source - execute commands from a file

source [-h] [-p] [-s] [-x] <file> [<args>]

Reads and executes commands from a file.

Command options:

-h
Print the command usage.
-p
Print a prompt before reading each command.
-s
Silently ignore an attempt to execute commands from a nonexistent file.
-x
Echo each command before it is executed.
<file>
File name
Arguments on the command line after the filename are remembered but not evaluated. Commands in the script file can then refer to these arguments using the history substitution mechanism.

EXAMPLE:

Contents of test.scr:

  read_blif_mv %:2
  init_verify
  simulate -n 10
Typing "source test.scr lion.mv" on the command line will execute the sequence

  read_blif_mv lion.mv
  init_verify
  simulate -n 10
(In this case %:0 gets "source", %:1 gets "test.scr", and %:2 gets "lion.mv".) If you type "alias st source test.scr" and then type "st lion.blif bozo", you will execute

  read_blif_mv bozo
  init_verify
  simulate -n 10
because "bozo" was the second argument on the last command line typed. In other words, command substitution in a script file depends on how the script file was invoked. Switches passed to a command are also counted as positional parameters. Therefore, if you type "st -x lion.mv bozo", you will execute 
  read_blif_mv lion.mv
  init_verify
  simulate -n 10
To pass the "-x" switch (or any other switch) to "source" when the script uses positional parameters, you can define an alias. For instance, "alias srcx source -x".

Last updated on 20050519 00h50