Linux and Unix Shell Programming

19.8. Sourcing the file

To source a file the format is:

. /pathname/filename 

Now the file is created, let’s load the file into the shell (source it). Type the following:

						$. functions.main
					

If the above returns a ‘file not found’ message then try the following instead:

						$. /functions.main
					

That’s a <dot><space><forward slash><filename>. The file should now be loaded into the shell. If you still get an error, make sure you supply your full pathname to the file instead.