diff --git a/src/db/db/db.pro b/src/db/db/db.pro
index f32306b99..c0b0d45c6 100644
--- a/src/db/db/db.pro
+++ b/src/db/db/db.pro
@@ -137,7 +137,9 @@ SOURCES = \
     dbOriginalLayerEdgePairs.cc \
     dbEdgePairsDelegate.cc \
     dbDeepShapeStore.cc \
-    dbHierarchyBuilder.cc
+    dbHierarchyBuilder.cc \
+    dbLocalOperation.cc \
+    dbHierProcessor.cc
 
 HEADERS = \
   dbArray.h \
@@ -244,7 +246,9 @@ HEADERS = \
     dbOriginalLayerEdgePairs.h \
     dbEdgePairsDelegate.h \
     dbDeepShapeStore.h \
-    dbHierarchyBuilder.h
+    dbHierarchyBuilder.h \
+    dbLocalOperation.h \
+    dbHierProcessor.h
 
 !equals(HAVE_QT, "0") {
 
diff --git a/src/plugins/tools/netx/db_plugin/dbHierProcessor.cc b/src/db/db/dbHierProcessor.cc
similarity index 100%
rename from src/plugins/tools/netx/db_plugin/dbHierProcessor.cc
rename to src/db/db/dbHierProcessor.cc
diff --git a/src/plugins/tools/netx/db_plugin/dbHierProcessor.h b/src/db/db/dbHierProcessor.h
similarity index 95%
rename from src/plugins/tools/netx/db_plugin/dbHierProcessor.h
rename to src/db/db/dbHierProcessor.h
index 307d32569..71128dec4 100644
--- a/src/plugins/tools/netx/db_plugin/dbHierProcessor.h
+++ b/src/db/db/dbHierProcessor.h
@@ -25,8 +25,9 @@
 #ifndef HDR_dbHierProcessor
 #define HDR_dbHierProcessor
 
+#include "dbCommon.h"
+
 #include "dbLayout.h"
-#include "dbPluginCommon.h"
 #include "dbLocalOperation.h"
 #include "tlThreadedWorkers.h"
 
@@ -36,9 +37,9 @@
 #include <unordered_map>
 #include <unordered_set>
 
-//  @@@ should go into dbHash.h
 #include "dbHash.h"
 
+//  @@@ should go into dbHash.h
 namespace std
 {
   template <class C>
@@ -82,7 +83,7 @@ class LocalProcessorCellContext;
 class LocalProcessorContexts;
 
 //  TODO: move this somewhere else?
-class DB_PLUGIN_PUBLIC ShapeInteractions
+class DB_PUBLIC ShapeInteractions
 {
 public:
   typedef std::unordered_map<unsigned int, std::vector<unsigned int> > container;
@@ -120,7 +121,7 @@ private:
 };
 
 //  TODO: should be hidden (private data?)
-struct DB_PLUGIN_PUBLIC LocalProcessorCellDrop
+struct DB_PUBLIC LocalProcessorCellDrop
 {
   LocalProcessorCellDrop (db::LocalProcessorCellContext *_parent_context, db::Cell *_parent, const db::ICplxTrans &_cell_inst)
     : parent_context (_parent_context), parent (_parent), cell_inst (_cell_inst)
@@ -134,7 +135,7 @@ struct DB_PLUGIN_PUBLIC LocalProcessorCellDrop
 };
 
 //  TODO: should be hidden (private data?)
-class DB_PLUGIN_PUBLIC LocalProcessorCellContext
+class DB_PUBLIC LocalProcessorCellContext
 {
 public:
   typedef std::pair<const db::Cell *, db::ICplxTrans> parent_inst_type;
@@ -170,7 +171,7 @@ private:
   tl::Mutex m_lock;
 };
 
-class DB_PLUGIN_PUBLIC LocalProcessorCellContexts
+class DB_PUBLIC LocalProcessorCellContexts
 {
 public:
   typedef std::pair<std::unordered_set<CellInstArray>, std::unordered_set<db::PolygonRef> > key_type;
@@ -199,7 +200,7 @@ private:
   std::unordered_map<key_type, db::LocalProcessorCellContext> m_contexts;
 };
 
