symbolic links between containers to link primary vaults

MGOBLUE

The previous threads have indicated the possibility of using symbolic links between containers on different user accounts on a Mac running 10.9.4. to allow both users to use the same primary vault. Can anyone provide any advice on this process? Thank you

sjk

Hi @MGOBLUE,

Do you have a reference to any topic(s) where symbolic links were mentioned as a possible method of sharing a single Primary vault between different users? 1Password does not support multiple instances being run to access the same local database.

It is possible for each 1Password user to configure their Primary (or other) vault to be syncing with the same local folder, if permissions are set up correctly so all users have full read/write/delete access to data there. Individual files inside the keychain vault stored there need enough permission. Otherwise changes non-owners make to items in their local database won't be stored in the shared keychain vault and synced with corresponding items in the owner's local database. It's recommended to first set up a sample vault for testing, making sure the syncing works as expected.

I hope that helps. Let us know if there are any other questions we can answer for you. Thanks!

MGOBLUE

Thank you for the response. As an alternative that may be supported by agilebits, is it possible to simply sync the iPhone/iPad to two different instances of 1Password on the same computer? Each instance of 1Password is on a different user on the same iMac. We sync using wifi sync? This is how we have been managing the situation to date. In order to manage all the various changes on the various devices, it requires us to synch the iPhone/iPad to both user accounts. It seems to work fine and the iPhone / iPad appear to be smart enough to identify the correct security code (required for wifi sync) depending on which user account it is trying to sync with. Thank you.

sjk

Hi @MGOBLUE,

Using Wi-Fi Sync to keep 1Password data synced between each user account (on the same Mac) and the iPhone / iPad should work okay.

If you're using Wi-Fi Sync with 1Password 4.5 beta on Yosemite beta, then only one Mac account at a time can be logged in or have 1Password mini running. That's a known bug and a report is filed for it.

ref: OPM-2211

MGOBLUE

Thank you. The hurdle I have at the moment using WIFI Sync between two Mac Users, is that the 1Password App on User 2 is storing the data in its own container and thus has its own "secret" code for confirming the sync. As an example, I could use an iPhone to sync between Mac User 1 and the iphone. Then close 1password and log out of user 1. Open user two on Mac and open 1Password, and when I go to wifi sync to the iphone, it is asking for a different secret code. How do I sync that iphone with the User 2 on the mac?

Megan

Hi @MGOBLUE‌

I just want to make sure I'm understanding this correctly, so please let me know if I have this wrong:

• You and a second user both have 1Password set up on two separate user accounts on the same Mac computer
• You have a single vault that you wish to share across these user accounts and your iOS devices
• You are attempting to do this using Wi-Fi sync, with the iOS device as a bridge between the two accounts.

I see that @sjk has suggested Folder Sync in an earlier post - have you tried this option? Provided the permissions for the shared folder are set up correctly, this could be a much simpler way to achieve what you're looking for.

MGOBLUE

Hi Megan - yes you have it exactly as we are using it. We want a local sync option (without using Dropbox) and the folder sync may be an easy way to achieve this. Setting up the shared folder should be easy enough (although outside of the Container). How would you envision folder sync and wifi sync then working together?

littlebobbytables

Hi @MGOBLUE,

Here is what I would suggest. If one account is used more heavily than the other let's designate that as the main account. As the main account is used more often, you probably want to Wi-Fi Sync your iOS devices using this account. The basis of this is Wi-Fi Sync requires 1Password running and open on both the Mac and the iOS device and if this account is used more often... you get the premise.

Now as for Folder Sync. Folder Sync can be used in parallel to Wi-Fi Sync and they won't interfere with each other. Now there actually exists a Shared folder in OS X if all you wish to do is sync vaults between accounts on the same machine. Sadly it doesn't work exactly as you think it should be this is a blip in the path, not a total block.

So the first thing you want to do is open a Terminal window. You can do this by launching the Terminal application that you can find in /Applications/Utilities/

With the Terminal window open, I would like you to paste in the following commands.

sudo chmod -R +a "everyone allow list,add_file,search,add_subdirectory,delete_child,readattr,writeattr,readextattr,writeextattr,readsecurity,file_inherit,directory_inherit" /Users/Shared

What we're doing here is modifying the extended attributes of the /Users/Shared/ folder so that when you write a file to that folder you don't lock others out of editing it (which is the default). This command line tweak makes the Shared folder actually useful but others may not agree.

Having done that if you enable Folder Sync to store the .agilekeychain in /Users/Shared/ then you and the other user account can both read and write to it. To minimise any possible issues it's probably best to ensure 1Password isn't running in both accounts at the same time but I may be slightly overcautious with this. I figure overcautious is better than needing to say "oops" though.

If you have any questions following any of that please do ask :smile: