access to users' files

I just set up a user account for my daughter, and I went to 'browse' to her files in finder to find that I am not allowed to view them!!!
I don't remember saying to protect these files.
How do I change access permission.

I eventually want to set up another account for my wife, but I want her to have access to my documents and vice versa. For example, if she runs Aperture, I want to be able to add her photos to a common Aperture library.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

-Mark

Right, I am assuming you are an admin on the Mac. Go to the Users folder from Macintosh HD. Select your daughter's home directory. Then you need to select it and right-click (or Control click) and go to Get Info. At the bottom of the window there is a padlock. Click on it. A message box will appear, and you will need to enter your password. Once it is unlocked you can click on the little + in the image shown below:



Then just add yourself from the list of users that comes up and select which ever option in the right-hand column is most appropriate.


(The image is not mine: it was found on Google).

Robert


p.s. It will be the same when you set up your wife's but you will need to chose her to access your home folder.

Great help!! We can now browse each other's files, and Aperture is using my library on both user accounts. My daughter's going to use iphoto. Now, I just need to password protect everything, and we're all set. I'm almost done switching.

Thank you Robert.

-Mark

Hi Mark

tak2mark said:

Now, I just need to password protect everything, and we're all set.

Click to expand...

By this I am assuming that you want certain areas to be kept private, i.e. your documents folder.

Now, if you set everything up correctly, you have automatically password protected these folders as they will appear with a "no entry" symbol on them. This means that some or all standard users can not access them. Administrators can edit permissions still, just like you already have.

So if for instance you wanted your "Documents" folder only visible to you, you would only have your name in the permissions list. If you wanted your wife, but not your daughter, only your wife would need to be put on the list.

I hope everything makes sense,

Robert

What to do

I don't know exactly what I've done.

Initially, when I visited my wife's user folder, all the sub folders (desktop, music, library, etc.) had a little 'do not enter' mark next to them.
I changed permissions and all seemed well until I tried to play Battlefield 2142. It just wouldn't start.
I changed the permissions back and now anyone can browse into my user folder and look at and copy my files. I've removed the extra user I added, and didn't mess with anything else.
I even deleted my wife's user account and all files then created a new one for my daughter. (limited account)
Now when I browse to my user folder in her account, ... I can see everything.
Pls help me set it straight again.

-Mark

HI, I'm stuck on this too. I'm using OSX10.4 but I don't see the window as shown in the screenshot above. Obviously missing something along the line.

I don't know exactly what I've done.
I changed permissions and all seemed well until I tried to play Battlefield 2142. It just wouldn't start.
I changed the permissions back and now anyone can browse into my user folder and look at and copy my files. I've removed the extra user I added, and didn't mess with anything else.
I even deleted my wife's user account and all files then created a new one for my daughter. (limited account)
Now when I browse to my user folder in her account, ... I can see everything.

Click to expand...

I'm not entirely sure about how changing folder permissions can lead to applications not starting, unless it is stored in a folder where you have locked yourself out. Make sure it is in your Applications folder and all users can access that.

HI, I'm stuck on this too. I'm using OSX10.4 but I don't see the window as shown in the screenshot above. Obviously missing something along the line.

Click to expand...

To access the Get Info window, you need to select a file or folder in Finder and go to File - Get Info. Then you need to follow my instructions in the second post on changing permissions.