diff --git a/BUILD b/BUILD
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..e31e6a251
--- /dev/null
+++ b/BUILD
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+
+For build instructions see http://www.klayout.de/build.html.
+
diff --git a/CONTRIB b/CONTRIB
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..e3a1ec817
--- /dev/null
+++ b/CONTRIB
@@ -0,0 +1,19 @@
+
+List of Contributions and 3rd Party Sources
+
+1.) contrib/gds2_txt
+
+    The original version of the code for the GDS2 text format reader and writer has been contributed 
+    by Romain Gauci from Oscillated Recall Technology (http://www.or-tech.co.jp).
+
+2.) contrib/zlib 
+
+    ZLIB 1.2.5
+    See license terms and conditions in zlib.h
+
+    Copyright (C) 1995-2010 Jean-loup Gailly and Mark Adler
+
+    Jean-loup Gailly        Mark Adler
+    jloup@gzip.org          madler@alumni.caltech.edu
+
+
diff --git a/build.sh b/build.sh
new file mode 100755
index 000000000..f52cb6e6f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/build.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,460 @@
+#!/bin/sh
+
+CURR_DIR=`pwd`
+RUN_MAKE=1
+
+HAVE_QTBINDINGS=1
+HAVE_64BIT_COORD=0
+HAVE_QT5=0
+
+RUBYINCLUDE=""
+RUBYINCLUDE2=""
+RUBYLIBFILE=""
+RUBYVERSIONCODE=""
+
+PYTHONINCLUDE=""
+PYTHONLIBFILE=""
+
+QMAKE="qmake"
+RUBY=""
+PYTHON=""
+BUILD=""
+BIN=""
+
+MAKE_OPT=""
+
+CONFIG="release"
+
+# Check, whether build.sh is run from the top level folder
+if ! [ -e src ] || ! [ -e src/klayout.pro ]; then
+  echo "*** ERROR: run build.sh from the top level folder"
+  exit 1
+fi
+
+while [ "$*" != "" ]; do
+
+  a=$1
+  shift
+
+  case $a in
+  -with-qtbinding)
+    HAVE_QTBINDINGS=1
+    ;;
+  -without-qtbinding)
+    HAVE_QTBINDINGS=0
+    ;;
+  -with-64bit-coord)
+    HAVE_64BIT_COORD=1
+    ;;
+  -without-64bit-coord)
+    HAVE_64BIT_COORD=0
+    ;;
+  -release)
+    CONFIG="release"
+    ;;
+  -debug)
+    CONFIG="debug"
+    ;;
+  -python)
+    PYTHON="$1"
+    shift
+    ;;
+  -nopython)
+    PYTHON="-"
+    ;;
+  -pyinc)
+    PYTHONINCLUDE="$1"
+    shift
+    ;;
+  -pylib)
+    PYTHONLIBFILE="$1"
+    shift
+    ;;
+  -qmake)
+    QMAKE="$1"
+    shift
+    ;;
+  -ruby)
+    RUBY="$1"
+    shift
+    ;;
+  -noruby)
+    RUBY="-"
+    ;;
+  -rbvers)
+    RUBYVERSIONCODE="$1"
+    shift
+    ;;
+  -rbinc)
+    RUBYINCLUDE="$1"
+    shift
+    ;;
+  -rbinc2)
+    RUBYINCLUDE2="$1"
+    shift
+    ;;
+  -rblib)
+    RUBYLIBFILE="$1"
+    shift
+    ;;
+  -build)
+    BUILD="$1"
+    shift
+    ;;
+  -bin|-prefix)
+    BIN="$1"
+    shift
+    ;;
+  -qt4)
+    HAVE_QT5=0
+    ;;
+  -qt5)
+    HAVE_QT5=1
+    ;;
+  -dry-run)
+    RUN_MAKE=0
+    ;;
+  -option)
+    MAKE_OPT="$MAKE_OPT $1"
+    shift
+    ;;
+  -h|--help|-help)
+    echo "usage: build [options]"
+    echo ""
+    echo "options:"
+    echo "  -debug                Run a debug build"
