PowerShell not reloading when running & $profile

Question

First post in Stack Overflow so bear with me...

I update my profile to create/adjust custom functions as I complete my day-day work. After saving the edits to my profile, the new/updated function isn't working according to the new profile after running & $profile in my current PowerShell session. It only works after closing my current session and reopening a new PowerShell instance. I am using PowerShell 7.3.5 and Windows Terminal.

For example....

In my profile I have a few custom functions to open the last X number of files downloaded to my Downloads folder. Running this command open_dnld with no input will start the last file in this folder. Running this command with an input of 2 open_dnld(2) starts the process for my last 2 files. Below is the function definition:

Old Function:

Function open_dnld  ([Int16] $NumFiles = 1) {foreach($file in Get-ChildItem ~/Downloads
                                             | Sort-Object LastWriteTime -Descending
                                             | Select-Object -First $NumFiles){
      Start-Process $file
  }
}

For a test, I just updated the function with $NumFiles having a default value of 2 shown below. After running & $profile and thereafter open_dnld(2) the function works according to the previous definition and only opens 1 file. But, when I close my current terminal session, open a new instance of PowerShell using Windows Terminal, and then run the command open_dnld(2) the function now works according to the new function definition.

Updated Function:

Function open_dnld  ([Int16] $NumFiles = 2) {foreach($file in Get-ChildItem ~/Downloads
                                             | Sort-Object LastWriteTime -Descending
                                             | Select-Object -First $NumFiles){
      Start-Process $file
  }
}

Any idea on what I am doing wrong?

mklement0 · Accepted Answer · 2023-07-13T16:26:00.453

To reload a modified $PROFILE file you must use ., the dot-sourcing operator:

. $PROFILE

By contrast, &, the call operator runs a script in a child scope, which means that any aliases, functions, ... it contains are visible to that script only, and go out of scope when the script ends.

In other words: running & $PROFILE defeats the very purpose of a profile file: to define aliases, functions, ... in the caller's scope - only . does that.

See this answer for details.

PowerShell not reloading when running & $profile

1 Answers1