Sync Affinity for two user accounts (Mac)

[rumo]

Hello there,

I am still using the Affinity Suite V1, but I think this applies for V2 as well. I have a Mac with two user accounts and want to use my Affinity Suite on both on them, and I want my settings, workspaces etc. to be synced between the two. I have searched this forum and the web and didn’t found a working solution so far. I wouldn’t mind if I had to manually copy the necessary files. Can anyone help me with this?

Note: I bought the suite here at the Affinity Store and currently run MacOS Ventura.

Regards, Johannes

[thomaso]

3 hours ago, rumo said:

I wouldn’t mind if I had to manually copy the necessary files.

That's easy. You can copy the according folder(s) on the macOS folder "/Users/Shared" on your start volume, which is meant to be used especially for sharing between users) or on a drive without limited access rights (e.g. a separate local or external disk/volume or an USB stick) -> then login as the other user and drag these copies to replace the according folders for that user.

3 hours ago, rumo said:

I want my settings, workspaces etc. to be synced between the two.

Getting it synchronized sounds like a permanent desire (other than a manual copy which copies just a current state). In macOS it is (was?) generally* possible to move either a complete user folder or to move the user's preference folder of a certain app only to a custom location. To do so, create an "Alias" ( of the current folder next to this folder (i.e. in the same parent folder) -> then move the original (not the Alias) to a location on your local drive(s) which has no limited access rights (i.e. Info window > "Ignore users…"). Then clicking on the Alias should open the moved original and hopefully make also the Affinity app use/accept this Alias.

* I haven't tried a moved user preference folder for Affinity but I use it for iTunes and MS Outlook without issues (and for the same user only, not two different users). Your options also depend an the macOS version (Apple tries to increase security and thus avoids such workarounds). A search for your particular macOS may lead to specific results, for instance like this:

https://discussions.apple.com/thread/255849249?answerId=260934026022&sortBy=rank#260934026022

Whereas your goal of Affinity preferences synchronized between two different user folders may be even more complex (if possible at all). To achieve this you might need to know if one common user folder for more than one user would generally work, for instance by moving the according folder(s) to a 'neutral' (or shared) location -> then create an Alias of that -> and move this Alias to the 'usual' home/user folders of both users (and delete or rename their 'actual' preference folders in their home folders.

[rumo]

21 hours ago, thomaso said:

That's easy. You can copy the according folder(s) on the macOS folder "/Users/Shared" on your start volume, which is meant to be used especially for sharing between users) or on a drive without limited access rights (e.g. a separate local or external disk/volume or an USB stick) -> then login as the other user and drag these copies to replace the according folders for that user.

Thank you very much @thomaso for taking the time for your quite detailed reply to my question. I really appreciate it. As for your suggestion above: this is what I already did, but without any effect. Maybe I picked the wrong folders (didn’t find any for the workspace or custom shortcut settings at all). Could you elaborate which folders and files do I need to copy?

21 hours ago, thomaso said:

Getting it synchronized sounds like a permanent desire (other than a manual copy which copies just a current state). In macOS it is (was?) generally* possible to move either a complete user folder or to move the user's preference folder of a certain app only to a custom location. To do so, create an "Alias" ( of the current folder next to this folder (i.e. in the same parent folder) -> then move the original (not the Alias) to a location on your local drive(s) which has no limited access rights (i.e. Info window > "Ignore users…"). Then clicking on the Alias should open the moved original and hopefully make also the Affinity app use/accept this Alias.

* I haven't tried a moved user preference folder for Affinity but I use it for iTunes and MS Outlook without issues (and for the same user only, not two different users). Your options also depend an the macOS version (Apple tries to increase security and thus avoids such workarounds). A search for your particular macOS may lead to specific results, for instance like this:

https://discussions.apple.com/thread/255849249?answerId=260934026022&sortBy=rank#260934026022

Whereas your goal of Affinity preferences synchronized between two different user folders may be even more complex (if possible at all). To achieve this you might need to know if one common user folder for more than one user would generally work, for instance by moving the according folder(s) to a 'neutral' (or shared) location -> then create an Alias of that -> and move this Alias to the 'usual' home/user folders of both users (and delete or rename their 'actual' preference folders in their home folders.

That sounds pretty tedious. I might give it a try, but it’s likely not worth the hassle. If it works manually I’d be happy. I don’t change my settings that frequently after all.

[thomaso]

9 minutes ago, rumo said:

As for your suggestion above: this is what I already did, but without any effect. Maybe I picked the wrong folders

The exact folder path depends on your macOS version + the Affinity app version + the store where you purchased Affinity (serif/apple/microsoft). This thread might help:

17 minutes ago, rumo said:

(didn’t find any for the workspace or custom shortcut settings at all)

I don't know where the workspace is stored but if you create a saved "Studio Preset" (which I recommend for easier handling / resets) it is stored as a separate file, also the shortcuts. In my configuration for instance:

The folder "user" in "Affinity <appname>…" seems to contain many but not all custom preferences, for instance in my setup:

Quote

abbreviations.propcol
adjustments.propcol
assets.propcol
autocorrect_config.dat
autocorrect.propcol
develop.propcol
doc_spread_presets.propcol
document_defaults.dat
expressions_presets.propcol
file_export_options.dat
filler_text.propcol
fills.propcol
find_and_replace_mru.dat
font_map.dat
glyph_browser.dat
grid_presets.propcol
macros.propcol
objectstyles.propcol
preflight_presets.propcol
raster_brushes.propcol
snapping_options.dat
table_formats.propcol
text_styles.dat
title_exceptions.propcol
tone_map.propcol
tool_settings.propcol
vector_brushes.propcol
visibility_options.dat
ws.dat

Notes:

1. To avoid confusion I would not copy custom preference files selectively (unless with explicit intent), but rather the entire parent preference folder for each app (named "Affinity Publisher" in my screenshot).
2. The "temp" folder gets emptied either manually (with closed app) or automatically after you opened AND closed the app without opening a document.
3. Some folders do exist but, oddly, never seem to be used by the app (e.g. in my version: backup | Default Palette (though I created one) | profiles | shunt).
4. If you change a preference with the goal to detect its preference file by its changed modification date in the Finder you may need to close the app to get it updated.
5. For "Shortcuts" the preference panel offers options to "Save" and "Load" your current setting. This seems to be a backup only but not used by the app unless you choose "Load". So, to keep this "saved" .affshortcuts file updated you need to save it after each change. Only then your saved backup may work to be transferred for another user.

[rumo]

Thanks again for the detailed answer, @thomaso. It worked!!

I already had a Studio Preset for my workspace, though I did not find a file for it. Anyway, like you suggested, I copied the three folders from ~/Library/Application Support (one for each app) and the three .plist files from ~/Library/Preferences and pasted them to the Shared/Public folder of my second user account. I also saved my custom shortcuts to the shared folder. I then switched to the second user account and copied and pasted the files and folders in their respective Library folders. I then restarted my Mac (seems not to work without). Now the Affinity suite on both of my user accounts looks exactly the same.

Again, thank you so much!