Running Content Porter from the command prompt

Use the Content Porter console client to perform exports or imports from the command line, unattended or in a batch file.

Apart from using the Content Porter wizard, you can also run Content Porter using a console client from the Windows command prompt. Use this client if you want to import or export content unattended, or as part of a non-interactive batch process.

The command line executable that is the console client, called cpcmd.exe, is located in a randomly named folder under the folder c:\Documents and Settings\<your username>\Local Settings\Apps\2.0\, where <your username> is the name of the user who installed the client. You can find out the exact location of the executable by accessing the Windows Start menu and navigating to Programs > SDL Web > Content Porter Program Folder (or Programs > SDL Tridion > Content Porter Program Folder. This opens the folder that contains cpcmd.exe.

This executable has a number of command line parameters. Parameters start with a slash (/). You set parameter values by using the format /param:value (so, for example: /user:DOMAIN\jlocke).The following table lists all the command line parameters.

The parameters are as follows:

ParameterDescription
configUse to specify a configuration file, created in the client, that tells Content Porter what to do. This parameter is mandatory.
userUse to specify a user name (and domain) for the Content Manager you are importing into, or exporting from, for example DOMAIN\user.
passwordSpecify a password for the Content Manager you are importing into, or exporting from. Note that you must escape the characters '|', '^', '&', '(' and ')' by typing a '^' in front of them.
mappings(optional) Uses an explicit mappings file that you created earlier. Refer to the implementation topics to learn more about explicit mappings.
help(optional) Shows Content Porter help information.