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.

Tags:

Windows

Registry

Putty

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