-class DB_PLUGIN_PUBLIC LocalProcessorContexts
+class DB_PUBLIC LocalProcessorContexts
 {
 public:
   typedef std::unordered_map<db::Cell *, LocalProcessorCellContexts> contexts_per_cell_type;
@@ -271,7 +272,7 @@ private:
   mutable tl::Mutex m_lock;
 };
 
-class DB_PLUGIN_PUBLIC LocalProcessorContextComputationTask
+class DB_PUBLIC LocalProcessorContextComputationTask
   : public tl::Task
 {
 public:
@@ -290,7 +291,7 @@ private:
   db::Coord m_dist;
 };
 
-class DB_PLUGIN_PUBLIC LocalProcessorContextComputationWorker
+class DB_PUBLIC LocalProcessorContextComputationWorker
   : public tl::Worker
 {
 public:
@@ -306,7 +307,7 @@ public:
   }
 };
 
-class DB_PLUGIN_PUBLIC LocalProcessorResultComputationTask
+class DB_PUBLIC LocalProcessorResultComputationTask
   : public tl::Task
 {
 public:
@@ -322,7 +323,7 @@ private:
   unsigned int m_output_layer;
 };
 
-class DB_PLUGIN_PUBLIC LocalProcessorResultComputationWorker
+class DB_PUBLIC LocalProcessorResultComputationWorker
   : public tl::Worker
 {
 public:
@@ -338,7 +339,7 @@ public:
   }
 };
 
-class DB_PLUGIN_PUBLIC LocalProcessor
+class DB_PUBLIC LocalProcessor
 {
 public:
   LocalProcessor (db::Layout *layout, db::Cell *top);
diff --git a/src/plugins/tools/netx/db_plugin/dbLocalOperation.cc b/src/db/db/dbLocalOperation.cc
similarity index 100%
rename from src/plugins/tools/netx/db_plugin/dbLocalOperation.cc
rename to src/db/db/dbLocalOperation.cc
diff --git a/src/plugins/tools/netx/db_plugin/dbLocalOperation.h b/src/db/db/dbLocalOperation.h
similarity index 95%
rename from src/plugins/tools/netx/db_plugin/dbLocalOperation.h
rename to src/db/db/dbLocalOperation.h
index 330d71441..8fe9ae0be 100644
--- a/src/plugins/tools/netx/db_plugin/dbLocalOperation.h
+++ b/src/db/db/dbLocalOperation.h
@@ -25,8 +25,9 @@
 #ifndef HDR_dbLocalOperation
 #define HDR_dbLocalOperation
 
+#include "dbCommon.h"
+
 #include "dbLayout.h"
-#include "dbPluginCommon.h"
 
 #include <unordered_map>
 #include <unordered_set>
@@ -48,7 +49,7 @@ class ShapeInteractions;
  *  This class implements the actual operation. It receives a
  *  cluster of subject shapes vs. corresponding intruder shapes.
  */
-class DB_PLUGIN_PUBLIC LocalOperation
+class DB_PUBLIC LocalOperation
 {
 public:
   /**
@@ -109,7 +110,7 @@ public:
 /**
  *  @brief Implements a boolean AND or NOT operation
  */
-class DB_PLUGIN_PUBLIC BoolAndOrNotLocalOperation
+class DB_PUBLIC BoolAndOrNotLocalOperation
   : public LocalOperation
 {
 public:
@@ -128,7 +129,7 @@ private:
  *  With a given wrap_count, the result will only contains shapes where
  *  the original shapes overlap at least "wrap_count" times.
  */
-class DB_PLUGIN_PUBLIC SelfOverlapMergeLocalOperation
+class DB_PUBLIC SelfOverlapMergeLocalOperation
   : public LocalOperation
 {
 public:
diff --git a/src/plugins/tools/netx/unit_tests/dbHierProcessorTests.cc b/src/db/unit_tests/dbHierProcessorTests.cc
similarity index 99%
rename from src/plugins/tools/netx/unit_tests/dbHierProcessorTests.cc
rename to src/db/unit_tests/dbHierProcessorTests.cc
index 94ac38232..3453aacd9 100644
--- a/src/plugins/tools/netx/unit_tests/dbHierProcessorTests.cc
+++ b/src/db/unit_tests/dbHierProcessorTests.cc
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@
 
