Multiple user set up

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dinchis
Posts: 13
Joined: Fri Jan 02, 2015 5:55 pm

Multiple user set up

Post by dinchis »

I like the structure of the new version. I have desktop and notebook, both with Thunderbird and Android phone. My wife also has android phone but shares the desktop. In the main Thunderbird (desktop) we have several address books, some just relevant to me, so I only want to sync those with my mobile. I tried to set up my wife as a second user in BS on the desktop, but couldn't see how to get her user connected to the Thunderbird instance on the desktop.

Birdy
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Re: Multiple user set up

Post by Birdy »

Hello dinchis,

I'm glad you like what is offered in this new version !
Presently, for specific reasons, it's only possible to attach a source to one unique user. So in your case Thunderbird is declared under your user. So it means that by default all address books, calendars, etc. are not visible by your wife's mobile device (if declared under her user) and are isolated. But if you want that she is able to synchronize with a specific address book or calendar in "your" Thunderbird, then it is necessary to "share" the address book or calendar. In the Configuration view, select Thunderbird, select the address book that you want to share, click on the gear button at the top right of the list and select "Share". You'll then see a Share icon displayed in the status of the address book. When shared, this address book becomes visible to all other users and your wife should be able to synchronize it on its own mobile device. Once shared, to synchronize this Thunderbird address book with your wife's mobile device, ensure that it is enabled in configuration view in both Thunderbird and your wife's mobile device.
Note that presently, it is not possible to share a folder which is already set as Main. So if Personal Address Book is set as Main, it is not possible to share it. If you think it's a problem for you, let me know.
Birdy

dinchis
Posts: 13
Joined: Fri Jan 02, 2015 5:55 pm

Re: Multiple user set up

Post by dinchis »

Thanks, is it necessary to have a main? What does the concept "main" drive or determine?

Birdy
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Re: Multiple user set up

Post by Birdy »

Usually, address books or calendars are synchronized together because they have an identical name. For instance a Work calendar in Thunderbird is synchronized with a Work calendar on Android.
But very often, applications have a dedicated address book or calendar where the user usually adds contacts or events.
For instance in Thunderbird you add contacts to "Personal Address Book" and events to "Home" calendar.
On Android or iPhone, you may add contacts in "No group" (which mean that you don't put the contact in any group), or create events in a calendar called "My calendar".

So you may want to synchronize "No group" with "Personal Address Book", and "My calendar" with "Home" calendar.
But as you have noticed, these address books and calendars don't have the same name. So they should not be synchronized together. To achieve it, you can use the concept of "Main" address book or calendar. If you set "No group" and "Personal Address Book" as Main (using the gear button menu at the top right of the folder list, and select "Set as Main"), they will be synchronized together even they don't have the same name. If you set "My calendar" and "Home" as Main, they will also be synchronized together. So setting Main address books or calendars allow to synchronize them together even if they don't have the same name. This is a very quick way to synchronize them together, knowing that usually applications only have one Main address book or calendar. Some address books and calendars are automatically set as Main when you first declare a new source.

Note that you could also synchronize address books or calendars with different names using a Mapping of the 2 address books or calendars together (using the mapping button at the top left of the folder list) but setting them as Main may be easier and underline what they are: main address books and calendars.

And to answer your question, setting address books or calendars as Main can be useful but is not mandatory.
Birdy

dinchis
Posts: 13
Joined: Fri Jan 02, 2015 5:55 pm

Re: Multiple user set up

Post by dinchis »

Very clear, but as I understand it then, if Personal Address book in Thunderbird is set as main, then it can't be shared between my wife's and my phone?

Birdy
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Re: Multiple user set up

Post by Birdy »

Very clear, but as I understand it then, if Personal Address book in Thunderbird is set as main, then it can't be shared between my wife's and my phone?
Yes, presently it's not possible to share a Main address book. I would have thought that "Personnal Address Book" would be used only for one specific user. And that another "Common" address book could be used to share contacts between users. But in your case, it seems the contrary (correct me if not). So maybe it could be something needed to be changed in a future version to allow this use case.
Birdy

dinchis
Posts: 13
Joined: Fri Jan 02, 2015 5:55 pm

Re: Multiple user set up

Post by dinchis »

Yes, we have Tbird on our desktop with the Personal Address Book holding our family and friends addresses. It is not difficult for me to find a way round this.

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