diff --git a/src/OpenFOAM/db/functionObjects/writeFile/writeFile.C b/src/OpenFOAM/db/functionObjects/writeFile/writeFile.C
index bbe328fa62..0785b8f9b6 100644
--- a/src/OpenFOAM/db/functionObjects/writeFile/writeFile.C
+++ b/src/OpenFOAM/db/functionObjects/writeFile/writeFile.C
@@ -291,9 +291,22 @@ bool Foam::functionObjects::writeFile::writeToFile() const
 }
 
 
+bool Foam::functionObjects::writeFile::canWriteToFile() const
+{
+    return (Pstream::master() && writeToFile_ && filePtr_);
+}
+
+
+bool Foam::functionObjects::writeFile::canResetFile() const
+{
+    return (Pstream::master() && writeToFile_ && !filePtr_);
+}
+
+
 bool Foam::functionObjects::writeFile::canWriteHeader() const
 {
-    return writeToFile_ && (updateHeader_ || !writtenHeader_);
+    return
+        Pstream::master() && writeToFile_ && (updateHeader_ || !writtenHeader_);
 }
 
 
diff --git a/src/OpenFOAM/db/functionObjects/writeFile/writeFile.H b/src/OpenFOAM/db/functionObjects/writeFile/writeFile.H
index 3c776876a6..0fee04364f 100644
--- a/src/OpenFOAM/db/functionObjects/writeFile/writeFile.H
+++ b/src/OpenFOAM/db/functionObjects/writeFile/writeFile.H
@@ -31,23 +31,23 @@ Description
     Base class for writing single files from the function objects.
 
 Usage
-
     \verbatim
-    <userDefinedSubDictName1>
+    <dictName>
     {
-        // Mandatory and other optional entries
+        // Inherited entries
         ...
 
-        // Optional (inherited) entries (runtime modifiable)
-        writePrecision    8;
-        writeToFile       true;
-        useUserTime       true;
+        // Optional entries
+        writePrecision    <int>;
+        writeToFile       <bool>;
+        useUserTime       <bool>;
+        updateHeader      <bool>;
     }
     \endverbatim
 
     where the entries mean:
     \table
-      Property        | Description                      | Type | Reqd | Dflt
+      Property        | Description                      | Type | Reqd | Deflt
       writePrecision  | Number of decimal points | int  | no  | \<system dflt\>
       writeToFile     | Produce text file output?        | bool | no  | true
       useUserTime     | Use user time (e.g. degrees)?    | bool | no  | true
@@ -60,12 +60,9 @@ Note
     unaffected by these changes.
     Use the \c updateHeader flag to override the default behaviour.
 
-See also
-    - Foam::functionObject
-    - Foam::functionObjects::logFiles
-
 SourceFiles
     writeFile.C
+    writeFileTemplates.C
 
 \*---------------------------------------------------------------------------*/
 
@@ -91,7 +88,7 @@ class writeFile
 {
 protected:
 
-    // Protected data
+    // Protected Data
 
         //- Reference to the region objectRegistry
         const objectRegistry& fileObr_;
@@ -244,6 +241,12 @@ public:
         //- Flag to allow writing to file
         virtual bool writeToFile() const;
 
+        //- Flag to allow writing to the file
+        virtual bool canWriteToFile() const;
+
+        //- Flag to allow resetting the file
+        virtual bool canResetFile() const;
+
         //- Flag to allow writing the header
         virtual bool canWriteHeader() const;