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.

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 ).
- 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.![]() |
- 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

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.