+    echo "  -release              Run a release build [default]"
+    echo "  -qmake <prog>         Use qmake 'prog'"
+    echo "  -noruby               Don't build with Ruby support"
+    echo "  -ruby <prog>          Use Ruby interpreter 'prog'"
+    echo "  -nopython             Don't build with Python support"
+    echo "  -python <prog>        Use Python interpreter 'prog'"
+    echo "  -build <path>         Directory where to do the build"
+    echo "  -bin|-prefix <path>   Directory where to install the binary"
+    echo "  -option <option>      'make' options (i.e. -j2)"
+    echo ""
+    echo "  -with-qtbinding       Create Qt bindings for ruby scripts [default]"
+    echo "  -without-qtbinding    Don't create Qt bindings for ruby scripts"
+    echo "  -with-64bit-coord     Use long (64bit) coordinates - EXPERIMENTAL FEATURE"
+    echo "                        (only available for gcc>=4.4 for 64bit build)"
+    echo "  -without-64bit-coord  Don't use long (64bit) coordinates [default]"
+    echo ""
+    echo "  -qt5                  Use Qt5"
+    echo "  -qt4                  Use Qt4 [default]"
+    echo ""
+    echo "  -dry-run              Don't build, just run qmake"
+    echo ""
+    echo "Special options (normally determined from ruby installation):"
+    echo "  -rblib <file>         Location of the .so/.dll to link for Ruby support"
+    echo "  -rbinc <dir>          Location of the Ruby headers (in particular 'ruby.h')"
+    echo "                        -rbinc and -rblib must be set to enable Ruby support"
+    echo "  -rbinc2 <dir>         Second include path for Ruby 1.9 (containing 'ruby/config.h')"
+    echo "  -rbvers <xyyzz>       Ruby version code"
+    echo "  -pylib <file>         Location of the .so/.dll to link for Python support"
+    echo "  -pyinc <dir>          Location of the Python headers (in particular 'Python.h')"
+    echo ""
+    exit 0
+    ;;
+  *)
+    MAKE_OPT="$MAKE_OPT $a"
+    ;;
+  esac
+
+done
+
+echo "Scanning installation .."
+echo ""
+
+# if not given, locate ruby interpreter (prefer 1.9, then default, finally 1.8 as fallback)
+if [ "$RUBY" != "-" ]; then
+  for ruby in "ruby1.9" "ruby" "ruby1.8"; do
+    if [ "$RUBY" = "" ] && [ "`$ruby -v 2>/dev/null`" != "" ]; then 
+      RUBY="$ruby" 
+    fi
+  done
+fi
+if [ "$RUBY" != "" ] && [ "$RUBY" != "-" ]; then
+
+  echo "Using Ruby interpreter: $RUBY"
+
+  if [ "`$RUBY -e 'puts 1' 2>/dev/null`" != "1" ]; then
+    echo "*** ERROR: unable to run Ruby interpreter $RUBY"
+    exit 1
+  fi
+
+  # Get ruby version
+  if [ "$RUBYVERSIONCODE" = "" ]; then
+    RUBYVERSIONCODE=`$RUBY -rrbconfig -e "puts (RbConfig::CONFIG['MAJOR'] || 0).to_i*10000+(RbConfig::CONFIG['MINOR'] || 0).to_i*100+(RbConfig::CONFIG['TEENY'] || 0).to_i"`
+  fi
+
+  # Get ruby installation files
+  if [ "$RUBYLIBFILE" = "" ]; then
+    RUBYLIBFILENAME=`$RUBY -rrbconfig -e "puts (RbConfig::CONFIG['LIBRUBY'] || '')"`
