diff --git a/htroot/Blacklist_p.java b/htroot/Blacklist_p.java
index 0e1718e49..1c5e3667b 100644
--- a/htroot/Blacklist_p.java
+++ b/htroot/Blacklist_p.java
@@ -43,6 +43,7 @@ import net.yacy.kelondro.logging.Log;
 import net.yacy.kelondro.util.FileUtils;
 import net.yacy.repository.Blacklist;
 
+import de.anomic.data.Tables;
 import de.anomic.data.listManager;
 import de.anomic.http.server.RequestHeader;
 import de.anomic.search.SearchEventCache;
@@ -253,7 +254,7 @@ public class Blacklist_p {
                 String blentry = post.get("newEntry", "").trim();
                 
                 // store this call as api call
-                listManager.switchboard.recordAPICall(post, "Blacklist_p.html", "blacklist", "add to blacklist: " + blentry);
+                listManager.switchboard.tables.recordAPICall(post, "Blacklist_p.html", Tables.API_TYPE_CONFIGURATION, "add to blacklist: " + blentry);
                 
                 final String temp = addBlacklistEntry(blacklistToUse, blentry, header, supportedBlacklistTypes);
                 if (temp != null) {
diff --git a/htroot/ConfigBasic.java b/htroot/ConfigBasic.java
index 054247c0d..cbf0732b3 100644
--- a/htroot/ConfigBasic.java
+++ b/htroot/ConfigBasic.java
@@ -34,6 +34,7 @@ import java.util.regex.Pattern;
 import net.yacy.kelondro.util.Domains;
 import net.yacy.kelondro.workflow.InstantBusyThread;
 
+import de.anomic.data.Tables;
 import de.anomic.data.translator;
 import de.anomic.http.server.HTTPDemon;
 import de.anomic.http.server.HTTPDFileHandler;
@@ -72,7 +73,7 @@ public class ConfigBasic {
         
         // store this call as api call
         if (post != null && post.containsKey("set")) {
-            sb.recordAPICall(post, "ConfigBasic.html", "configuration", "basic settings");
+            sb.tables.recordAPICall(post, "ConfigBasic.html", Tables.API_TYPE_CONFIGURATION, "basic settings");
         }
         
         //boolean doPeerPing = false;
diff --git a/htroot/ConfigLanguage_p.java b/htroot/ConfigLanguage_p.java
index 277897012..17f3f3c11 100644
--- a/htroot/ConfigLanguage_p.java
+++ b/htroot/ConfigLanguage_p.java
@@ -42,6 +42,7 @@ import net.yacy.kelondro.data.meta.DigestURI;
 import net.yacy.kelondro.util.FileUtils;
 
 import de.anomic.crawler.retrieval.HTTPLoader;
+import de.anomic.data.Tables;
 import de.anomic.data.translator;
 import de.anomic.http.client.Client;
 import de.anomic.http.server.HeaderFramework;
@@ -74,7 +75,7 @@ public class ConfigLanguage_p {
             String selectedLanguage = post.get("language");
 
             // store this call as api call
-            ((Switchboard) env).recordAPICall(post, "ConfigLanguage.html", "configuration", "language settings: " + selectedLanguage);
+            ((Switchboard) env).tables.recordAPICall(post, "ConfigLanguage.html", Tables.API_TYPE_CONFIGURATION, "language settings: " + selectedLanguage);
             
             //change language
             if(post.containsKey("use_button") && selectedLanguage != null){
diff --git a/htroot/ConfigNetwork_p.java b/htroot/ConfigNetwork_p.java
index ef0d1c2c2..86fbc24ba 100644
--- a/htroot/ConfigNetwork_p.java
+++ b/htroot/ConfigNetwork_p.java
@@ -32,6 +32,7 @@ import net.yacy.kelondro.util.FileUtils;
 import net.yacy.kelondro.util.MapTools;
 import net.yacy.kelondro.workflow.BusyThread;
 
+import de.anomic.data.Tables;
 import de.anomic.http.server.HTTPDemon;
 import de.anomic.http.server.RequestHeader;
 import de.anomic.search.Switchboard;
@@ -55,7 +56,7 @@ public class ConfigNetwork_p {
         if (post != null) {
             
             // store this call as api call
-            sb.recordAPICall(post, "ConfigNetwork.html", "configuration", "network settings");
+            sb.tables.recordAPICall(post, "ConfigNetwork.html", Tables.API_TYPE_CONFIGURATION, "network settings");
             
             if (post.containsKey("changeNetwork")) {
                 final String networkDefinition = post.get("networkDefinition", "defaults/yacy.network.freeworld.unit");
diff --git a/htroot/ConfigPortal.java b/htroot/ConfigPortal.java
index 4206419fd..0f517ef8b 100644
--- a/htroot/ConfigPortal.java
+++ b/htroot/ConfigPortal.java
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@
 // along with this program; if not, write to the Free Software
 // Foundation, Inc., 59 Temple Place, Suite 330, Boston, MA  02111-1307  USA
 