 static std::string testdata (const std::string &fn)
 {
-  return tl::testsrc () + "/src/plugins/tools/netx/testdata/" + fn;
+  return tl::testsrc () + "/testdata/algo/" + fn;
 }
 
 enum TestMode
diff --git a/src/db/unit_tests/unit_tests.pro b/src/db/unit_tests/unit_tests.pro
index 07b2e6225..e6b19cd84 100644
--- a/src/db/unit_tests/unit_tests.pro
+++ b/src/db/unit_tests/unit_tests.pro
@@ -54,7 +54,8 @@ SOURCES = \
     dbLoadLayoutOptionsTests.cc \
     dbSaveLayoutOptionsTests.cc \
     dbHierarchyBuilderTests.cc \
-    dbRecursiveShapeIteratorTests.cc
+    dbRecursiveShapeIteratorTests.cc \
+    dbHierProcessorTests.cc
 
 INCLUDEPATH += $$TL_INC $$DB_INC $$GSI_INC
 DEPENDPATH += $$TL_INC $$DB_INC $$GSI_INC
diff --git a/src/plugins/tools/netx/db_plugin/dbNetExtractor.cc b/src/plugins/tools/netx/db_plugin/dbNetExtractor.cc
deleted file mode 100644
index a8d7edfcb..000000000
--- a/src/plugins/tools/netx/db_plugin/dbNetExtractor.cc
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,177 +0,0 @@
-
-/*
-
-  KLayout Layout Viewer
-  Copyright (C) 2006-2018 Matthias Koefferlein
-
-  This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify
-  it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
-  the Free Software Foundation; either version 2 of the License, or
-  (at your option) any later version.
-
-  This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
-  but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
-  MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
-  GNU General Public License for more details.
-
-  You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
-  along with this program; if not, write to the Free Software
-  Foundation, Inc., 51 Franklin St, Fifth Floor, Boston, MA  02110-1301  USA
-
-*/
-
-
-#include "dbNetExtractor.h"
-#include "dbHierProcessor.h"
-#include "dbLayoutUtils.h"
-#include "dbCellMapping.h"
-#include "dbPolygonTools.h"
-#include "dbBoxScanner.h"
-#include "dbRecursiveShapeIterator.h"
-#include "dbBoxConvert.h"
-#include "tlLog.h"
-
-namespace db
-{
-
-NetExtractor::NetExtractor()
-  : mp_orig_layout (0), mp_layout (0), mp_top_cell (0), m_nthreads (0)
-{
-
-  // @@@
-
-}
-
-NetExtractor::~NetExtractor ()
-{
-  delete mp_layout;
-  mp_layout = 0;
-  mp_top_cell = 0;
-}
-
-void
-NetExtractor::set_threads (unsigned int nthreads)
-{
-  m_nthreads = nthreads;
-}
-
-void
-NetExtractor::open (const db::Layout &orig_layout, cell_index_type orig_top_cell)
-{
-  tl::SelfTimer timer (tl::verbosity () >= 31, tl::to_string (tr ("Open layout")));
-
-  delete mp_layout;
-  mp_orig_layout = &orig_layout;
-
-  mp_layout = new db::Layout ();
-  mp_layout->dbu (orig_layout.dbu ());
-  mp_top_cell = &mp_layout->cell (mp_layout->add_cell (orig_layout.cell_name (orig_top_cell)));
-
-  //  copy hierarchy
-  m_cm.clear ();
-  m_cm.create_from_names_full (*mp_layout, mp_top_cell->cell_index (), orig_layout, orig_top_cell);
-}
-
-void
-NetExtractor::output (NetLayer a, const LayerProperties &lp)
-{
-  mp_layout->set_properties (a.layer_index (), lp);
-}
-
-static double area_ratio (const db::Polygon &poly)
-{
-  return double (poly.box ().area ()) / double (poly.area ());
-}
-
-static void split_polygon_into (const db::Polygon &poly, db::Shapes &dest, size_t max_points, double max_area_ratio)
-{
-  size_t npoints = 0;
-  for (unsigned int c = 0; c < poly.holes () + 1; ++c) {
-    npoints += poly.contour (c).size ();
-  }
-
-  if (npoints > max_points || area_ratio (poly) > max_area_ratio) {
-
-    std::vector <db::Polygon> split_polygons;
-    db::split_polygon (poly, split_polygons);
