How to export/import PuTTy sessions list?
When I tried the other solutions I got this error:
Registry editing has been disabled by your administrator.
Phooey to that, I say!
I put together the below powershell scripts for exporting and importing PuTTY settings. The exported file is a windows .reg file and will import cleanly if you have permission, otherwise use import.ps1 to load it.
Warning: messing with the registry like this is a Bad Idea™, and I don't really know what I'm doing. Use the below scripts at your own risk, and be prepared to have your IT department re-image your machine and ask you uncomfortable questions about what you were doing.
On the source machine:
.\export.ps1
On the target machine:
.\import.ps1 > cmd.ps1
# Examine cmd.ps1 to ensure it doesn't do anything nasty
.\cmd.ps1
export.ps1
# All settings
$registry_path = "HKCU:\Software\SimonTatham"
# Only sessions
#$registry_path = "HKCU:\Software\SimonTatham\PuTTY\Sessions"
$output_file = "putty.reg"
$registry = ls "$registry_path" -Recurse
"Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00" | Out-File putty.reg
"" | Out-File putty.reg -Append
foreach ($reg in $registry) {
"[$reg]" | Out-File putty.reg -Append
foreach ($prop in $reg.property) {
$propval = $reg.GetValue($prop)
if ("".GetType().Equals($propval.GetType())) {
'"' + "$prop" + '"' + "=" + '"' + "$propval" + '"' | Out-File putty.reg -Append
} elseif ($propval -is [int]) {
$hex = "{0:x8}" -f $propval
'"' + "$prop" + '"' + "=dword:" + $hex | Out-File putty.reg -Append
}
}
"" | Out-File putty.reg -Append
}
import.ps1
$input_file = "putty.reg"
$content = Get-Content "$input_file"
"Push-Location"
"cd HKCU:\"
foreach ($line in $content) {
If ($line.StartsWith("Windows Registry Editor")) {
# Ignore the header
} ElseIf ($line.startswith("[")) {
$section = $line.Trim().Trim('[', ']')
'New-Item -Path "' + $section + '" -Force' | %{ $_ -replace 'HKEY_CURRENT_USER\\', '' }
} ElseIf ($line.startswith('"')) {
$linesplit = $line.split('=', 2)
$key = $linesplit[0].Trim('"')
if ($linesplit[1].StartsWith('"')) {
$value = $linesplit[1].Trim().Trim('"')
} ElseIf ($linesplit[1].StartsWith('dword:')) {
$value = [Int32]('0x' + $linesplit[1].Trim().Split(':', 2)[1])
'New-ItemProperty "' + $section + '" "' + $key + '" -PropertyType dword -Force' | %{ $_ -replace 'HKEY_CURRENT_USER\\', '' }
} Else {
Write-Host "Error: unknown property type: $linesplit[1]"
exit
}
'Set-ItemProperty -Path "' + $section + '" -Name "' + $key + '" -Value "' + $value + '"' | %{ $_ -replace 'HKEY_CURRENT_USER\\', '' }
}
}
"Pop-Location"
Apologies for the non-idiomatic code, I'm not very familiar with Powershell. Improvements are welcome!
Export
cmd.exe
, requires elevated prompt due to regedit:
Only sessions (produces file putty-sessions.reg
on the Desktop):
regedit /e "%USERPROFILE%\Desktop\putty-sessions.reg" HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\SimonTatham\PuTTY\Sessions
All settings except ssh keys (produces file putty.reg
on the Desktop):
regedit /e "%USERPROFILE%\Desktop\putty.reg" HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\SimonTatham
Powershell:
Only sessions (produces file putty-sessions.reg
on the Desktop):
reg export HKCU\Software\SimonTatham\PuTTY\Sessions ([Environment]::GetFolderPath("Desktop") + "\putty-sessions.reg")
All settings except ssh keys (produces file putty.reg
on the Desktop):
reg export HKCU\Software\SimonTatham ([Environment]::GetFolderPath("Desktop") + "\putty.reg")
Import
Double-click on the *.reg
file and accept the import.
Alternative ways:
cmd.exe
, requires elevated command prompt:
regedit /i putty-sessions.reg
regedit /i putty.reg
PowerShell:
reg import putty-sessions.reg
reg import putty.reg
Note: do not replace SimonTatham
with your username.
Note: These commands will not export the related SSH keys.