[powershell] How to create permanent PowerShell Aliases

I want to create an alias of a cmdlet that doesn't expire after I close the current session of Powershell, let's say I have this alias :

C:\Users\Aymen> New-Alias Goto Set-Location

This perfectly creates the Goto alias, but I want to use it even after I close the current session, how can I achieve that.

Note:

The PowerShell Help system suggests that I can export the aliases I create, and import them next time I open a new session, actually that's not really what I'm looking, for, is there a direct clear way to keep having a alias after I create it through different sessions

to create the profile1.psl file, type in the following command:

new-item $PROFILE.CurrentUserAllHosts -ItemType file -Force

to access the file, type in the next command:

ise $PROFILE.CurrentUserAllHosts

note if you haven't done this before, you will see that you will not be able to run the script because of your execution policy, which you need to change to Unrestricted from Restricted (default).

to do that close the script and then type this command:

Set-ExecutionPolicy -Scope CurrentUser

then:

RemoteSigned

then this command again:

ise $PROFILE.CurrentUserAllHosts

then finally type your aliases in the script, save it, and they should run every time you run powershell, even after restarting your computer.

Open a Windows PowerShell window and type:

notepad $profile

Then create a function, such as:

function goSomewhereThenOpenGoogleThenDeleteSomething {
    cd C:\Users\
    Start-Process -FilePath "http://www.google.com"
    rm fileName.txt
}

Then type this under the function name:

Set-Alias google goSomewhereThenOpenGoogleThenDeleteSomething

Now you can type the word "google" into Windows PowerShell and have it execute the code within your function!

I found that I can run this command:

notepad $((Split-Path $profile -Parent) + "\profile.ps1")

and it opens my default powershell profile (at least when using Terminal for Windows). I found that here.

Then add an alias. For example, here is my alias of jn for jupyter notebook (I hate typing out the cumbersome jupyter notebook every time):

Set-Alias -Name jn -Value C:\Users\words\Anaconda3\Scripts\jupyter-notebook.exe

Just to add to this list of possible locations...

This didn't work for me: \Users\{ME}\Documents\WindowsPowerShell\Microsoft.PowerShell_profile.ps1

However this did: \Users\{ME}\OneDrive\Documents\WindowsPowerShell\Microsoft.PowerShell_profile.ps1

If you don't have a profile or you're looking to set one up, run the following command, it will create the folder/files necessary and even tell you where it lives! New-Item -path $profile -type file -force

It's not a good idea to add this kind of thing directly to your $env:WINDIR powershell folders.
The recommended way is to add it to your personal profile:

cd $env:USERPROFILE\Documents
md WindowsPowerShell -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
cd WindowsPowerShell
New-Item Microsoft.PowerShell_profile.ps1 -ItemType "file" -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
powershell_ise.exe .\Microsoft.PowerShell_profile.ps1

Now add your alias to the Microsoft.PowerShell_profile.ps1 file that is now opened:

function Do-ActualThing {
    # do actual thing
}

Set-Alias MyAlias Do-ActualThing

Then save it, and refresh the current session with:

. $profile

Note: Just in case, if you get permission issue like

CategoryInfo : SecurityError: (:) [], PSSecurityException + FullyQualifiedErrorId : UnauthorizedAccess

Try the below command and refresh the session again.

Set-ExecutionPolicy -ExecutionPolicy RemoteSigned

This is a little bit fancy... but it works:

Step 1: Create a Powershell Profile:

FILE: install_profile.ps1
# THIS SCRIPT BLOWS AWAY YOUR DEFAULT POWERSHELL PROFILE SCRIPT
#   AND INSTALLS A POINTER TO A GLOBAL POWERSHELL PROFILE

$ErrorActionPreference = "Stop"

function print ([string]$msg)
{
    Write-Host -ForegroundColor Green $msg
}

print ""

# User's Powershell Profile
$psdir  = "$env:USERPROFILE\Documents\WindowsPowerShell"
$psfile = $psdir + "\Microsoft.PowerShell_profile.ps1"

print "Creating Directory: $psdir"
md $psdir -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue | out-null

# this is your auto-generated powershell profile to be installed
$content = @(
    "",
    ". ~/Documents/tools/profile.ps1",
    ""
)

print "Creating File: $psfile"
[System.IO.File]::WriteAllLines($psfile, $content)

print ""

# Make sure Powershell profile is readable
Set-ExecutionPolicy -Scope CurrentUser Unrestricted

Step 2: then in tools ~/Documents/tools/profile.ps1:

function Do-ActualThing {
    # do actual thing
}

Set-Alias MyAlias Do-ActualThing

Step 3:

$ Set-ExecutionPolicy -Scope CurrentUser Unrestricted $ . ./install_profile.ps1

2018, Windows 10

You can link to any file or directory with the help of a simple PowerShell script.

Writing a file shortcut script

Open Windows PowerShell ISE. In the script pane write:

New-Alias ${shortcutName} ${fullFileLocation}

Then head to the command-line pane. Find your PowerShell user profile address with echo $profile. Save the script in this address.

The script in PowerShell's profile address will run each time you open powershell. The shortcut should work with every new PowerShell window.

Writing a directory shortcut script

It requires another line in our script.

function ${nameOfFunction} {set-location ${directory_location}}
New-Alias ${shortcut} ${nameOfFunction} 

The rest is exactly the same.

Enable PowerShell Scripts

By default PowerShell scripts are blocked. To enable them, open settings -> Update & Security -> For developers. Select Developer Mode (might require restart). .

Scroll down to the PowerShell section, tick the "Change execution policy ..." option, and apply.