+    RUBYLIBFILENAME_SO=`$RUBY -rrbconfig -e "puts (RbConfig::CONFIG['LIBRUBY_SO'] || '')"`
+    RUBYLIBFILENAME_A=`$RUBY -rrbconfig -e "puts (RbConfig::CONFIG['LIBRUBY_A'] || '')"`
+    if [ "$RUBYLIBFILENAME_A" = "" ] && [ "$RUBYLIBFILENAME_SO" = "" ] && [ "RUBYLIBFILENAME" = "" ]; then
+      echo "*** WARNING: Could not get Ruby library name"
+    else
+      RUBYLIBFILEPATH=`$RUBY -rrbconfig -e "puts (RbConfig::CONFIG['archlibdir'] || '')"`
+      if [ "$RUBYLIBFILEPATH" = "" ] || ! [ -e "$RUBYLIBFILEPATH" ]; then
+        RUBYLIBFILEPATH=`$RUBY -rrbconfig -e "puts (RbConfig::CONFIG['libdir'] || '')"`
+      fi
+      if [ "$RUBYLIBFILEPATH" = "" ]; then
+        echo "*** WARNING: Could not get Ruby library path"
+      elif [ -f "$RUBYLIBFILEPATH/$RUBYLIBFILENAME" ]; then
+        RUBYLIBFILE="$RUBYLIBFILEPATH/$RUBYLIBFILENAME"
+        echo "    Ruby library found: $RUBYLIBFILE"
+      elif [ -f "$RUBYLIBFILEPATH/$RUBYLIBFILENAME_SO" ]; then
+        RUBYLIBFILE="$RUBYLIBFILEPATH/$RUBYLIBFILENAME_SO"
+        echo "    Ruby library found: $RUBYLIBFILE"
+      elif [ -f "$RUBYLIBFILEPATH/$RUBYLIBFILENAME_A" ]; then
+        RUBYLIBFILE="$RUBYLIBFILEPATH/$RUBYLIBFILENAME_A"
+        echo "    Ruby library found: $RUBYLIBFILE"
+      else
+        echo "*** WARNING: Could not locate Ruby library"
+        echo "    Candidates are:"
+        echo "      $RUBYLIBFILEPATH/$RUBYLIBFILENAME"
+        echo "      $RUBYLIBFILEPATH/$RUBYLIBFILENAME_SO"
+        echo "      $RUBYLIBFILEPATH/$RUBYLIBFILENAME_A"
+        echo "    (none of them could be found)"
+      fi
+    fi
+  fi
+
+  if [ "$RUBYLIBFILE" != "" ]; then
+    RUBYHDRDIR=`$RUBY -rrbconfig -e "puts (RbConfig::CONFIG['rubyhdrdir'] || '')"`
+    if [ "$RUBYHDRDIR" = "" ]; then
+      if [ "$RUBYINCLUDE" = "" ]; then
+        RUBYINCLUDE=`$RUBY -rrbconfig -e "puts (RbConfig::CONFIG['archdir'] || '')"`
+      fi
+      echo "    Ruby headers found: $RUBYINCLUDE"
+    else
+      if [ "$RUBYINCLUDE" = "" ]; then
+        RUBYINCLUDE="$RUBYHDRDIR"
+      fi
+      if [ "$RUBYINCLUDE2" = "" ]; then
+        RUBYINCLUDE2=`$RUBY -rrbconfig -e "puts (RbConfig::CONFIG['rubyarchhdrdir'] || '')"`
+      fi
+      if [ "$RUBYINCLUDE2" = "" ]; then
+        RUBYINCLUDE2="$RUBYHDRDIR"/`$RUBY -rrbconfig -e "puts (RbConfig::CONFIG['arch'] || '')"`        
+      fi
+      echo "    Ruby headers found: $RUBYINCLUDE and $RUBYINCLUDE2"
+    fi
+  fi
+
+  echo "    Ruby installation is in:"
+  echo "    - $RUBYLIBFILE (lib)"
+  echo "    - $RUBYINCLUDE (headers)"
+  echo "    - $RUBYINCLUDE2 (arch headers)"
+  echo "    Ruby version code is $RUBYVERSIONCODE"
+  echo ""
+
+fi
+
+# if not given, locate Python interpreter 
+if [ "$PYTHON" != "-" ]; then
+  for python in "python"; do
+    if [ "$PYTHON" = "" ] && [ "`$python -V 2>&1`" != "" ]; then 
+      PYTHON="$python" 
+    fi
+  done
+fi
