diff --git a/pyproject.toml b/pyproject.toml
index 03073f6..4489f92 100644
--- a/pyproject.toml
+++ b/pyproject.toml
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ build-backend = "setuptools.build_meta"
 
 [project]
 name = "rda_python_common"
-version = "1.0.40"
+version = "1.0.41"
 authors = [
   { name="Zaihua Ji", email="zji@ucar.edu" },
 ]
diff --git a/src/rda_python_common/PgLOG.py b/src/rda_python_common/PgLOG.py
index b6b6dec..1e78a97 100644
--- a/src/rda_python_common/PgLOG.py
+++ b/src/rda_python_common/PgLOG.py
@@ -440,35 +440,42 @@ def pglog(msg, logact = MSGLOG):
       if not logact&NOTLOG:
          if logact&ERRLOG:
             if not PGLOG['ERRFILE']: PGLOG['ERRFILE'] = re.sub(r'.log$', '.err', PGLOG['LOGFILE'])
-            try:
-                ERR = open("{}/{}".format(PGLOG['LOGPATH'], PGLOG['ERRFILE']), 'a')
-            except FileNotFoundError:
-                ERR = open("error.log", 'a')
-                ERR.write(f"Error File not found: {PGLOG['LOGPATH']}/{PGLOG['ERRFILE']}")
-            ERR.write(msg)
-            if not logact&(EMLALL|SKPTRC): ERR.write(get_call_trace())
-            ERR.close()
+            write_message(msg, f"{PGLOG['LOGPATH']}/{PGLOG['ERRFILE']}", logact)
             if logact&EXITLG:
-               LOG = open("{}/{}".format(PGLOG['LOGPATH'], PGLOG['LOGFILE']), "a")
-               LOG.write(cmdstr)
-               LOG.close()
+               write_message(cmdstr, f"{PGLOG['LOGPATH']}/{PGLOG['LOGFILE']}", logact)
          else:
-            LOG = open("{}/{}".format(PGLOG['LOGPATH'], PGLOG['LOGFILE']), 'a')
-            LOG.write(msg)
-            LOG.close()
+            write_message(msg, f"{PGLOG['LOGPATH']}/{PGLOG['LOGFILE']}", logact)
 
    if not PGLOG['BCKGRND'] and logact&(ERRLOG|WARNLG):
-      OUT = sys.stderr if logact&(ERRLOG|EXITLG) else sys.stdout
-      if logact&BRKLIN: OUT.write("\n")
-      if logact&SEPLIN: OUT.write(PGLOG['SEPLINE'])
-      OUT.write(msg)
-
+      write_message(msg, None, logact)
 
    if logact&EXITLG:
       pgexit(1)
    else:
       return (retmsg if retmsg else FAILURE)
 
+#
+# write a log message
+#
+def write_message(msg, file, logact):
+
+   doclose = False
+   errlog = logact&ERRLOG
+   if file:
+      try:
+          OUT = open(file, 'a')
+          doclose = True
+      except FileNotFoundError:
+         OUT = sys.stderr if logact&(ERRLOG|EXITLG) else sys.stdout
+         OUT.write(f"Log File not found: {file}")
+   else:
+      OUT = sys.stderr if logact&(ERRLOG|EXITLG) else sys.stdout
+      if logact&BRKLIN: OUT.write("\n")
+      if logact&SEPLIN: OUT.write(PGLOG['SEPLINE'])
+   OUT.write(msg)
+   if errlog and not logact&(EMLALL|SKPTRC): OUT.write(get_call_trace())
+   if doclose: OUT.close()
+
 #
 # check and disconnet database before exit
 #