diff --git a/site_ansto/instrument/config/environment/sct_cybaman.tcl b/site_ansto/instrument/config/environment/sct_cybaman.tcl
index 787d52df..61b88d9d 100644
--- a/site_ansto/instrument/config/environment/sct_cybaman.tcl
+++ b/site_ansto/instrument/config/environment/sct_cybaman.tcl
@@ -16,26 +16,6 @@ namespace eval ::scobj::cybaman {
     close $fd
   }
 
-  proc basename {node} {
-    set point [string last "/" $node]
-    if { $point < 0 } {
-      return $node
-    } else {
-      incr point
-      return "[string range $node $point end]"
-    }
-  }
-  proc pathname {node} {
-    set point [string last "/" $node]
-    if { $point < 0 } {
-      return ""
-    } else {
-      incr point -1
-      return "[string range $node 0 $point]"
-    }
-    return "[join [lrange [split $node '/'] 0 end-1] '/']"
-  }
-
   proc splitxml {str} {
     set my_list [list]
     set idx 0
diff --git a/site_ansto/instrument/config/environment/temperature/sct_lakeshore_370.tcl b/site_ansto/instrument/config/environment/temperature/sct_lakeshore_370.tcl
index 7a467b41..8f0be9db 100644
--- a/site_ansto/instrument/config/environment/temperature/sct_lakeshore_370.tcl
+++ b/site_ansto/instrument/config/environment/temperature/sct_lakeshore_370.tcl
@@ -74,25 +74,6 @@ namespace eval ::scobj::[set vendor]_[set device] {
     debug_log 1 "Extract channel $result from argument $arg"
     return $result
   }
-  proc basename {node} {
-    set point [string last "/" $node]
-    if { $point < 0 } {
-      return $node
-    } else {
-      incr point
-      return "[string range $node $point end]"
-    }
-  }
-  proc pathname {node} {
-    set point [string last "/" $node]
-    if { $point < 0 } {
-      return ""
-    } else {
-      incr point -1
-      return "[string range $node 0 $point]"
-    }
-    return "[join [lrange [split $node '/'] 0 end-1] '/']"
-  }
 
   proc setValue {tc_root nextState cmd} {
     # send a command to set a value
diff --git a/site_ansto/instrument/config/environment/temperature/sct_oxford_mercury.tcl b/site_ansto/instrument/config/environment/temperature/sct_oxford_mercury.tcl
index 24ecf683..fada3e70 100644
--- a/site_ansto/instrument/config/environment/temperature/sct_oxford_mercury.tcl
+++ b/site_ansto/instrument/config/environment/temperature/sct_oxford_mercury.tcl
@@ -80,25 +80,6 @@ namespace eval ::scobj::[set vendor]_[set device] {
     debug_log 1 "Extract channel $result from argument $arg"
     return $result
   }
-  proc basename {node} {
-    set point [string last "/" $node]
-    if { $point < 0 } {
-      return $node
-    } else {
-      incr point
-      return "[string range $node $point end]"
-    }
-  }
-  proc pathname {node} {
-    set point [string last "/" $node]
-    if { $point < 0 } {
-      return ""
-    } else {
-      incr point -1
-      return "[string range $node 0 $point]"
-    }
-    return "[join [lrange [split $node '/'] 0 end-1] '/']"
-  }
 
   proc setPoint {tc_root nextState cmd} {
     # send a command to set a value
diff --git a/site_ansto/instrument/config/motors/sct_aerotech_soloist.tcl b/site_ansto/instrument/config/motors/sct_aerotech_soloist.tcl
index c39a5790..858164d0 100644
--- a/site_ansto/instrument/config/motors/sct_aerotech_soloist.tcl
+++ b/site_ansto/instrument/config/motors/sct_aerotech_soloist.tcl
@@ -35,26 +35,6 @@ namespace eval ::scobj::[set vendor]_[set device] {
     } catch_message ]
   }
 
-  proc basename {node} {
-    set point [string last "/" $node]
-    if { $point < 0 } {
-      return $node
-    } else {
-      incr point
-      return "[string range $node $point end]"
-    }
-  }
-  proc pathname {node} {
-    set point [string last "/" $node]
-    if { $point < 0 } {
-      return ""
-    } else {
-      incr point -1
-      return "[string range $node 0 $point]"
-    }
-    return "[join [lrange [split $node '/'] 0 end-1] '/']"
-  }
-
   proc ns {} {
     return "[namespace current]"
   }
diff --git a/site_ansto/instrument/util/extra_utility.tcl b/site_ansto/instrument/util/extra_utility.tcl
index 1e5d3a0e..dd1aec36 100644
--- a/site_ansto/instrument/util/extra_utility.tcl
+++ b/site_ansto/instrument/util/extra_utility.tcl
@@ -1,3 +1,23 @@
+# utility functions like basename/dirname in bash (dcl)
+  proc basename {node} {
+    set point [string last "/" $node]
+    if { $point < 0 } {
+      return $node
+    } else {
+      incr point
+      return "[string range $node $point end]"
+    }
+  }
+  proc pathname {node} {
+    set point [string last "/" $node]
+    if { $point < 0 } {
+      return ""
+    } else {
+      incr point -1
+      return "[string range $node 0 $point]"
+    }
+  }
+
 # Many of these functions are also useful in test and debug code
 # running on an external Tcl interpreter.
 set errorInfo ""