UNIX for Dummies Questions & Answers

Hi all,

I have a shell script that sets up the environment for an application running on UNIX - ksh. This script is run using:

. ./script_name XX

where XX is a parameter. I want to run it from another shell script but when I do it I don't get the envornment variables set up and the prompt doesn't change to what it changes when I run it manually. Can you please tell me what am I doing wrong?

#!/bin/ksh
cd /applications/scripts
. ./script_name XX

I know that the script is running coz in the middle of the execution I'm asked for a second parameter that is required for the script_name script.

Thanks in advance!

does your embedded script actually export its variable?

Since you're trying to source the embedded script, you'd want to share the environment variables (ie, export my_var='foobar'). You'll need to export the embedded script's variable(s) in order for them to show in the environment for the parent script.

Hi Curleb,

Thanks for replying. I think I found out what was happening. I read somehwere else that a script is called from another script a new shell is opened and the variables are set up for that second shell (or child shell) and once the script is executed the shell is closed and with it all the variables. So if I want to execute the script in the current shell I have to use the option . ./script_name.sh (with the dot and space) and at Exit 0 the previous shell disappears and the child shell stays as current. This is my intepretation of what I read, I'm sure there is more professional explanation for it

Thanks for your help

I'm not sure the "exit 0" part is correct. When a child exits, you lose its state. Then you're back in the parent. When the parent exits, nothing is left.