-    for (std::vector <db::Polygon>::const_iterator sp = split_polygons.begin (); sp != split_polygons.end (); ++sp) {
-      split_polygon_into (*sp, dest, max_points, max_area_ratio);
-    }
-
-  } else {
-
-    dest.insert (db::PolygonRef (poly, dest.layout ()->shape_repository ()));
-
-  }
-}
-
-NetLayer
-NetExtractor::load (unsigned int layer_index)
-{
-  tl::SelfTimer timer (tl::verbosity () >= 31, tl::to_string (tr ("Loading layer ")) + mp_orig_layout->get_properties (layer_index).to_string ());
-
-  const double max_area_ratio = 3.0;
-  const size_t max_points = 16;
-
-  NetLayer lt (mp_layout->insert_layer ());
-  mp_layout->set_properties (lt.layer_index(), mp_orig_layout->get_properties (layer_index));
-
-  for (db::Layout::const_iterator c = mp_orig_layout->begin (); c != mp_layout->end (); ++c) {
-
-    if (m_cm.has_mapping (c->cell_index ())) {
-
-      db::cell_index_type ct = m_cm.cell_mapping (c->cell_index ());
-
-      db::Shapes &dest_shapes = mp_layout->cell (ct).shapes (lt.layer_index());
-      const db::Shapes &orig_shapes = c->shapes (layer_index);
-      for (db::Shapes::shape_iterator s = orig_shapes.begin (db::ShapeIterator::Polygons | db::ShapeIterator::Paths | db::ShapeIterator::Boxes); ! s.at_end (); ++s) {
-
-        //  @@@ TODO: cache splitting and path to polygon conversion
-        db::Polygon poly;
-        s->polygon (poly);
-
-        split_polygon_into (poly, dest_shapes, max_points, max_area_ratio);
-
-      }
-
-    }
-
-  }
-
-  return lt;
-}
-
-NetLayer
-NetExtractor::bool_and (NetLayer a, NetLayer b)
-{
-  return and_or_not (a, b, true);
-}
-
-NetLayer
-NetExtractor::bool_not (NetLayer a, NetLayer b)
-{
-  return and_or_not (a, b, false);
-}
-
-NetLayer
-NetExtractor::and_or_not (NetLayer a, NetLayer b, bool is_and)
-{
-  unsigned int lout = mp_layout->insert_layer ();
-
-  db::BoolAndOrNotLocalOperation op (is_and);
-  db::LocalProcessor proc (mp_layout, mp_top_cell);
-  proc.set_threads (m_nthreads);
-  proc.run (&op, a.layer_index (), b.layer_index (), lout);
-
-  return NetLayer (lout);
-}
-
-db::Layout *
-NetExtractor::layout_copy () const
-{
-  tl_assert (mp_layout != 0);
-  return new db::Layout (*mp_layout);
-}
-
-}
-
diff --git a/src/plugins/tools/netx/db_plugin/dbNetExtractor.h b/src/plugins/tools/netx/db_plugin/dbNetExtractor.h
deleted file mode 100644
index 979ec3a97..000000000
--- a/src/plugins/tools/netx/db_plugin/dbNetExtractor.h
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,120 +0,0 @@
-
-/*
-
-  KLayout Layout Viewer
-  Copyright (C) 2006-2018 Matthias Koefferlein
-
-  This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify
-  it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
-  the Free Software Foundation; either version 2 of the License, or
-  (at your option) any later version.
-
-  This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
-  but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
-  MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
-  GNU General Public License for more details.
-
-  You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
-  along with this program; if not, write to the Free Software
-  Foundation, Inc., 51 Franklin St, Fifth Floor, Boston, MA  02110-1301  USA
-
-*/
-
-
-
-#ifndef HDR_dbNetExtractor
-#define HDR_dbNetExtractor
-
-#include "dbPluginCommon.h"
-#include "dbLayout.h"
-#include "dbCellMapping.h"
-#include "tlTypeTraits.h"
-
-namespace db
-{
-
-class NetLayer
-{
-public:
-  NetLayer (unsigned int index)
-    : m_layer_index (index)
-  {
-    //  .. nothing yet ..
-  }
-
-  unsigned int layer_index () const
-  {
