1 files changed, 11 insertions, 1 deletions
diff --git a/wqflask/utility/tools.py b/wqflask/utility/tools.py
index 23d6fb62..5105ba42 100644
--- a/wqflask/utility/tools.py
+++ b/wqflask/utility/tools.py
@@ -113,6 +113,16 @@ def assert_dir(dir):
         raise Exception("ERROR: can not find directory "+dir)
     return dir
 
+def assert_writable_dir(dir):
+    try:
+        fn = dir + "/test.txt"
+        fh = open( fn, 'w' )
+        fh.write("I am writing this text to the file\n")
+        fh.close()
+        os.remove(fn)
+    except IOError:
+        raise Exception('Unable to write to directory ' + dir )
+    return dir
 
 def mk_dir(dir):
     if not valid_path(dir):
@@ -205,7 +215,7 @@ GENENETWORK_FILES  = get_setting('GENENETWORK_FILES')
 PYLMM_COMMAND      = pylmm_command()
 GEMMA_COMMAND      = gemma_command()
 PLINK_COMMAND      = plink_command()
-TEMPDIR            = tempdir()
+TEMPDIR            = tempdir() # defaults to UNIX TMPDIR
 
 from six import string_types