DSC, compiling a ps1 file into MOF

Question

I'm trying to configure a target node via DSC.
I've created a .ps1 file with a dummy Configuration; you can see it below; it's just one of the first examples that you find in DSC sites.
Now I want to compile it into .mof file. I've executed:

PS C:\var\DSC\Configurations> . .\localhost.ps1

but it does nothing. The mof file doesn't appear and no error messages are thrown. What am I missing?

Configuration FileResourceDemo
{
Node "localhost"
{
    File DirectoryCopy
    {
        Ensure = "Present"  # You can also set Ensure to "Absent"
        Type = "Directory" # Default is "File".
        Recurse = $true # Ensure presence of subdirectories, too
        SourcePath = "C:\Users\Public\Documents\DSCDemo\DemoSource"
        DestinationPath = "C:\Users\Public\Documents\DSCDemo\DemoDestination"    
    }

    Log AfterDirectoryCopy
    {
        # The message below gets written to the Microsoft-Windows-Desired  State Configuration/Analytic log
        Message = "Finished running the file resource with ID DirectoryCopy"
        DependsOn = "[File]DirectoryCopy" # This means run "DirectoryCopy"  first.
    }
}
} 

Answer 1

The Configuration keyword only defines the configuration (think of it like the function keyword). After that you have to execute it, by calling it like a function (it can even have parameters, though yours does not).

So if, at the end of your .ps1 file you add:

FileResourceDemo

It will execute it right after defining it.

Or, since you are dot sourcing the file according to your question, you can directly execute it interactively by typing FileResourceDemo into the prompt. It should even tab-complete.