diff --git a/acctonUseDpctl/util.py b/acctonUseDpctl/util.py
index 757d889..b8d451e 100755
--- a/acctonUseDpctl/util.py
+++ b/acctonUseDpctl/util.py
@@ -6,21 +6,25 @@
 test_tmp_file=os.getcwd()+os.sep+"dpctloutputtmp.tmp"
 
 
-def apply_dpctl_cmd(test, config, cmd):
+def apply_dpctl(test, config, cmd):
     switch_ip = config["switch_ip"]
     if len(switch_ip) == 0:
         assert(0)
-        
-    #create the tmp file
-    try:
-        subprocess.check_call(["ls", test_tmp_file])            
-    except subprocess.CalledProcessError:
-        open(test_tmp_file, "w").close()
-        subprocess.call(["sudo", "chmod", "a+w", test_tmp_file])
 
     #apply dpctl command     
     subprocess.call("dpctl tcp:"+switch_ip+":6633 "+cmd+" > "+test_tmp_file, shell=True)
 
+    
+def apply_dpctl_get_cmd(test, config, cmd):
+
+    #create the tmp file
+    if not os.path.isfile(test_tmp_file):
+        open(test_tmp_file, "w").close()
+        subprocess.call(["sudo", "chmod", "a+w", test_tmp_file])
+
+    apply_dpctl(test, config, cmd)
+    
+    #parse result
     with open(test_tmp_file) as tmp_file:
         try:
             json_result=json.loads(tmp_file.read(), encoding='utf-8')
@@ -31,4 +35,9 @@
             """            
             test.assertTrue(False, "NO json format, dpctl may fail")
     
-    return json_result            
\ No newline at end of file
+    return json_result            
+    
+def apply_dpctl_mod(test, config, cmd):    
+    apply_dpctl(test, config, cmd)
+    
+    
\ No newline at end of file