-    return m_layer_index;
-  }
-
-private:
-  unsigned int m_layer_index;
-};
-
-/**
- *  @brief The net extractor
- *
- *  ...
- */
-class DB_PLUGIN_PUBLIC NetExtractor
-{
-public:
-  /**
-   *  @brief Constructs a net extractor
-   */
-  NetExtractor ();
-
-  ~NetExtractor ();
-
-  // @@@
-  void open (const db::Layout &orig_layout, db::cell_index_type orig_top_cell);
-  NetLayer load (unsigned int layer_index);
-  NetLayer bool_and (NetLayer a, NetLayer b);
-  NetLayer bool_not (NetLayer a, NetLayer b);
-  void output (NetLayer a, const db::LayerProperties &lp);
-  db::Layout *layout_copy () const;
-
-  void set_threads (unsigned int nthreads);
-  unsigned int threads () const
-  {
-    return m_nthreads;
-  }
-
-private:
-  //  no copying
-  NetExtractor (const db::NetExtractor &);
-  NetExtractor &operator= (const db::NetExtractor &);
-
-  NetLayer and_or_not (NetLayer a, NetLayer b, bool is_and);
-
-  // @@@
-  const db::Layout *mp_orig_layout; // @@@ should be a smart pointer
-  db::Layout *mp_layout;
-  db::Cell *mp_top_cell;
-  db::CellMapping m_cm;
-  unsigned int m_nthreads;
-};
-
-}
-
-namespace tl
-{
-
-template <>
-struct type_traits<db::NetLayer> : public tl::type_traits<void>
-{
-  //  mark "NetLayer" as not having a default ctor
-  typedef tl::false_tag has_default_constructor;
-};
-
-template <>
-struct type_traits<db::NetExtractor> : public tl::type_traits<void>
-{
-  //  mark "NetExtractor" as not copyable
-  typedef tl::false_tag has_copy_constructor;
-};
-
-}
-
-#endif
-
diff --git a/src/plugins/tools/netx/db_plugin/dbNetExtractorPlugin.cc b/src/plugins/tools/netx/db_plugin/dbNetExtractorPlugin.cc
deleted file mode 100644
index f06459c5b..000000000
--- a/src/plugins/tools/netx/db_plugin/dbNetExtractorPlugin.cc
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,29 +0,0 @@
-
-/*
-
-  KLayout Layout Viewer
-  Copyright (C) 2006-2018 Matthias Koefferlein
-
-  This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify
-  it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
-  the Free Software Foundation; either version 2 of the License, or
-  (at your option) any later version.
-
-  This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
-  but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
-  MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
-  GNU General Public License for more details.
-
-  You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
-  along with this program; if not, write to the Free Software
-  Foundation, Inc., 51 Franklin St, Fifth Floor, Boston, MA  02110-1301  USA
-
-*/
-
-
-namespace db
-{
-
-  // @@@
-
-}
diff --git a/src/plugins/tools/netx/db_plugin/db_plugin.pro b/src/plugins/tools/netx/db_plugin/db_plugin.pro
deleted file mode 100644
index 333cf6c44..000000000
--- a/src/plugins/tools/netx/db_plugin/db_plugin.pro
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,18 +0,0 @@
-
-TARGET = netx
-DESTDIR = $$OUT_PWD/../../../../db_plugins
-
-include($$PWD/../../../db_plugin.pri)
-
-HEADERS = \
-  dbNetExtractor.h \
-  dbHierProcessor.h \
-    dbLocalOperation.h
-
-SOURCES = \
-  dbNetExtractor.cc \
-  dbHierProcessor.cc \
-  dbNetExtractorPlugin.cc \
-  gsiDeclDbNetExtractor.cc \
-    dbLocalOperation.cc
-
diff --git a/src/plugins/tools/netx/db_plugin/gsiDeclDbNetExtractor.cc b/src/plugins/tools/netx/db_plugin/gsiDeclDbNetExtractor.cc
deleted file mode 100644
index 225b5bf1f..000000000
--- a/src/plugins/tools/netx/db_plugin/gsiDeclDbNetExtractor.cc
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,90 +0,0 @@
-/*
-
-  KLayout Layout Viewer
-  Copyright (C) 2006-2018 Matthias Koefferlein
