diff --git a/site_ansto/instrument/util/gen_sct.py b/site_ansto/instrument/util/gen_sct.py
index e895627b..0d40d60c 100755
--- a/site_ansto/instrument/util/gen_sct.py
+++ b/site_ansto/instrument/util/gen_sct.py
@@ -529,25 +529,28 @@ def build_variable(MyDriver, p):
 
 def build_group(MyDriver, p):
   if Verbose:
-    print 'Group:', p
+    print 'Group:', p[0]['name'], p
   push_context()
   MyGroup = {}
   MyGroup['Groups'] = {}
   MyGroup['Vars'] = {}
-  for item in [i for i in p if 'Variable' not in i]:
-    if Verbose:
-      print "Group Item:", item
-    for key in item.keys():
-      MyGroup[key] = item[key]
-      if key in ContextStack[ContextIndex]:
-        ContextStack[ContextIndex][key] = item[key]
-  if MyGroup['name']:
+  # the sequence of both variables and non-variables is significant
+  # Therefore, they have to be processed in a single sequence
+  if p[0]['name']:
     if len(ContextStack[ContextIndex]['path']) > 0:
       ContextStack[ContextIndex]['path'] += '/'
-    ContextStack[ContextIndex]['path'] += MyGroup['name']
-  for item in [i for i in p if 'Variable' in i]:
-    MyVar = build_variable(MyDriver, item['Variable'])
-    MyGroup['Vars'][MyVar['name']] = MyVar
+    ContextStack[ContextIndex]['path'] += p[0]['name']
+  for item in p:
+    if 'Variable' in item:
+      MyVar = build_variable(MyDriver, item['Variable'])
+      MyGroup['Vars'][MyVar['name']] = MyVar
+    else:
+      if Verbose:
+        print "Group Item:", item
+      for key in item:
+        MyGroup[key] = item[key]
+        if key in ContextStack[ContextIndex]:
+          ContextStack[ContextIndex][key] = item[key]
   pop_context()
   return MyGroup
 
@@ -649,14 +652,14 @@ def put_preamble(MyDriver):
 
 def put_write_function(MyDriver, func):
   txt = ['']
-  txt += ['proc %s::%s {tc_root nextState cmd} {' % (MyDriver['namespace'], func)]
-  txt += ['  debug_log 1 "%s tc_root=${tc_root} sct=[sct] cmd=${cmd}"' % func]
+  txt += ['proc %s::%s {tc_root nextState cmd_str} {' % (MyDriver['namespace'], func)]
+  txt += ['  debug_log 1 "%s tc_root=${tc_root} sct=[sct] cmd=${cmd_str}"' % func]
   txt += ['  if { [hpropexists [sct] geterror] } {']
   txt += ['    hdelprop [sct] geterror']
   txt += ['  }']
   txt += ['  set par [sct target]']
-  txt += ['  set cmd "${cmd}${par}"']
-  if func in MyDriver['Funcs']:
+  txt += ['  set cmd "${cmd_str}${par}"']
+  if func in MyDriver['Funcs'] and len(MyDriver['Funcs'][func]['text']) > 0:
     txt += ['# hook code starts']
     txt += MyDriver['Funcs'][func]['text']
     txt += ['# hook code ends']
@@ -670,7 +673,7 @@ def put_check_function(MyDriver, func):
   txt = ['']
   txt += ['proc %s::%s {tc_root} {' % (MyDriver['namespace'], func)]
   txt += ['  debug_log 1 "%s tc_root=${tc_root} sct=[sct] resp=[sct result]"' % func]
-  if func in MyDriver['Funcs']:
+  if func in MyDriver['Funcs'] and len(MyDriver['Funcs'][func]['text']) > 0:
     txt += ['# hook code starts']
     txt += MyDriver['Funcs'][func]['text']
     txt += ['# hook code ends']
@@ -680,12 +683,13 @@ def put_check_function(MyDriver, func):
 
