The error message “No such file or directory” often occurs when the script is unable to locate the file due to one of the following reasons:

1. Relative Path Issue

Ensure the file is in the same directory as the script. If the script is executed from a different working directory, source ./utilities.sh will look for the file relative to the current working directory, not the script’s location.

Fix: Use the script’s directory dynamically with $BASH_SOURCE:

source "$(dirname "${BASH_SOURCE[0]}")/utilities.sh"
source "$(dirname "${BASH_SOURCE[0]}")/config.sh"

2. File Permission Issue

Even if the file is marked executable (chmod +x), it must also be readable. Check the file permissions:

ls -l utilities.sh config.sh

Ensure the files have read (r) permissions. Example output should include r:

-rw-r--r-- 1 user group 1234 Dec 11 10:00 utilities.sh

If not, add read permissions:

chmod +r utilities.sh config.sh

3. File Name or Path Mismatch

  • Check for Typos: Verify the file name and case sensitivity (utilities.sh vs Utilities.sh).
  • Debugging Tip: Use ls to confirm the file’s presence:
    ls -l utilities.sh
  • Absolute Path: If the relative path isn’t working, try using the absolute path:
    source /full/path/to/utilities.sh

4. Execute in the Correct Directory

Ensure you are in the directory containing the script and its dependencies before executing:

cd /path/to/script-directory
./main_script.sh

Alternatively, specify the full path when running the script:

bash /path/to/script-directory/main_script.sh

5. Debugging Tips

  • Add debug statements to confirm paths:
    echo "Sourcing utilities.sh from $(pwd)"
  • Run with verbose and debug mode:
    bash -x main_script.sh
    This prints each command as it is executed, helping identify the failure point.