--- /dev/null	Thu Jan 01 00:00:00 1970 +0000
+++ b/tests/common.py	Sun Dec 17 12:37:49 2017 -0800
@@ -0,0 +1,20 @@
+"""
+testing common
+"""
+
+import os
+from nettwerk import read
+
+here = os.path.dirname(os.path.abspath(__file__))
+data = os.path.join(here, 'data')
+
+def datafile(*path):
+    """returns path within `tests/data`"""
+
+    return os.path.join(data, *path)
+
+def load(*path, **kwargs):
+    """load a data file"""
+
+    return read.read(datafile(*path), **kwargs)
+