diff --git a/vlsisapd/src/dtr/src/PyTechno.cpp b/vlsisapd/src/dtr/src/PyTechno.cpp
index 32eb040c..180e17da 100644
--- a/vlsisapd/src/dtr/src/PyTechno.cpp
+++ b/vlsisapd/src/dtr/src/PyTechno.cpp
@@ -13,7 +13,8 @@ void translator(DTRException const& e) {
 }
 
 
-// specify that Techno::getValue & Techno::getValueAsString methods have optional arguments
+// specify that Techno::getRule & Techno::getValue & Techno::getValueAsString methods have optional arguments
+BOOST_PYTHON_MEMBER_FUNCTION_OVERLOADS(getRule_overloads         , getRule         , 1, 3);
 BOOST_PYTHON_MEMBER_FUNCTION_OVERLOADS(getValue_overloads        , getValue        , 1, 3);
 BOOST_PYTHON_MEMBER_FUNCTION_OVERLOADS(getValueAsString_overloads, getValueAsString, 1, 3);
 // specify that Techno::addRule method has optional arguments
@@ -49,7 +50,8 @@ BOOST_PYTHON_MODULE(pyDTR) {
         // accessors
         .def("getName"         , &Techno::getName)
         .def("getUnit"         , &Techno::getUnit)
-        .def("getValue"        , &Techno::getValue, getValue_overloads())
+        .def("getRule"         , &Techno::getRule         , getRule_overloads()[return_value_policy<reference_existing_object>()])
+        .def("getValue"        , &Techno::getValue        , getValue_overloads())
         .def("getValueAsString", &Techno::getValueAsString, getValueAsString_overloads())
         
         // modifiers
diff --git a/vlsisapd/src/dtr/src/Techno.cpp b/vlsisapd/src/dtr/src/Techno.cpp
index ffba92ce..73b8d9ca 100644
--- a/vlsisapd/src/dtr/src/Techno.cpp
+++ b/vlsisapd/src/dtr/src/Techno.cpp
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@ ARule* Techno::addARule (Name name, double value, Name ref, Name layer1, Name la
     return arule;
 }
 
-double Techno::getValue(Name name, Name layer1, Name layer2) {
+Rule* Techno::getRule(Name name, Name layer1, Name layer2) {
     bool testL1   = (layer1 == Name("")) ? false : true;
     bool testL2   = (layer2 == Name("")) ? false : true;
 
@@ -57,18 +57,18 @@ double Techno::getValue(Name name, Name layer1, Name layer2) {
                 if (rule->getLayer1() == layer1) {
                     if (testL2) {
                         if (rule->getLayer2() == layer2) {
-                            return rule->getValue();
+                            return rule;
                         }
                     } else {
-                        return rule->getValue();
+                        return rule;
                     }
                 }
             } else {
-                return rule->getValue();
+                return rule;
             }
         }
     }
-    string error ("[ERROR] Could not found rule: ");
+    string error ("[ERROR] Could not find rule: ");
     error += name.getString();
     error += ".";
     error += layer1.getString();
@@ -78,36 +78,12 @@ double Techno::getValue(Name name, Name layer1, Name layer2) {
     throw DTRException(error);
 }
 
-string Techno::getValueAsString(Name name, Name layer1, Name layer2) {
-    bool testL1   = (layer1 == Name("")) ? false : true;
-    bool testL2   = (layer2 == Name("")) ? false : true;
+double Techno::getValue(Name name, Name layer1, Name layer2) {
+    return getRule(name, layer1, layer2)->getValue();
+}
 
-    for (size_t i = 0 ; i < _rules.size() ; i++) {
-        Rule* rule = _rules[i];
-        if (rule->getName() == name) {
-            if (testL1) {
-                if (rule->getLayer1() == layer1) {
-                    if (testL2) {
-                        if (rule->getLayer2() == layer2) {
-                            return rule->getValueAsString();
-                        }
-                    } else {
-                        return rule->getValueAsString();
-                    }
-                }
-            } else {
-                return rule->getValueAsString();
-            }
-        }
-    }
-    string error ("[ERROR] Could not found rule: ");
-    error += name.getString();
-    error += ".";
-    error += layer1.getString();
-    error += ".";
-    error += layer2.getString();
-    error += ".";
-    throw DTRException(error);
+string Techno::getValueAsString(Name name, Name layer1, Name layer2) {
+    return getRule(name, layer1, layer2)->getValueAsString();
 }
 
 Techno* Techno::readFromFile(const string filePath) {
diff --git a/vlsisapd/src/dtr/src/vlsisapd/dtr/Techno.h b/vlsisapd/src/dtr/src/vlsisapd/dtr/Techno.h
index e3edb351..e5fd3ecd 100644
--- a/vlsisapd/src/dtr/src/vlsisapd/dtr/Techno.h
+++ b/vlsisapd/src/dtr/src/vlsisapd/dtr/Techno.h
@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@ class Techno {
     Rule*  addRule (Name name, double value, Name ref, Name layer1=Name(""), Name layer2=Name(""));
     ARule* addARule(Name name, double value, Name ref, Name layer1         , Name layer2);
 
+    Rule* getRule(Name name, Name layer1=Name(""), Name layer2=Name(""));
     double getValue(Name name, Name layer1=Name(""), Name layer2=Name(""));
     std::string getValueAsString(Name name, Name layer1=Name(""), Name layer2=Name(""));