PowerShell Export-PSSession

last modified February 15, 2025

In this article, we will cover the Export-PSSession cmdlet in PowerShell. This cmdlet exports commands from a remote session into a local PowerShell module. It enables command reuse across sessions.

Export-PSSession basics

Export-PSSession creates a module from commands in a remote session. This allows using remote commands locally without reconnecting. The cmdlet requires an active PSSession to export from. The output is a PowerShell module with proxy functions.

Basic Export-PSSession usage

The simplest way to use Export-PSSession is with a session object. First create a session with New-PSSession, then export its commands. The module is saved to the specified path. This creates reusable command sets.

export1.ps1

$session = New-PSSession -ComputerName Server01
Export-PSSession -Session $session -OutputModule RemoteCommands

This creates a session to Server01 and exports its commands. The commands are saved in a module named RemoteCommands. The module is placed in the modules path.

Export specific commands

You can export only specific commands using the -CommandName parameter. This filters which commands are included in the output module. Wildcards are supported for pattern matching. This reduces module size and clutter.

export2.ps1

$session = New-PSSession -ComputerName Server01
Export-PSSession -Session $session -CommandName Get-* -OutputModule GetCommands

This exports only commands starting with "Get-" from Server01. The resulting module contains just these filtered commands. Useful for creating focused modules.

Export to a specific directory

By default, modules are saved to the user's module path. You can specify a different location with -OutputModulePath. This allows custom module storage. The path must exist before running the command. Useful for testing modules.

export3.ps1

$session = New-PSSession -ComputerName Server01
Export-PSSession -Session $session -OutputModule TempCommands -OutputModulePath C:\Temp

This exports commands to C:\Temp\TempCommands instead of the default location. The module can be imported from this custom path later. Good for temporary modules.

Export with module description

You can add metadata to the exported module using -Description. This appears when using Get-Module -ListAvailable. Helps document the module's purpose. The description is stored in the module manifest file.

export4.ps1

$session = New-PSSession -ComputerName Server01
Export-PSSession -Session $session -OutputModule ServerCmds -Description "Server01 management commands"

This creates a module with a descriptive message about its contents. The description helps users understand the module's purpose. Useful in shared environments.

Export with specific module version

You can specify a version number for the exported module. Use -ModuleVersion to set this. Version numbers help track module updates. Follows standard versioning format (Major.Minor.Build). Useful for module management.

export5.ps1

$session = New-PSSession -ComputerName Server01
Export-PSSession -Session $session -OutputModule ServerTools -ModuleVersion 1.0.0

This exports commands as version 1.0.0 of the ServerTools module. Versioning helps track changes and dependencies. Important for production environments.

Export with command prefix

You can add a prefix to all exported commands using -Prefix. This avoids naming conflicts with local commands. The prefix is added to each command name. Makes it clear which commands are remote.

export6.ps1

$session = New-PSSession -ComputerName Server01
Export-PSSession -Session $session -OutputModule Remote -Prefix Server01

This adds "Server01" prefix to all exported commands. For example, Get-Process becomes Server01Get-Process. Helps distinguish between local and remote commands.

Export with specific format files

You can include custom format files with -FormatTypeName and -FormatData. These control how objects are displayed. Useful for preserving remote session formatting. The format data is included in the module.

export7.ps1

$session = New-PSSession -ComputerName Server01
$format = Get-FormatData -TypeName Some.Custom.Type
Export-PSSession -Session $session -OutputModule CustomFormats -FormatData $format

This exports commands along with custom formatting for Some.Custom.Type objects. The formatting is preserved when using the module locally. Maintains consistency.

Source

PowerShell documentation

In this article, we have covered the Export-PSSession cmdlet in PowerShell.

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