Moving connections and instances between two computers

Question

I´ve got a mysql-server that I´m administrate remotely with MySQL Workbench.

Now I´ve got a new computer and I cant find any solution to move my connections and instances-profiles to my new computer. This can´t be an unsolved question, huh? Not the first time this would happen for someone else.

Correction: It´s not the server-instances that I want to move. I need to export/move/backup my many client-profiles/instances-connections in MySQL Workbench.

Solution 1

I had the same questions. I found a MySQL directory in %APPDATA%. Copy the entire directory to the same location on the new machine. You'll need clear your passwords and re-enter them. Once I did that, I was up and running again.

You can find your %APPDATA% folder in Windows by entering it in the address bar of Windows Explorer.

Solution 2

You don't need to copy any files manually as other answers suggest. On both Windows and Mac you can export all your settings within MySQL Workbench and restore to another system.

Select Tools > Configuration > Backup Connections

This will export as a .zip. Then on your new new install just

Select Tools > Configuration > Restore Connections

That's it!

Solution 3

Found it on a mac in /Users/Username/Library/Application Support/MySQL/Workbench/

file called connections.xml

Solution 4

Backup and restore connections using the menus Tools > Configuration > Backup Connections and Tools > Configuration > Restore Connections is the easiest way, however it does not copy the passwords.

Extracting the passwords is possible in the following case:

1. Old PC should be a Windows installation.
2. You should be able to login using the Windows account who originally saved the passwords in Workbench, i.e. without having the Windows account's password reset by an admin.

If the above requirements are met, one can log into the old PC and run the decrypt tool found on http://www.donationcoder.com/forum/index.php?topic=41860.msg391762#msg391762

The C++ code to decrypt is shown below (credits: f0dder)

std::vector<unsigned char> decrypt(BYTE *input, size_t length) {
        DATA_BLOB inblob { length, input };
        DATA_BLOB outblob;

        if (!CryptUnprotectData(&inblob, NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, CRYPTPROTECT_UI_FORBIDDEN, &outblob)) {
                throw std::runtime_error("Couldn't decrypt");
        }

        std::vector<unsigned char> output(length);
        memcpy(&output[0], outblob.pbData, outblob.cbData);

        return output;
}

Solution 5

In Linux (Ubuntu), the location was changed to $HOME/.mysql/workbench

Tested on Ubuntu 14.04 LTS.

View more solutions

Comments

[Paul]

You won't need the whole file, just connections.xml. You'll still need to enter in the passwords again for each connection.

[Doug Davis]

Thanks! I was able to copy the connections.xml and server_instances.xml from a PC to a Mac, and all my connections from the PC were then available on my Mac.

[DrCord]

It doesn't look like you need to re-enter passwords anymore in version 6.0.8, awesome!

[bjtilley]

Windows 7 Location: C:\Users[user-name]\AppData\Roaming\MySQL\Workbench\ssh

[Jonathan Gruber]

On Linux the configuration are in ~/.mysql/workbench/

[Prometheus]

Thanks! This should be the top answer!

[TheFrost]

@DrCord apparently, in 6.3 need for re-entering password comes back.

[DrCord]

Super lame they made you have to reenter passwords, this makes me not want to ever upgrade again, my work copy of MySQL workbench has so many passwords saved...

[Valdogg21]

Definitely should be the top answer. Easy!

[Edward]

@ Spaceships , @Glyn Jackson hi, I wander that how to execute the command in the windows.Thanks

[Magus]

sadly, it does not backup your passwords

[thanassis]

Verified on Ubuntu 18.04.1

[user674669]

On Mac OS X High Sierra & MysqlWorkbench 6.3, the file ~/Library//Application Support/MySQL/Workbench/connections.xml is empty.

[Vlado]

What I got by trying this: Error during "Restore connections from a backup file". error calling Python module function PyWbUtils.restoreConnections

[Lorenzo Belfanti]

@Vlado i have the same problem, Workbench version 8.0.25

[Ryan]

For me it was gedit ~/snap/mysql-workbench-community/current/.mysql/workbench/co‌​nnections.xml on Ubuntu 20.04.

[Amir Khalil]

Thanks. Didn't even need to retype the passwords.

[Forbidden]

@Vlado Same issue. Looks like its been a bug since Feb 2021

[DevWithZachary]

Please explain what your code is doing and why it answers the question

[undefinedman]

heh glad you wrote it :)