diff --git a/iexcode/instruments/AD_utilities.py b/iexcode/instruments/AD_utilities.py
index 06da64e8c16755eaa650af6a1350cc2da0397bd5..699058209eb2e126691bbfdf817f859efe53b372 100644
--- a/iexcode/instruments/AD_utilities.py
+++ b/iexcode/instruments/AD_utilities.py
@@ -8,8 +8,7 @@ work in progress need to redo
 ##############################################################################################################
 import datetime
 import re
-from os import listdir,mkdir,chown,system,chmod
-from os.path import join, isfile, exists, dirname
+from os import listdir,mkdir,chown,system,chmod,path
 from time import sleep
 
 from epics import caget, caput
@@ -35,7 +34,7 @@ def AD_CurrentDirectory(ADplugin):
     else: 
         Dir = SubDir
         SubDir=[]
-    FilePath=join(Dir,*SubDir,'')
+    FilePath=path.join(Dir,*SubDir,'')
     return FilePath 
 
 def AD_prefix(ADplugin):
@@ -74,7 +73,8 @@ def AD_SaveFileSetup(ADplugin,mda,**kwargs):
         FileTemplate="%s%s_%4.4d."+ext; format for filename first %s = filepath, second %s = prefix
         
     """
-    kwargs.setdefault("userpath",dirname(mda.filepath()))
+    fp=path.dirname(mda.filepath())
+    kwargs.setdefault("userpath",fp)
     kwargs.setdefault("subfolder",ADplugin.split(":")[-2][:-1])
 
     kwargs.setdefault("prefix",ADplugin.split(":")[-2][:-1])
@@ -87,9 +87,9 @@ def AD_SaveFileSetup(ADplugin,mda,**kwargs):
     if kwargs['debug']:
         print("kwargs: ",kwargs)
 
-    fpath=join(kwargs['userpath'],kwargs['subfolder'],'')
+    fpath=path.join(kwargs['userpath'],kwargs['subfolder'],'')
     print("\nFolder: " + fpath)
-    if not (exists(fpath)):
+    if not (path.exists(fpath)):
         fileNumber=1
     else:
         fileNumber=get_next_fileNumber(fpath,kwargs["prefix"])