def _create_file(path=''):
        ''' creates a file at the given path and sets the permissions to user only read/write '''
        from os.path import isfile
        if not isfile(path): # only do the following if the file doesn't exist yet
            from os import chmod
            from stat import S_IRUSR, S_IWUSR

            open(path, "a").close()  # create the file
            attempt(lambda: chmod(path, (S_IRUSR | S_IWUSR)))
creates a file at the given path and sets the permissions to user only read/write