sourcing /etc/profile

[Shivkumar]

Hi,

How to source /etc/profile ?

I have read about sourcing .profile only.

Thanks,
Shiv

[Jeff Schussele · Accepted solution]

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

[James R. Ferguson]

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...

[Bill Hassell]

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.

[Daavid Turnbull]

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.