[SOLVED] Is it possible to source a file in a shell without using `. ` (dot space)

Issue

I have a file bashrc that creates a bunch of variables and references to programs that I don't usually want to have in my bash shell, so it's not part of my ~/.bashrc file, and if I need them I can just source it source ~/path/bashrc.

To not have to type the whole path because I use it with some frequency, I have a script in one of the directories in my $PATH that contains just a couple of lines to source it

#!/bin/bash
source ~/path/bashrc

suppose the script if called extra-stuff. I know that to run it without sourcing the file to a subshell I have to run it with a dot in front

. extra-stuff

Is there a way to have this happen without having to use the . ? So is there a way to source some extra part of what would normally be .bashrc by calling a script as you would call any other random binary file?

Solution

is there a way to source some extra part of what would normally be .bashrc by calling a script as you would call any other random binary file?

Not by calling a script. But you can call a function instead. In your ~/.bashrc write

extrastuff() {
  source path/to/optional/rc/file
}

or even leaven out the optional rc file by directly writing everything into the function:

extrastuff() {
  # do stuff just as you would do in path/to/optional/rc/file
  # only if you use declare/typeset, you have to add the -g option
}

Then, inside your interactive terminal session, type extrastuff to execute that function.

Answered By - Socowi