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. The use of the command line client is deprecated in favor of using the Import and Export service.

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.