+if [ "$PYTHON" != "" ] && [ "$PYTHON" != "-" ]; then
+
+  echo "Using Python interpreter: $PYTHON"
+
+  if [ "`$PYTHON -c 'print(1)' 2>/dev/null`" != "1" ]; then
+    echo "*** ERROR: unable to run Python interpreter $PYTHON"
+    exit 1
+  fi
+
+  # Get Python installation files
+  if [ "$PYTHONLIBFILE" = "" ]; then
+    PYTHONLIBFILENAME=`$PYTHON -c "import sysconfig; print(sysconfig.get_config_vars('LDLIBRARY')[0])" 2>/dev/null`
+    if [ "$PYTHONLIBFILENAME" = "" ]; then
+      PYTHONLIBFILENAME=`$PYTHON -c "import sysconfig; print(sysconfig.get_config_vars('LIBRARY')[0])" 2>/dev/null`
+    fi
+    if [ "$PYTHONLIBFILENAME" = "" ]; then
+      PYTHONLIBFILENAME=`$PYTHON -c "import distutils.sysconfig; print(distutils.sysconfig.get_config_vars('LDLIBRARY')[0])" 2>/dev/null`
+    fi
+    if [ "$PYTHONLIBFILENAME" = "" ]; then
+      PYTHONLIBFILENAME=`$PYTHON -c "import distutils.sysconfig; print(distutils.sysconfig.get_config_vars('LIBRARY')[0])" 2>/dev/null`
+    fi
+    if [ "$PYTHONLIBFILENAME" = "" ]; then
+      echo "*** WARNING: Could not get Python library name"
+    else
+      PYTHONLIBFILEPATH=`$PYTHON -c "import sysconfig; print(sysconfig.get_config_vars('LIBDIR')[0])" 2>/dev/null`
+      if [ "$PYTHONLIBFILEPATH" = "" ]; then
+        PYTHONLIBFILEPATH=`$PYTHON -c "import distutils.sysconfig; print(distutils.sysconfig.get_config_vars('LIBDIR')[0])" 2>/dev/null`
+      fi
+      if [ "$PYTHONLIBFILEPATH" = "" ]; then
+        echo "*** WARNING: Could not get Python library path"
+      else
+        PYTHONLIBFILE="$PYTHONLIBFILEPATH/$PYTHONLIBFILENAME"
+        if [ ! -f "$PYTHONLIBFILE" ]; then
+          echo "    INFO: Python library not in default path, trying to use MULTIARCH"
+          PYTHONMULTIARCH=`$PYTHON -c "import sysconfig; print(sysconfig.get_config_vars('MULTIARCH')[0])" 2>/dev/null`
+          PYTHONLIBFILE="$PYTHONLIBFILEPATH/$PYTHONMULTIARCH/$PYTHONLIBFILENAME"
+        fi
+        echo "    Python library found: $PYTHONLIBFILE"
+      fi
+    fi
+  fi
+
+  if [ "$PYTHONINCLUDE" = "" ]; then
+    PYTHONINCLUDE=`$PYTHON -c "import distutils.sysconfig; print(distutils.sysconfig.get_config_vars('INCLUDEPY')[0])" 2>/dev/null`
+    if [ "$PYTHONINCLUDE" = "" ]; then
+      PYTHONINCLUDE=`$PYTHON -c "import sysconfig; print(sysconfig.get_config_vars('INCLUDEPY')[0])" 2>/dev/null`
+    fi
+    echo "    Python headers found: $PYTHONINCLUDE"
+  fi
+
+  echo "    Python installation is in:"
+  echo "    - $PYTHONLIBFILE (lib)"
+  echo "    - $PYTHONINCLUDE (includes)"
+  echo ""
+
+fi
+
+if [ $HAVE_QTBINDINGS != 0 ]; then
+  echo "    Qt bindings enabled"
+fi
+if [ $HAVE_64BIT_COORD != 0 ]; then
+  echo "    64 bit coordinates enabled"
+fi
+
+# Check Ruby installation
+if [ "$RUBYINCLUDE" != "" ]; then
+  HAVE_RUBY=1
+  if [ "$RUBYLIBFILE" = "" ]; then
+    echo "*** ERROR: -rblib not specified or library path cannot be determined from Ruby installation"
