diff --git a/src/system/helpers.cpp b/src/system/helpers.cpp
index d1ea12352..f36bbbd5b 100644
--- a/src/system/helpers.cpp
+++ b/src/system/helpers.cpp
@@ -284,6 +284,24 @@ bool get_mem_usage(unsigned long &kbtotal, unsigned long &kbfree)
 	return true;
 }
 
+std::string getPathName(std::string &path)
+{
+	size_t pos = path.find_last_of("/");
+	if (pos == std::string::npos)
+		return path;
+	return path.substr(0, pos);
+}
+
+std::string getBaseName(std::string &path)
+{
+	size_t pos = path.find_last_of("/");
+	if (pos == std::string::npos)
+		return path;
+	if (path.length() == pos +1)
+		return "";
+	return path.substr(pos+1);
+}
+
 std::string trim(std::string &str, const std::string &trimChars /*= " \n\r\t"*/)
 {
 	std::string result = str.erase(str.find_last_not_of(trimChars) + 1);
diff --git a/src/system/helpers.h b/src/system/helpers.h
index a811edab8..70db9525b 100644
--- a/src/system/helpers.h
+++ b/src/system/helpers.h
@@ -22,6 +22,8 @@
 	Foundation, Inc., 675 Mass Ave, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA.
 */
 
+#include <string>
+
 int my_system(const char * cmd);
 int my_system(int argc, const char *arg, ...); /* argc is number of arguments including command */
 
@@ -34,6 +36,8 @@ int check_dir(const char * dir);
 bool get_fs_usage(const char * dir, long &total, long &used, long *bsize=NULL);
 bool get_mem_usage(unsigned long &total, unsigned long &free);
 
+std::string getPathName(std::string &path);
+std::string getBaseName(std::string &path);
 std::string trim(std::string &str, const std::string &trimChars = " \n\r\t");
 
 class CFileHelpers