Export-Alias

  • Reference
Module:
Microsoft.PowerShell.Utility

Exports information about currently defined aliases to a file.

Syntax

Export-Alias
      [-Path] <String>
      [[-Name] <String[]>]
      [-PassThru]
      [-As <ExportAliasFormat>]
      [-Append]
      [-Force]
      [-NoClobber]
      [-Description <String>]
      [-Scope <String>]
      [-WhatIf]
      [-Confirm]
      [<CommonParameters>]
Export-Alias
      -LiteralPath <String>
      [[-Name] <String[]>]
      [-PassThru]
      [-As <ExportAliasFormat>]
      [-Append]
      [-Force]
      [-NoClobber]
      [-Description <String>]
      [-Scope <String>]
      [-WhatIf]
      [-Confirm]
      [<CommonParameters>]

Description

The Export-Alias cmdlet exports the aliases in the current session to a file. If the output file does not exist, the cmdlet will create it.

Export-Alias can export the aliases in a particular scope or all scopes, it can generate the data in CSV format or as a series of Set-Alias commands that you can add to a session or to a PowerShell profile.

Examples

Example 1: Export an alias

Export-Alias -Path "alias.csv"

This command exports current alias information to a file named Alias.csv in the current directory.

Example 2: Export an alias unless the export file already exists

Export-Alias -Path "alias.csv" -NoClobber

This command exports the aliases in the current session to an Alias.csv file.

Because the NoClobber parameter is specified, the command will fail if an Alias.csv file already exists in the current directory.

Example 3: Append aliases to a file

Export-Alias -Path "alias.csv" -Append -Description "Appended Aliases" -Force

This command appends the aliases in the current session to the Alias.csv file.

The command uses the Description parameter to add a description to the comments at the top of the file.

The command also uses the Force parameter to overwrite any existing Alias.csv files, even if they have the read-only attribute.

Example 4: Export aliases as a script

Export-Alias -Path "alias.ps1" -As Script
Add-Content -Path $Profile -Value (Get-Content alias.ps1)
$S = New-PSSession -ComputerName Server01
Invoke-Command -Session $S -FilePath .\alias.ps1

This example shows how to use the script file format that Export-Alias generates.

The first command exports the aliases in the session to the Alias.ps1 file. It uses the As parameter with a value of Script to generate a file that contains a Set-Alias command for each alias.

The second command adds the aliases in the Alias.ps1 file to the CurrentUser-CurrentHost profile. The path to the profile is saved in the $Profile variable. The command uses the Get-Content cmdlet to get the aliases from the Alias.ps1 file and the Add-Content cmdlet to add them to the profile. For more information, see about_Profiles.

The third and fourth commands add the aliases in the Alias.ps1 file to a remote session on the Server01 computer. The third command uses the New-PSSession cmdlet to create the session. The fourth command uses the FilePath parameter of the Invoke-Command cmdlet to run the Alias.ps1 file in the new session.

Parameters

-Append

Indicates that this cmdlet appends the output to the specified file, rather than overwriting the existing contents of that file.

Type:SwitchParameter
Position:Named
Default value:None
Required:False
Accept pipeline input:False
Accept wildcard characters:False

-As

Specifies the output format. CSV is the default. The acceptable values for this parameter are:

  • CSV. Comma-separated value (CSV) format.
  • Script. Creates a Set-Alias command for each exported alias. If you name the output file with a .ps1 file name extension, you can run it as a script to add the aliases to any session.
Type:ExportAliasFormat
Accepted values:Csv, Script
Position:Named
Default value:None
Required:False
Accept pipeline input:False
Accept wildcard characters:False

-Confirm

Prompts you for confirmation before running the cmdlet.

Type:SwitchParameter
Aliases:cf
Position:Named
Default value:False
Required:False
Accept pipeline input:False
Accept wildcard characters:False

-Description

Specifies the description of the exported file. The description appears as a comment at the top of the file, following the header information.

Type:String
Position:Named
Default value:None
Required:False
Accept pipeline input:False
Accept wildcard characters:False

-Force

Forces the command to run without asking for user confirmation.

Overwrites the output file, even if the read-only attribute is set on the file.

By default, Export-Alias overwrites files without warning, unless the read-only or hidden attribute is set or the NoClobber parameter is used in the command. The NoClobber parameter takes precedence over the Force parameter when both are used in a command.

The Force parameter cannot force Export-Alias to overwrite files with the hidden attribute.

Type:SwitchParameter
Position:Named
Default value:None
Required:False
Accept pipeline input:False
Accept wildcard characters:False

-LiteralPath

Specifies the path to the output file. Unlike Path, the value of the LiteralPath parameter is used exactly as it is typed. No characters are interpreted as wildcards. If the path includes escape characters, enclose it in single quotation marks. Single quotation marks tell PowerShell not to interpret any characters as escape sequences.

Type:String
Aliases:PSPath, LP
Position:Named
Default value:None
Required:True
Accept pipeline input:True
Accept wildcard characters:False

-Name

Specifies the names as an array of the aliases to export. Wildcards are permitted.

By default, Export-Alias exports all aliases in the session or scope.

Type:String[]
Position:1
Default value:None
Required:False
Accept pipeline input:True
Accept wildcard characters:True

-NoClobber

Indicates that this cmdlet prevents Export-Alias from overwriting any files, even if the Force parameter is used in the command.

If the NoClobber parameter is omitted, Export-Alias will overwrite an existing file without warning, unless the read-only attribute is set on the file. NoClobber takes precedence over the Force parameter, which permits Export-Alias to overwrite a file with the read-only attribute.

NoClobber does not prevent the Append parameter from adding content to an existing file.

Type:SwitchParameter
Aliases:NoOverwrite
Position:Named
Default value:None
Required:False
Accept pipeline input:False
Accept wildcard characters:False

-PassThru

Returns an object representing the item with which you are working. By default, this cmdlet does not generate any output.

Type:SwitchParameter
Position:Named
Default value:None
Required:False
Accept pipeline input:False
Accept wildcard characters:False

-Path

Specifies the path to the output file. Wildcards are permitted, but the resulting path value must resolve to a single file name.

Type:String
Position:0
Default value:None
Required:True
Accept pipeline input:False
Accept wildcard characters:True

-Scope

Specifies the scope from which the aliases should be exported. The acceptable values for this parameter are:

  • Global
  • Local
  • Script
  • A number relative to the current scope (0 through the number of scopes where 0 is the current scope and 1 is its parent)

The default value is Local. For more information, see about_Scopes.

Type:String
Position:Named
Default value:None
Required:False
Accept pipeline input:False
Accept wildcard characters:False

-WhatIf

Shows what would happen if the cmdlet runs. The cmdlet is not run.

Type:SwitchParameter
Aliases:wi
Position:Named
Default value:False
Required:False
Accept pipeline input:False
Accept wildcard characters:False

Inputs

None

You can't pipe objects to this cmdlet.

Outputs

None

By default, this cmdlet returns no output.

AliasInfo

When you use the PassThru parameter, this cmdlet returns an AliasInfo object representing the alias.

Notes

PowerShell includes the following aliases for Export-Alias:

  • All platforms:
    • epal
  • You can only Export-Aliases to a file.