topic Re: sourcing /etc/profile in Operating System - HP-UX

sourcing /etc/profile

Shivkumar — Thu, 18 May 2006 12:41:54 GMT

Hi,

How to source /etc/profile ?

I have read about sourcing .profile only.

Thanks,
Shiv

Re: sourcing /etc/profile

Jeff Schussele — Thu, 18 May 2006 12:50:18 GMT

Hi Shiv,

The standard login utilities automatically source /etc/profile.
But if you wish to do it manually after login do

. /etc/profile

HTH,
Jeff

Re: sourcing /etc/profile

James R. Ferguson — Thu, 18 May 2006 12:52:41 GMT

Hi Shiv:

To source (read) a file, for instance, '/etc/profile', do:

# . /etc/profile

That is a "dot", followed by a space (blank), followed by the name of the file to be read.

Regards!

...JRF...

Re: sourcing /etc/profile

Bill Hassell — Thu, 18 May 2006 20:06:20 GMT

Normally, when you run a script, the shell firks a new copy of the shell which then runs the script. All changes to shell environment are left with this shell. When the script terminates, the forked shell also terminates and nothing is passed back to the current shell except a numeric exit code.

Sourcing causes the current shell to run all the instructions locally, which leaves all the changes in the current environment. Any script can be sourced. The source command is just the character . (dot or period). You put the dot in front of the script with at least one space.

Re: sourcing /etc/profile

Daavid Turnbull — Thu, 18 May 2006 22:48:06 GMT

How a script is sourced is dependent upon the current shell. While most shells use a dot (.) I know of at least one that uses the command "source".

If you read the man pages for the shells you are likely to use they will tell you which files get sourced and in what order.