Sharing Files with Other Users

Mac OS X offers several ways for multiple users of the same computer to share files with each other:

• The Shared folder in the Users folder (Figure 27) offers read/write access to all users.

• The Public folder in each user's Home folder (Figure 32) offers read access to all users.

• The Drop Box folder in each user's Public folder (Figure 35) offers write access to all users.

  Figure 35. Each user's Public folder contains a Drop Box folder for accepting incoming files.

  

  
  

Tips

• Read access for a folder enables users to open files in that folder. Write access for a folder enables users to save files into that folder.

• File sharing over a network is covered in Chapter 16.

To make a file accessible to all other users

Place the file in the Shared folder in the Users folder (Figure 27).

Or

Place the file in the Public folder in your Home folder (Figure 32).

Tip

• If your computer is managed by a system administrator, check to see where the administrator prefers public files to be stored.

To make a file accessible to a specific user

1.	Drag the file's icon onto the Drop Box folder icon inside the Public folder in the user's Home folder (Figure 35).
2.	A dialog like the one in Figure 36 appears. Click OK. The file moves into the Public folder. Figure 36. When you drag a file into a Drop Box folder, a dialog like this appears.

Tips

• When you drag a file into a Drop Box folder, the file is movednot copiedthere. You cannot open a Drop Box folder to remove its contents. If you need to keep a copy of the file, hold down while dragging the file into the Drop Box folder to place a copy of the file there. You can then continue working with the original.

• To use the Drop Box, be sure to drag the file icon onto the Drop Box folder icon. If you drag an icon into the Public folder, a dialog like the one in Figure 37 appears, telling you that you can't modify the Public folder. You can click the Authenticate button and enter an administrator password in the Authenticate dialog (Figure 38) to override this warning and put the file there anyway.

  Figure 37. You can't place files into another user's Public folder or any other locked folder…

  

  
  

  Figure 38. …unless you can prove you're an administrator.