-
-  This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify
-  it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
-  the Free Software Foundation; either version 2 of the License, or
-  (at your option) any later version.
-
-  This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
-  but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
-  MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
-  GNU General Public License for more details.
-
-  You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
-  along with this program; if not, write to the Free Software
-  Foundation, Inc., 51 Franklin St, Fifth Floor, Boston, MA  02110-1301  USA
-
-*/
-
-
-#include "dbNetExtractor.h"
-
-#include "gsiDecl.h"
-
-namespace gsi
-{
-
-gsi::Class<db::NetLayer> decl_NetLayer ("db", "NetLayer",
-  gsi::method ("layer_index", &db::NetLayer::layer_index,
-    "@@@"
-  ),
-  "@brief The net extractor\n"
-  "\n"
-  "This class has been introduced in version 0.26."
-);
-
-void open2 (db::NetExtractor *ex, const db::Layout *orig_layout, const db::Cell *cell)
-{
-  ex->open (*orig_layout, cell->cell_index ());
-}
-
-void output1 (db::NetExtractor *ex, const db::NetLayer &nl, const db::LayerProperties &lp)
-{
-  ex->output (nl, lp);
-}
-
-void output2 (db::NetExtractor *ex, const db::NetLayer &nl, int layer, int datatype, const std::string &name)
-{
-  ex->output (nl, db::LayerProperties (layer, datatype, name));
-}
-
-gsi::Class<db::NetExtractor> decl_NetNetExtractor ("db", "NetExtractor",
-  gsi::method ("open", &db::NetExtractor::open, gsi::arg ("orig_layout"), gsi::arg ("orig_top_cell_index"),
-    "@@@"
-  ) +
-  gsi::method ("threads=", &db::NetExtractor::set_threads, gsi::arg ("nthreads"),
-    "@@@"
-  ) +
-  gsi::method ("threads", &db::NetExtractor::threads,
-    "@@@"
-  ) +
-  gsi::method_ext ("open", &open2, gsi::arg ("orig_layout"), gsi::arg ("orig_top_cell"),
-    "@@@"
-  ) +
-  gsi::method_ext ("output", &output1, gsi::arg ("net_layer"), gsi::arg ("layer"),
-    "@@@"
-  ) +
-  gsi::method_ext ("output", &output2, gsi::arg ("net_layer"), gsi::arg ("layer"), gsi::arg ("datatype"), gsi::arg ("name", std::string ()),
-    "@@@"
-  ) +
-  gsi::method ("load", &db::NetExtractor::load, gsi::arg ("layer_index"),
-    "@@@"
-  ) +
-  gsi::method ("bool_and", &db::NetExtractor::bool_and, gsi::arg ("a"), gsi::arg ("b"),
-    "@@@"
-  ) +
-  gsi::method ("bool_not", &db::NetExtractor::bool_not, gsi::arg ("a"), gsi::arg ("b"),
-    "@@@"
-  ) +
-  gsi::factory ("layout_copy", &db::NetExtractor::layout_copy,
-    "@@@"
-  ),
-  "@brief The net extractor\n"
-  "\n"
-  "This class has been introduced in version 0.26."
-);
-
-}
diff --git a/src/plugins/tools/netx/netx.pro b/src/plugins/tools/netx/netx.pro
deleted file mode 100644
index f42b2a627..000000000
--- a/src/plugins/tools/netx/netx.pro
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,11 +0,0 @@
-
-TEMPLATE = subdirs
-
-SUBDIRS = db_plugin unit_tests
-unit_tests.depends += db_plugin
-
-#!equals(HAVE_QT, "0") {
-#  SUBDIRS += lay_plugin
-#  lay_plugin.depends += db_plugin
-#}
-
diff --git a/src/plugins/tools/netx/unit_tests/dbNetExtractorTests.cc b/src/plugins/tools/netx/unit_tests/dbNetExtractorTests.cc
deleted file mode 100644
index 28ce60281..000000000
--- a/src/plugins/tools/netx/unit_tests/dbNetExtractorTests.cc
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,30 +0,0 @@
-
-/*
-
-  KLayout Layout Viewer
-  Copyright (C) 2006-2018 Matthias Koefferlein
-
-  This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify
-  it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
