Importing and exporting packages

Sometimes, if willing to share a list of packages with someone, or to backup your installed software, or to set up a new computer or VM with specific programs, you may want to create package bundles that can be easily installable on another machine. WingetUI allows the creation of such bundles, as well as the installation of them. This article will explain how to create custom package lists and how to import them to another machine.

Table of contents

• Exporting packages
  • Exporting installed packages
  • Creating custom bundles
• Importing packages

Exporting packages

The idea behind exporting packages is simple. WingetUI will generate a dictionary file containing the information required to install a selection of packages to another machine.
Once the package list has been exported, it can be easily imported on another machine running WingetUI, and the packages on that list will be installed in the same way as they are in the source machine without further complication.

Exporting packages does not export any kind of program data or executable content. Only useful information about them is stored.

Exporting installed packages

In order to export a list of the installed packages on your machine, you will need to first navigate to the Installed Software tab.

1. To start, you will need to select the packages you want to export. You may want to select all your packages by clicking Select All on the toolbar or by pressing Ctrl+A, but you can also select a group of packages individually

2. When the selection has been done, you will need to click on the Export selected packages to a file button on the toolbar.

   

3. A dialog will pop up showing the list of packages that are going to be exported

   You may remove packages from the list by using the rightmost button shown on each package.

   Some packages may show greyed out. This happens when the packages are not installable from any package manager. Those packages won't be exported.



4. When you are ready, click on the Export button. This will open a file explorer window where you will need to select the location where you want to save the package list. Furthermore, you can change the output format for the file. JSON is the default one, but it can be changed to YAML

   Changing the output format does not affect to the functionality of the file.

5. Finally, click on Save. The file will be saved in the selected location, and an exporer window will pop showing the exported file.

Creating custom bundles from packages that are not installed

The procedure used when creating custom bundles is the same as the one used when exporting installed packages. However, you will need to search and select each package manually on the Discover Packages tab.

Please note that selected packages will disappear when changing the query. Don't worry, they will still be added to the list when clicking Export Packages

Then, as usual, review the list, click Save and choose the output file name and format.

Importing packages

The process of importing packages is very similar to the process of exporting them.

1. To start, navigate to the Discover Packages tab and click the Import packages from a file

2. A dialog will pop up asking you to select the file you want to import. Select the file and click Open.
   Both JSON and YAML files are accepted

   Then, the list of package to be imported will be shown. If a package can't be installed*, it will be shown greyed.



3. Remove any unwanted packages from the list by clicking the rightmost button on each package.

   When ready, click the Install button. The packages will be installed automatically.

* A package could not be installable because it was installed from a Package Manager or from a source that you don't have installed.

This is the end of this article. Return to the WingetUI Help and Documentation page?