Import commands from another session into the current session.
Syntax
Import-PSSession [-Session] PSSession
[[-CommandName] string[]] [[-FormatTypeName] string[]]
[-AllowClobber] [-ArgumentList Object[]]
[-CommandType {Alias | Function | Filter | Cmdlet | ExternalScript | Application | Script | All}]
[-Encoding string] [-Force] [-Module string[]]
[-Prefix string] [CommonParameters]
Key
-AllowClobber
Import the specified commands, even if they have the same names as
commands in the current session.
If you import a command with the same name as a command in the current session,
the imported command hides or replaces the original commands.
For more information, see about_Command_Precedence.
By default Import-PSSession does not import commands that have the same names as commands
in the current session. The default behavior is designed to prevent command name conflicts.
-ArgumentList Object[]
Import the variant of the command that results from using the specified arguments (parameter values).
For example, to import the variant of the Get-Item command in the certificate (Cert:) drive
in the PSSession in $sess, type "import-pssession -session $sess -command get-item -argumentlist cert:".
-CommandName string[]
Import only the commands with the specified string names or name patterns.
Wildcards are permitted.
Use "-CommandName" or its alias, "-Name".
By default, import-PSSession will import all commands from the PSSession except
for commands that have the same names as commands in the current session.
This prevents imported commands from hiding or replacing commands in the
current session. To import all commands, even those that hide or replace other commands,
use -AllowClobber
If you use -CommandName, the formatting files for the commands are not imported unless
you use -FormatTypeName. Similarly, if you use -FormatTypeName, no commands are imported unless
you specify -CommandName.
-CommandType CommandTypes
Import only specific types of command objects. Use "-CommandType" or its alias, "-Type".
Valid values are:
Alias All PowerShell aliases in the current session.
All All command types. It is the equivalent of "get-command *".
Application All files other than PowerShell files in paths listed in the Path environment variable
($env:path), including .txt, .exe, and .dll files.
Cmdlet The cmdlets in the current session. "Cmdlet" is the default.
ExternalScript All .ps1 files in the path(s) listed in the Path environment variable ($env:path).
Filter All PowerShell functions.
Function All PowerShell functions.
Script Script blocks in the current session.
-FormatTypeName string[]
Import formatting instructions only for the specified Microsoft .NET Framework types.
Enter the type names. Wildcards are permitted.
The value of this parameter must be the name of a type that is returned by a Get-FormatData
command in the session from which the commands are being imported.
To get all of the formatting data in the remote session, type *
If the command does not include either -CommandName or -FormatTypeName, Import-PSSession
will import formatting instructions for all .NET Framework types returned by a
Get-FormatData command in the remote session.
If you use the FormatTypeName parameter, no commands are imported unless you use -CommandName.
Similarly, if you use -CommandName, the formatting files for the commands are not imported unless
you also use -FormatTypeName.
-Module string[]
Import only the commands in the specified PowerShell snap-ins and modules.
Enter the snap-in and module names. Wildcards are not permitted.
For more information, see about_PSSnapins and Import-Module.
-Prefix string
Add the specified prefix to the nouns in the names of imported commands.
Use this parameter to avoid name conflicts that might occur when different commands in the
session have the same name.
For example, if you specify the prefix "Remote" and then import a Get-Date cmdlet, the cmdlet
is known in the session as Get-RemoteDate and it is not confused with the original Get-Date cmdlet.
-Session PSSession
The PSSession from which the commands are imported.
Enter a variable that contains a session object or a command that gets a session object,
such as a Get-PSSession command. This parameter is required.
CommonParameters:
-Verbose, -Debug, -ErrorAction, -ErrorVariable, -WarningAction, -WarningVariable,
-OutBuffer -OutVariable.
Standard Aliases for Import-PSSession: ipsn
Import-PSSession imports commands (such as cmdlets, functions, and aliases) from a PSSession on a local
or remote computer into the current session. You can import any command that Get-Command can find in the PSSession.
This is useful for importing commands from a customized shell, such as an Exchange Server shell, or from a session that includes PowerShell modules and snap-ins or other elements that are not in the current session.
To import commands, first use New-PSSession to create a PSSession. Then use Import-PSSession
to import the commands. By default, Import-PSSession imports all commands except those with the same name as a command in the current session. To import all the commands, use -AllowClobber.
Use imported commands as you would use any command in the session. When you use an imported command, the imported part of the command runs implicitly in the session from which it was imported. However, the remote operations are handled entirely by PowerShell. You need not even be aware of them, except that you must keep the connection to the other session (PSSession) open. If you close it, the imported commands are no longer available.
Because imported commands might take longer to run than local commands, Import-PSSession adds an AsJob parameter to
every imported command. This parameter allows you to run the command as a PowerShell background job. For more information, see about_Jobs.
PowerShell will add all imported commands to a temporary module that exists only
in your session and returns an object that represents the module. To create a persistent module that you can use in future sessions, use Export-PSSession.
Import-PSSession uses the implicit remoting feature of PowerShell. When you import commands into
the current session, they run implicitly in the original session or in a similar session on the originating computer.
Examples
Import all commands from a PSSession on the Server64 computer into the current session, except for commands that have the same names as commands in the current session:
PS C:> $sesh = new-pssession -computername Server64
PS C:> import-pssession -session $sesh
Import New-Test and Get-Test cmdlets from a PSSession on the Server64 computer and Set-Test from Server75 computer, then demonstrate piping an object from one (imported) cmdlet to another without error:
PS C:> $s1 = new-pssession -computername Server64 PS C:> $s2 = new-pssession -computername Server75 PS C:> import-pssession -session s1 -type cmdlet -name New-Test, Get-Test -FormatTypeName * PS C:> import-pssession -session s2 -type cmdlet -name Set-Test -FormatTypeName * PS C:> new-test Test1 | set-test -runtype full
Run an imported command as a background job:
Because imported commands might take longer to run than local commands, Import-PSSession adds an AsJob parameter to
every imported command. The AsJob parameter lets you run the command as a background job.
PS C:> $s = new-pssession -computername Server64
PS C:> import-pssession -session $s -commandname *-test* -formattypename *
PS C:> $batch = new-test -name Batch -asjob
PS C:> receive-job $batch
Import the cmdlets and functions from a PowerShell module on a remote computer in to the current session:
PS C:> $s = new-pssession -comp Server64
PS C:> invoke-command -session $s {import-module TestManagement}
PS C:> import-pssession -session $s -module TestManagement
After creating a PSSession on Server64 and saving it in the $s variable,
the second command above uses Invoke-Command to run an Import-Module command in the PSSession in $s.
Typically, the module would be added to all sessions by an Import-Module command in a PowerShell profile, but profiles are not run in PSSessions.
The last command above uses Import-PSSession -Module to import the cmdlets and functions in the module
into the current session.
--
Import a Get-Date cmdlet and a SearchHelp function into the current session, this shows that all commands are converted into functions before they are imported:
PS C:> import-pssession $s -CommandName Get-Date, SearchHelp -formatTypeName * -AllowClobber
Using Get-Command -Module to find out what was imported into the session by Import-PSSession command:
PS C:> $mymod = import-pssession -session $sess -CommandName *bits* -formattypename *bits*
PS C:> get-command -module $mymod
“We never fully grasp the import of any true statement until we have a clear notion of what the opposite untrue statement would be” ~ William James
Related PowerShell Cmdlets:
Export-PSSession - Import commands and save them in a PowerShell module.