-  the Free Software Foundation; either version 2 of the License, or
-  (at your option) any later version.
-
-  This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
-  but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
-  MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
-  GNU General Public License for more details.
-
-  You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
-  along with this program; if not, write to the Free Software
-  Foundation, Inc., 51 Franklin St, Fifth Floor, Boston, MA  02110-1301  USA
-
-*/
-
-
-#include "tlUnitTest.h"
-
-TEST(1) 
-{
-  //  .. nothing yet ..
-}
-
diff --git a/src/plugins/tools/netx/unit_tests/unit_tests.pro b/src/plugins/tools/netx/unit_tests/unit_tests.pro
deleted file mode 100644
index a5e77b073..000000000
--- a/src/plugins/tools/netx/unit_tests/unit_tests.pro
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,21 +0,0 @@
-
-DESTDIR_UT = $$OUT_PWD/../../../..
-
-TARGET = net_tracer_tests
-
-include($$PWD/../../../../lib_ut.pri)
-
-SOURCES = \
-  dbNetExtractorTests.cc \
-  dbHierProcessorTests.cc \
-
-INCLUDEPATH += $$LAY_INC $$TL_INC $$DB_INC $$GSI_INC $$PWD/../db_plugin $$PWD/../../../common
-DEPENDPATH += $$LAY_INC $$TL_INC $$DB_INC $$GSI_INC $$PWD/../db_plugin $$PWD/../../../common
-
-LIBS += -L$$DESTDIR_UT -lklayout_db -lklayout_tl -lklayout_gsi
-
-# This makes the test pull the mebes library for testing (not installed)
-PLUGINPATH = $$OUT_PWD/../../../../db_plugins
-QMAKE_RPATHDIR += $$PLUGINPATH
-
-LIBS += -L$$PLUGINPATH -lnetx
diff --git a/src/plugins/tools/netx/testdata/hlp1.oas b/testdata/algo/hlp1.oas
similarity index 100%
rename from src/plugins/tools/netx/testdata/hlp1.oas
rename to testdata/algo/hlp1.oas
diff --git a/src/plugins/tools/netx/testdata/hlp10.oas b/testdata/algo/hlp10.oas
similarity index 100%
rename from src/plugins/tools/netx/testdata/hlp10.oas
rename to testdata/algo/hlp10.oas
diff --git a/src/plugins/tools/netx/testdata/hlp11.oas b/testdata/algo/hlp11.oas
similarity index 100%
rename from src/plugins/tools/netx/testdata/hlp11.oas
rename to testdata/algo/hlp11.oas
diff --git a/src/plugins/tools/netx/testdata/hlp2.oas b/testdata/algo/hlp2.oas
similarity index 100%
rename from src/plugins/tools/netx/testdata/hlp2.oas
rename to testdata/algo/hlp2.oas
diff --git a/src/plugins/tools/netx/testdata/hlp3.oas b/testdata/algo/hlp3.oas
similarity index 100%
rename from src/plugins/tools/netx/testdata/hlp3.oas
rename to testdata/algo/hlp3.oas
diff --git a/src/plugins/tools/netx/testdata/hlp4.oas b/testdata/algo/hlp4.oas
similarity index 100%
rename from src/plugins/tools/netx/testdata/hlp4.oas
rename to testdata/algo/hlp4.oas
diff --git a/src/plugins/tools/netx/testdata/hlp5.oas b/testdata/algo/hlp5.oas
similarity index 100%
rename from src/plugins/tools/netx/testdata/hlp5.oas
rename to testdata/algo/hlp5.oas
diff --git a/src/plugins/tools/netx/testdata/hlp6.oas b/testdata/algo/hlp6.oas
similarity index 100%
rename from src/plugins/tools/netx/testdata/hlp6.oas
rename to testdata/algo/hlp6.oas
diff --git a/src/plugins/tools/netx/testdata/hlp7.oas b/testdata/algo/hlp7.oas
similarity index 100%
rename from src/plugins/tools/netx/testdata/hlp7.oas
rename to testdata/algo/hlp7.oas
diff --git a/src/plugins/tools/netx/testdata/hlp8.oas b/testdata/algo/hlp8.oas
similarity index 100%
rename from src/plugins/tools/netx/testdata/hlp8.oas
rename to testdata/algo/hlp8.oas
diff --git a/src/plugins/tools/netx/testdata/hlp9.oas b/testdata/algo/hlp9.oas
similarity index 100%
rename from src/plugins/tools/netx/testdata/hlp9.oas
rename to testdata/algo/hlp9.oas