Source bashrc from script failing

Question

I've written a simple bash script that adds an alias to my .bashrc automatically, and when it finishes, I would like it to source the .bashrc

It works fine as of now, for example

./addalias.sh ls 'ls -l'

properly appends 'alias ls='ls -l' to the .bashrc, but doesn't source it.

The code is as follows:

#!/bin/bash
FIRST=$1

SECOND=${2:-cd `pwd`}

echo alias $FIRST="'$SECOND'" >> /home/oscar/.bashrc
echo alias $FIRST="'$SECOND'"

source /home/oscar/.bashrc

That doesn't work, nor does running an alias ("sourcebash") to source the bash instead of the last line.

Any thoughts on how this could be fixed?

Unless I am mistaken, your script will fork a shell process and it is being sourced there. When the script is finished, any changes to that shell are gone too. I don't know of an any way around this, but maybe someone else can help. — gpojd
– gpojd, Commented Jul 12, 2012 at 18:08
Unrelated, you can replace the if statement with SECOND=${2:-cd `pwd`} — chepner
– chepner, Commented Jul 12, 2012 at 18:43

Jonathan Leffler · Accepted Answer · 2012-07-12 18:45:05Z

3

The shell that runs 'addalias.sh' does source the .bashrc file; it then exits. It does not and cannot affect the parent shell's environment.

You'd have to invoke the command as:

source ./addalias.sh ls 'ls --color=auto'

Or:

. ./addalias.sh ls 'ls --color=auto'

(Now fixed: And I'm not convinced that, even in a question, playing with sudo rm -fr /* is remotely sensible. There's too much risk of an idiot copying and not realizing.)

edited Jul 12, 2012 at 18:45

answered Jul 12, 2012 at 18:28

Jonathan Leffler

760k145 gold badges961 silver badges1.3k bronze badges

Sign up to request clarification or add additional context in comments.

2 Comments

bezi Over a year ago

That is true. Fixed, thanks. Is there perhaps a way to write a function that sources the .bashrc in all shells?

Jonathan Leffler Over a year ago

No; each shell is independent and would have to source the .bashrc separately.

gpojd · Accepted Answer · 2012-07-12 18:09:43Z

1

Maybe you can make it a function or an alias instead of a bash script. Doing that might cause the changes to occur in the same shell.

answered Jul 12, 2012 at 18:09

gpojd

23.2k8 gold badges45 silver badges71 bronze badges

Comments

Rob Latham · Accepted Answer · 2012-07-12 18:18:00Z

0

i'd make an alias which calls this 'addalias' script, then sources the newly-modified file.

something like

alias really_add_alias="addalias.sh; . .bashrc"

answered Jul 12, 2012 at 18:18

Rob Latham

5,2633 gold badges32 silver badges45 bronze badges

4 Comments

fork0 Over a year ago

It must be a function, otherwise the script wont not get its arguments (sourcing of .bashrc will)

fork0 Over a year ago

Like this: addalias() { addalias.sh "$@"; . ~/.bashrc; }

fork0 Over a year ago

And yes, put the function in your .bashrc too. And I would suggest you'd better add the aliases to some other file, not your .bashrc. Just to be on a safe side. Less to source from that addalias() function, too

bezi Over a year ago

The function does the same as the alias, still not sourcing it, though. It properly appends the text to the .bashrc

Collectives™ on Stack Overflow

Source bashrc from script failing

3 Answers 3

2 Comments

Comments

4 Comments

Your Answer

Hot Network Questions

Collectives™ on Stack Overflow

3 Answers 3

2 Comments

Comments

4 Comments

Your Answer

Sign up or log in

Post as a guest

Related