 def put_fetch_function(MyDriver, func):
   txt = ['']
-  txt += ['proc %s::%s {tc_root nextState cmd} {' % (MyDriver['namespace'], func)]
-  txt += ['  debug_log 1 "%s tc_root=${tc_root} sct=[sct] cmd=${cmd}"' % func]
+  txt += ['proc %s::%s {tc_root nextState cmd_str} {' % (MyDriver['namespace'], func)]
+  txt += ['  debug_log 1 "%s tc_root=${tc_root} sct=[sct] cmd=${cmd_str}"' % func]
   txt += ['  if { [hpropexists [sct] geterror] } {']
   txt += ['    hdelprop [sct] geterror']
   txt += ['  }']
-  if func in MyDriver['Funcs']:
+  txt += ['  set cmd "${cmd_str}"']
+  if func in MyDriver['Funcs'] and len(MyDriver['Funcs'][func]['text']) > 0:
     txt += ['# hook code starts']
     txt += MyDriver['Funcs'][func]['text']
     txt += ['# hook code ends']
@@ -709,7 +713,7 @@ def put_read_function(MyDriver, func):
   txt += ['    sct geterror "${data}"']
   txt += ['    return -code error "[sct geterror]"']
   txt += ['  }']
-  if func in MyDriver['Funcs']:
+  if func in MyDriver['Funcs'] and len(MyDriver['Funcs'][func]['text']) > 0:
     txt += ['# hook code starts']
     txt += MyDriver['Funcs'][func]['text']
     txt += ['# hook code ends']
@@ -745,7 +749,7 @@ def put_check(MyDriver):
   txt += ['    # upperlimit not set, use target']
   txt += ['    set hilimit [sct target]']
   txt += ['  }']
-  if 'check' in MyDriver['Funcs']:
+  if 'check' in MyDriver['Funcs'] and len(MyDriver['Funcs']['check']['text']) > 0:
     txt += ['# hook code starts']
     txt += MyDriver['Funcs']['check']['text']
     txt += ['# hook code ends']
@@ -774,7 +778,7 @@ def put_checklimits(MyDriver):
   txt += ['    # upperlimit not set, use target']
   txt += ['    set hilimit [sct target]']
   txt += ['  }']
-  if 'checklimits' in MyDriver['Funcs']:
+  if 'checklimits' in MyDriver['Funcs'] and len(MyDriver['Funcs']['checklimits']['text']) > 0:
     txt += ['# hook code starts']
     txt += MyDriver['Funcs']['checklimits']['text']
     txt += ['# hook code ends']
@@ -790,7 +794,7 @@ def put_checkstatus(MyDriver):
   txt = ['']
   txt += ['# checkstatus function for driveable interface']
   txt += ['proc %s::checkstatus {tc_root} {' % MyDriver['namespace']]
-  if 'checkstatus' in MyDriver['Funcs']:
+  if 'checkstatus' in MyDriver['Funcs'] and len(MyDriver['Funcs']['checkstatus']['text']) > 0:
     txt += ['# hook code starts']
     txt += MyDriver['Funcs']['checkstatus']['text']
     txt += ['# hook code ends']
@@ -814,7 +818,7 @@ def put_halt(MyDriver):
   txt += ['proc %s::halt {tc_root} {' % MyDriver['namespace']]
   txt += ['  debug_log 1 "halt tc_root=${tc_root} sct=[sct] driving=[sct driving]"']
   txt += ['  ### TODO hset [sct] [hval [sct]]']
-  if 'halt' in MyDriver['Funcs']:
+  if 'halt' in MyDriver['Funcs'] and len(MyDriver['Funcs']['halt']['text']) > 0:
     txt += ['# hook code starts']
     txt += MyDriver['Funcs']['halt']['text']
     txt += ['# hook code ends']
@@ -1080,7 +1084,11 @@ def put_group(MyDriver, MyGroup):
 