+    exit 1
+  fi
+  if [ "$RUBYVERSIONCODE" = "" ]; then
+    echo "*** ERROR: -rbvers not specified or version cannot be determined from Ruby installation"
+    exit 1
+  fi
+  if [ ! -f "$RUBYINCLUDE/ruby.h" ]; then
+    echo "*** ERROR: wrong -rbinc path: $RUBYINCLUDE/ruby.h does not exist or is not a file"
+    exit 1
+  fi
+  if [ "$RUBYINCLUDE2" != "" ] && [ ! -f "$RUBYINCLUDE2/ruby/config.h" ]; then
+    echo "*** ERROR: wrong -rbinc2 path: $RUBYINCLUDE2/ruby/config.h does not exist or is not a file"
+    exit 1
+  fi
+  if [ ! -f "$RUBYLIBFILE" ]; then
+    echo "*** ERROR: wrong -rblib path: $RUBYLIBFILE does not exist or not a file"
+    exit 1
+  fi
+else
+  HAVE_RUBY=0
+fi
+
+# Check Python installation
+if [ "$PYTHONINCLUDE" != "" ]; then
+  HAVE_PYTHON=1
+  if [ "$PYTHONLIBFILE" = "" ]; then
+    echo "*** ERROR: -pylib not specified or library path cannot be determined from Python installation"
+    exit 1
+  fi
+  if [ ! -f "$PYTHONINCLUDE/Python.h" ]; then
+    echo "*** ERROR: wrong -pyinc path: $PYTHONINCLUDE/Python does not exist or is not a file"
+    exit 1
+  fi
+  if [ ! -f "$PYTHONLIBFILE" ]; then
+    echo "*** ERROR: wrong -pylib path: $PYTHONLIBFILE does not exist or not a file"
+    exit 1
+  fi
+else
+  HAVE_PYTHON=0
+fi
+
+if [ "$BUILD" = "" ]; then
+  BUILD=$CURR_DIR/build-$CONFIG
+fi
+
+if [ "$BIN" = "" ]; then
+  BIN=$CURR_DIR/bin-$CONFIG
+fi
+
+mkdir -p $BUILD
+
+# qmake needs absolute paths, so we get them now:
+BUILD=`readlink -f $BUILD`
+BIN=`readlink -f $BIN`
+
+if ( gmake -v >/dev/null 2>/dev/null ); then
+  MAKE_PRG=gmake
+else
+  MAKE_PRG=make
+fi
+
+PLUGINS=""
+cd $CURR_DIR/src/plugins
+for plugin in `echo *`; do
+  if [ -e $plugin/$plugin.pro ]; then
+    PLUGINS="$PLUGINS $plugin"
+  fi
+done
+cd $CURR_DIR
+
+echo "    Building plugins: $PLUGINS"
+echo ""
+
+echo "Running $QMAKE .."
+cd $BUILD
+
+# chose the right qmake
+if [ $HAVE_QT5 = 0 ]; then
+  export QT_SELECT=4
+else
+  export QT_SELECT=5
+fi
+
+$QMAKE -v
+
+qmake_cmd="$QMAKE $CURR_DIR/src/klayout.pro -recursive \
+  CONFIG+=$CONFIG \
+  RUBYLIBFILE=$RUBYLIBFILE \
+  RUBYINCLUDE=$RUBYINCLUDE \
+  RUBYINCLUDE2=$RUBYINCLUDE2 \
+  RUBYVERSIONCODE=$RUBYVERSIONCODE \
+  HAVE_RUBY=$HAVE_RUBY \
+  PYTHONLIBFILE=$PYTHONLIBFILE \
+  PYTHONINCLUDE=$PYTHONINCLUDE \
+  HAVE_PYTHON=$HAVE_PYTHON \
+  HAVE_QTBINDINGS=$HAVE_QTBINDINGS \
+  HAVE_64BIT_COORD=$HAVE_64BIT_COORD \
+  HAVE_QT5=$HAVE_QT5 \
+  PREFIX=$BIN \
+  DESTDIR=$BUILD"
+
+echo $qmake_cmd
+$qmake_cmd
+
+cd $CURR_DIR
+echo ""
+
+if [ $RUN_MAKE = 0 ]; then
+  exit 0
+fi
+
+# -- Running build  --
+
+echo "Running build ($MAKE_PRG $MAKE_OPT all) .."
+cd $BUILD
+$MAKE_PRG $MAKE_OPT || exit
+cd $CURR_DIR
+echo ""
+
+# -- Installing binaries  --
+
+echo "Installing binaries .."
+cd $BUILD
+$MAKE_PRG install
+cd $CURR_DIR
+echo ""
+echo "Build done."
+
+exit 0
+