source general_utils only once

general_utils

@@ -3,7 +3,10 @@
 
 source ./log_helpers
 
-exec_process_substitution () {
+if [ "${general_utils_sourced:-1}" = "1" ]; then    # include only once
+    readonly general_utils_sourced=${BASH_SOURCE[0]}
+
+    exec_process_substitution () {
         local func="${FUNCNAME[0]}"
         log_debug "$func:${LINENO} exec-ing [$*]"
 
@@ -27,23 +30,34 @@ exec_process_substitution () {
         log_debug "$func:${LINENO} result=$__result"
         printf '%s' "$__result"
         return $__result_code
-}
+    }
 
-usage () {
+    usage () {
         echo "Usage: $PROGRAM [--file config] [--?] [--help] [--version] [--dbg]" 
         # UpdateController.conf"
-}
+    }
 
-usage_and_exit () {
+    usage_and_exit () {
         usage
         exit $1
-}
+    }
 
-version () {
+    version () {
         echo "$PROGRAM version $VERSION"
-}
+    }
 
-error () {
+    error () {
         echo "$@" 1>&2
         usage_and_exit 1
-}
+    }
+
+    alert () {
+        # usage: alert <$?> <object>
+        if [ "$1" ne 0 ]; then
+            echo "WARNING: $2 did not complete successfully." >&2
+            exit 1
+        else
+            echo "INFO: $2 completed successfully" >&2
+        fi
+    }
+fi