 def put_mk_sct_driver(MyDriver):
   txt = ['']
-  txt += ['proc %s::mk_sct_%s { sct_controller name %s } {' % (MyDriver['namespace'], MyDriver['name'], MyDriver['make_args'])]
+  if 'make_args' in MyDriver:
+    line = 'proc %s::mk_sct_%s { sct_controller name %s } {' % (MyDriver['namespace'], MyDriver['name'], MyDriver['make_args'])
+  else:
+    line = 'proc %s::mk_sct_%s { sct_controller name } {' % (MyDriver['namespace'], MyDriver['name'])
+  txt += [line]
   txt += ['  debug_log 1 "mk_sct_%s for ${name}"' % MyDriver['name']]
   txt += ['  set ns "[namespace current]"']
   txt += ['  set catch_status [ catch {']
@@ -1154,7 +1162,11 @@ def put_postamble(MyDriver):
   txt += ['  namespace export mk_sct_%s' % MyDriver['name']]
   txt += ['}']
   txt += ['']
-  txt += ['proc add_%s {name IP port %s} {' % (MyDriver['name'], MyDriver['add_args'])]
+  if 'add_args' in MyDriver:
+    line = 'proc add_%s {name IP port %s} {' % (MyDriver['name'], MyDriver['add_args'])
+  else:
+    line = 'proc add_%s {name IP port} {' % MyDriver['name']
+  txt += [line]
   txt += ['  set ns "%s"' % MyDriver['namespace']]
   txt += ['  ${ns}::debug_log 1 "add_%s ${name} ${IP} ${port}"' % MyDriver['name']]
   txt += ['  if {[SplitReply [%s]]=="false"} {' % MyDriver['simulation_group']]
@@ -1162,17 +1174,26 @@ def put_postamble(MyDriver):
   txt += ['      ${ns}::debug_log 1 "makesctcontroller sct_${name} aqadapter ${port}"']
   txt += ['      makesctcontroller sct_${name} aqadapter ${port}']
   txt += ['    } else {']
-  txt += ['      ${ns}::debug_log 1 "makesctcontroller sct_${name} %s ${IP}:${port} %s"' % (MyDriver['protocol'], MyDriver['protocol_args'].replace('\\', '\\\\').replace('"', '\\"'))]
-  txt += ['      makesctcontroller sct_${name} %s ${IP}:${port} %s' % (MyDriver['protocol'], MyDriver['protocol_args'])]
+  if 'protocol_args' in MyDriver:
+    protocol_args = MyDriver['protocol_args'].replace('\\', '\\\\').replace('"', '\\"')
+    txt += ['      ${ns}::debug_log 1 "makesctcontroller sct_${name} %s ${IP}:${port} %s"' % (MyDriver['protocol'], protocol_args)]
+    txt += ['      makesctcontroller sct_${name} %s ${IP}:${port} %s' % (MyDriver['protocol'], MyDriver['protocol_args'])]
+  else:
+    txt += ['      ${ns}::debug_log 1 "makesctcontroller sct_${name} %s ${IP}:${port}"' % MyDriver['protocol']]
+    txt += ['      makesctcontroller sct_${name} %s ${IP}:${port}' % MyDriver['protocol']]
   txt += ['    }']
   txt += ['  }']
   make_args = ''
-  for arg in MyDriver['make_args'].split():
-    if len(make_args) > 0:
-      make_args += ' '
-    make_args += '${' + arg + '}'
-  txt += ['  ${ns}::debug_log 1 "mk_sct_%s sct_${name} ${name} %s"' % (MyDriver['name'], make_args)]
-  txt += ['  ${ns}::mk_sct_%s sct_${name} ${name} %s' % (MyDriver['name'], make_args)]
+  if 'make_args' in MyDriver:
+    for arg in MyDriver['make_args'].split():
+      if len(make_args) > 0:
+        make_args += ' '
+      make_args += '${' + arg + '}'
+    txt += ['  ${ns}::debug_log 1 "mk_sct_%s sct_${name} ${name} %s"' % (MyDriver['name'], make_args)]
+    txt += ['  ${ns}::mk_sct_%s sct_${name} ${name} %s' % (MyDriver['name'], make_args)]
+  else:
+    txt += ['  ${ns}::debug_log 1 "mk_sct_%s sct_${name} ${name}"' % MyDriver['name']]
+    txt += ['  ${ns}::mk_sct_%s sct_${name} ${name}' % MyDriver['name']]
 # TODO
 #txt += ['  ${ns}::debug_log 1 "makesctemon ${name} /sics/${name}/emon/monmode /sics/${name}/emon/isintol /sics/${name}/emon/errhandler"']
 #  txt += ['  makesctemon ${name} /sics/${name}/emon/monmode /sics/${name}/emon/isintol /sics/${name}/emon/errhandler']