Sharing one Entourage setup between two OSX users

[Pitt Mac user]

Hi all:
I am trying to share the same Entourage X database, message files, etc.
between two "users" in OSX, so that when I swtich from one user profile
to the other, I can have access to the same emails, contacts, etc. I
have tried creating an alias of "Microsoft User Data" and placing it in
"Documents" in the second identity, but that yields an Entourage
database error.

Any help or tips will be greatly appreciated.

- Bob

 

[matt neuburg]

Hi all:
I am trying to share the same Entourage X database, message files, etc.
between two "users" in OSX, so that when I swtich from one user profile
to the other, I can have access to the same emails, contacts, etc. I
have tried creating an alias of "Microsoft User Data" and placing it in
"Documents" in the second identity, but that yields an Entourage
database error.

I have not tried this, but if you're lucky, perhaps the error is only
because of permissions? Under this theory, User B, despite the alias,
will not have permissions to see inside User A's MUD and read and write
to the necessary files unless you adjust the permissions accordingly. m.

 

[Ryan J. Bonnell]

I have not tried this, but if you're lucky, perhaps the error is only
because of permissions? Under this theory, User B, despite the alias,
will not have permissions to see inside User A's MUD and read and write
to the necessary files unless you adjust the permissions accordingly. m.

Have you tried moving the Microsoft User Data folder to the /Users/Shared
folder? The permissions are a lot looser there by default,

drwxrwxrwt 8 root wheel 272 19 Mar 20:22 Shared

and will better let you share data between users' accounts (hence, the name
"Shared") Or you might trying making a symbolic link from each users'
Microsoft User Data folder to the /Users/Shared folder, where you would tell
Entourage to look the shared identity files.

 

[Mickey Stevens]

Have you tried moving the Microsoft User Data folder to the /Users/Shared
folder? The permissions are a lot looser there by default,

drwxrwxrwt 8 root wheel 272 19 Mar 20:22 Shared

and will better let you share data between users' accounts (hence, the name
"Shared")

I don't have a "Shared" folder, but I do have a "Public" folder that is
intended a place to store things to which other users should have access.
I would store the Microsoft User Data (usually in ~/Documents) in ~/Public,
and Command-Option-drag it back to ~/Documents/ to create an alias of the
same name there. Command-Option-drag it to /Users/<Other User>/Documents/
to create an alias there. You should then have access to the Microsoft User
Data in both OS users. You might need to re-select the correct Entourage
identity in Entourage > Switch Identity.

 

[Paul Berkowitz]

I don't have a "Shared" folder, but I do have a "Public" folder that is
intended a place to store things to which other users should have access.
I would store the Microsoft User Data (usually in ~/Documents) in ~/Public,
and Command-Option-drag it back to ~/Documents/ to create an alias of the
same name there. Command-Option-drag it to /Users/<Other User>/Documents/
to create an alias there. You should then have access to the Microsoft User
Data in both OS users. You might need to re-select the correct Entourage
identity in Entourage > Switch Identity.

Mickey, you really must have a "Shared" folder in /Users. If you ever got
rid of that (????) put it back. It's installed by the system. Just perhaps
only if you make a second OS user, but I don't think so - I think it's there
from day 1 of installing the system. Note - it's not in your own user, it's
in /Users, on the root startup disk..

--
Paul Berkowitz
MVP MacOffice
Entourage FAQ Page: <http://www.entourage.mvps.org/faq/index.html>
AppleScripts for Entourage: <http://macscripter.net/scriptbuilders/>

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PLEASE always state which version of Microsoft Office you are using -
**2004**, X or 2001. It's often impossible to answer your questions
otherwise.

 

[Pitt Mac user]

Thanks for the tips - I have tried moving MUD to the Shared folder, but
without luck, as I am still getting an access error when I launch
Entourage under "Alias B" even though I have set the permissions to
allow the second user identity to Read and Write. BTW, this is Office
2004, under OSX 10.3.8.

Still searching for the elusive solution...
- Bob

 

[Mickey Stevens]

Note - it's not in your own user, it's
in /Users, on the root startup disk..

OK, I was looking in the wrong place, it seems. I do indeed have a "Shared"
folder in /Users/, even though I've never consciously used it.