diff --git a/general_utils b/general_utils
index ae8dcfe..f45b33a 100755
--- a/general_utils
+++ b/general_utils
@@ -80,4 +80,35 @@ if [ "${general_utils_sourced:-1}" = "1" ]; then    # include only once
             echo "INFO: $2 completed successfully" >&2
         fi
     }
+
+    assert_s () {
+        if [ -z ${!1} ]; then
+            log_fatal "$1 not set"
+        fi
+        log_debug "$1=${!1}"
+    }
+    
+    assert_d () {
+        if [ ! -d ${!1} ]; then
+            log_fatal "$1 does not exist"
+        fi
+        log_debug "$1=${!1}"
+    }
+    
+    assert_f () {
+        if [ ! -f ${!1} ]; then
+            log_fatal "$1 does not exist"
+        fi
+        log_debug "$1=${!1}"
+    }
+
+    assert_a () {
+        local readonly __m="${1}[@]"
+        local readonly __n=(${!__m})
+        local __len=${#__n[@]}
+        if [ $__len -eq 0 ]; then
+            log_fatal "$1 not set"
+        fi
+        log_debug "$1=$__n"
+    }
 fi