Xming - portablePuTTY

Introduction

PuTTY is a fantastic free telnet/ssh client for Microsoft Windows and Unix platforms. When used with Xming only the Windows platform variant is relevant.

The Windows version is just a few self-contained executables that can be run from portable devices. However configuration data is stored in the Windows registry at [HKCU\Software\SimonTatham\PuTTY] which may not be accessible from portable devices or populated on different machines. Independent configuration data storage in files overcomes this problem. There is a cumbersome workaround with bat/reg files, alternatively, Xming portablePuTTY is able to elegantly use stored sessions and ssh host keys as files.

Xming portablePuTTY is a complete, Xming specific, customised alternative to all PuTTY's Win32 executables and the 'PuTTY Link for Xming SSH client'. It is supplied under the same license as PuTTY, has built-in help and is made optimized for size.

Usage

Xming portablePuTTY stores configuration data (sessions, sshhostkeys) to file instead of the registry, and can work from existing registry entries. Every session and ssh host key is stored in a separate file. The default file location is in sub-directories, 'sessions' and 'sshhostkeys', of the directory where an executable is being run.

The path to the configuration files can be set via file(s) 'putty.conf' located in the same directory as an executable (i.e. location of plink.exe, putty.exe etc). 'putty.conf' is structured as described below...

; Full path to configuration files (location must begin with a drive letter e.g. 'X:')
sshk&sess='X:\somepath'
; The files are then stored in directories
; 'X:\somepath'\sessions and 'X:\somepath'\sshhostkeys

; Path on the current drive (location must begin with '\')
sshk&sess=\'somepath'
; The files are then stored in directories
; \'somepath'\sessions and \'somepath'\sshhostkeys

; Full path via an environmental variable (location must begin with '%env%')
; '%env%' environmental variable must begin with a drive letter e.g. 'X:'
; %APPDATA% or %USERPROFILE% are suitable variables to use
sshk&sess='%env%\somepath'
; The files are then stored in directories
; '%env%\somepath'\sessions and '%env%\somepath'\sshhostkeys

Example 'putty.conf' files of these three types...

; putty.conf for storage in directory 'Xming PuTTY' on drive D:
sshk&sess=D:\Xming PuTTY

; putty.conf for storage in directory 'Xming Portable' on the current drive
sshk&sess=\Xming Portable

; putty.conf for storage in per-user directories called 'PuTTY'
sshk&sess=%APPDATA%\PuTTY

A comment line begins ';' and no blank lines or leading space are allowed.
If 'putty.conf' is not found, or it is badly formed, file locations default.
Only the three types above are valid (e.g. no relative paths).
It is not advisable to create or edit the 'sessions' or 'sshhostkeys' files by hand, work via 'putty.exe' for 'sessions' files and let the system create 'sshhostkeys' files. You can, however, safely delete any files no longer required.
When 'sshk&sess' is defined it is used as the location for the random seed file, 'PUTTY.RND'. The seed file will then be portable if directory 'sshk&sess' is on a portable device.

Xming portablePuTTY is still able to read configuration data from the Windows registry. Sessions from the registry are marked [registry] on "PuTTY Configuration/Saved Sessions" and you can 'Load' and then 'Save' any sessions as files from here. In the command line '-load' option you need to append [registry] to the session name, if the session data is required from a registry entry, for example

>putty -load "session-name [registry]"
>plink -load "session-name [registry]" xterm -ls -rightbar

and once the session is stored as a file

>putty -load session-name
>plink -load session-name xterm -ls -rightbar

When the 'sshhostkey' is found only in the registry (i.e. not found in file as well), you will be prompted to move/copy the key to file (or do nothing).
No writing of new or modified configuration data to the Windows registry is possible. Xming portablePuTTY is designed to install nothing and leave no trace of use when used from a portable device.

Acknowledgements

Xming portablePuTTY is based on patches originally from

PuTTY for win32 storing configuration into file applied to the solid foundation of

PuTTY software from Simon Tatham.

Introduction
Usage
Acknowledgements

The

Xming website, documentation and images are licensed under a

Introduction

Usage

Acknowledgements

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