title: What does this line in bash mean? ". ~/some_env database_name"
body: <pre><code>#!/bin/bash
  #
  . ~/some_env database_name
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>The code looks just like the above, and every time I try to run it in bash I get an error that the file or directory doesn't exist. If I make the directory it complains that I am using a directory. If I make a file, it complains that "filename is not a function".</p>
  
  <p>What does this line of code do?
  It's very hard to figure out what the line does because the search string is so short.</p>
  
  <p>Also, I am very new to bash.</p>