between machines, but I
had problems (because the iDisk would fail to sync *very* often).
FolderShare is an interesting alternate solution (even in the free
option they offer). I wonder why FolderShare doesn't get more Mac press.
Almost no one around me seem to be aware the service exists...
(http://www.foldershare.com)


Corentin

 

[Corentin Cras-Méneur]

Hey by the way, what is the best tool for MAC to
make web pages? I used to use both Dreamweaver and Publisher in
Windows?

It is subject to discussion of course... Dreamweaver is also available
on Mac (and it's my personal favorite).


Corentin

 

[Barry Wainwright]

It is subject to discussion of course... Dreamweaver is also available
on Mac (and it's my personal favorite).


Corentin

For simple, 'ready made' designs, try RapidWeaver - it's dead easy to use
and there are thousands of template for it out there.