Functions in ~/.bash_profile not found in an interactive shell [duplicate]

Question

I thought that whatever lies in .bash_profile(or .profile) which is sourced in a login-shell, is available in an interactive shell.

My goal is to have available a list of functions, either in a login shell or in an interactive shell.

I am using Ubuntu 14.04.1, and i don't use .profile, but instead .bash_profile.(.profile has been renamed)

So currently what i have done, i have inserted the functions in .bash_profile, but when opening an interactive terminal they are not available, only if i use bash -l.

Answer 1

Functions defined in .bash_profile are only available in the shell that reads .bash_profile and not available in sub shells.

When you open a terminal window you may be opening a non login shell. Some terminal programs may let you open a login shell (eg gnome-terminal has it at edit -> profile preferences).

However if you shell out of another program (eg run :sh from vi) then you won't see these functions.

Normally, however, functions and things you want set on every shell should be placed in .bashrc.