+import de.anomic.data.Tables;
 import de.anomic.http.server.RequestHeader;
 import de.anomic.search.Switchboard;
 import de.anomic.search.SwitchboardConstants;
@@ -59,7 +60,7 @@ public class ConfigPortal {
             if (post.containsKey("searchpage_set")) {
                 String newGreeting = post.get(SwitchboardConstants.GREETING, "");
                 // store this call as api call
-                sb.recordAPICall(post, "ConfigPortal.html", "appearance", "new portal design. greeting: " + newGreeting);
+                sb.tables.recordAPICall(post, "ConfigPortal.html", Tables.API_TYPE_CONFIGURATION, "new portal design. greeting: " + newGreeting);
                 
                 sb.setConfig(SwitchboardConstants.GREETING, newGreeting);
                 sb.setConfig(SwitchboardConstants.GREETING_HOMEPAGE, post.get(SwitchboardConstants.GREETING_HOMEPAGE, ""));
diff --git a/htroot/Crawler_p.java b/htroot/Crawler_p.java
index 4dadbc9c4..409dad7ed 100644
--- a/htroot/Crawler_p.java
+++ b/htroot/Crawler_p.java
@@ -45,6 +45,7 @@ import net.yacy.kelondro.util.FileUtils;
 import de.anomic.crawler.CrawlProfile;
 import de.anomic.crawler.SitemapImporter;
 import de.anomic.crawler.retrieval.Request;
+import de.anomic.data.Tables;
 import de.anomic.data.bookmarksDB;
 import de.anomic.data.listManager;
 import de.anomic.http.server.RequestHeader;
@@ -141,7 +142,7 @@ public class Crawler_p {
                     crawlingStart = (crawlingStartURL == null) ? null : crawlingStartURL.toNormalform(true, true);
                    
                     // store this call as api call
-                    sb.recordAPICall(post, "Crawler_p.html", "crawler", "crawl start for " + crawlingStartURL.getHost());
+                    sb.tables.recordAPICall(post, "Crawler_p.html", Tables.API_TYPE_CRAWLER, "crawl start for " + crawlingStart);
                     
                     // set new properties
                     final boolean fullDomain = post.get("range", "wide").equals("domain"); // special property in simple crawl start
diff --git a/htroot/Tables_p.java b/htroot/Tables_p.java
index e9d61d804..e6d5998d1 100644
--- a/htroot/Tables_p.java
+++ b/htroot/Tables_p.java
@@ -17,15 +17,11 @@
 // along with this program; if not, write to the Free Software
 // Foundation, Inc., 59 Temple Place, Suite 330, Boston, MA  02111-1307  USA
 
-import java.io.IOException;
 import java.util.HashMap;
 import java.util.Iterator;
 import java.util.List;
 import java.util.Map;
 
-import net.yacy.kelondro.index.RowSpaceExceededException;
-import net.yacy.kelondro.logging.Log;
-
 import de.anomic.http.server.RequestHeader;
 import de.anomic.search.Switchboard;
 import de.anomic.server.serverObjects;
@@ -37,7 +33,7 @@ public class Tables_p {
         final Switchboard sb = (Switchboard) env;
         final serverObjects prop = new serverObjects();
         String table = (post == null) ? null : post.get("table", null);
-        if (table != null && !sb.tables.hasHeap(table)) table = null;
+        if (table != null && !sb.tables.has(table)) table = null;
 
         // show table selection
         int count = 0;
@@ -52,30 +48,20 @@ public class Tables_p {
         prop.put("tables", count);
         
         List<String> columns = null;
-        if (table != null) try {
+        if (table != null) {
             columns = sb.tables.columns(table);
-        } catch (IOException e) {
-            Log.logException(e);
         }
         
         // apply deletion requests
         if (post != null && post.get("deletetable", "").length() > 0) {
-            try {
-                sb.tables.clear(table);
-            } catch (IOException e) {
-                Log.logException(e);
-            }
+            sb.tables.clear(table);
         }
         
         if (post != null && post.get("deleterows", "").length() > 0) {
-            try {
-                for (Map.Entry<String, String> entry: post.entrySet()) {
-                    if (entry.getKey().startsWith("mark_") && entry.getValue().equals("on")) {
-                        sb.tables.delete(table, entry.getKey().substring(5).getBytes());
-                    }
+            for (Map.Entry<String, String> entry: post.entrySet()) {
+                if (entry.getKey().startsWith("mark_") && entry.getValue().equals("on")) {
+                    sb.tables.delete(table, entry.getKey().substring(5).getBytes());
                 }
-            } catch (IOException e) {
-                Log.logException(e);
             }
         }
         
@@ -87,20 +73,14 @@ public class Tables_p {
                     map.put(entry.getKey().substring(4), entry.getValue().getBytes());
                 }
             }
-            try {
-                sb.tables.insert(table, pk.getBytes(), map);
-            } catch (IOException e) {
-                Log.logException(e);
-            } catch (RowSpaceExceededException e) {
-                Log.logException(e);
-            }
+            sb.tables.insert(table, pk.getBytes(), map);
         }
         
         // generate table
         prop.put("showtable", 0);
         prop.put("showedit", 0);
         
-        if (table != null && !post.containsKey("editrow") && !post.containsKey("addrow")) try {
+        if (table != null && !post.containsKey("editrow") && !post.containsKey("addrow")) {
             prop.put("showtable", 1);
             prop.put("showtable_table", table);
             
@@ -136,9 +116,9 @@ public class Tables_p {
                 count++;
             }
             prop.put("showtable_list", count);
-        } catch (IOException e) {}
+        }
         
-        if (post != null && table != null && post.containsKey("editrow")) try {
+        if (post != null && table != null && post.containsKey("editrow")) {
             // check if we can find a key
             String pk = null;
             for (Map.Entry<String, String> entry: post.entrySet()) {
@@ -150,16 +130,12 @@ public class Tables_p {
             if (pk != null && sb.tables.has(table, pk.getBytes())) {
                 setEdit(sb, prop, table, pk, columns);
             }
-        } catch (IOException e) {}
+        }
         
-        if (post != null && table != null && post.containsKey("addrow")) try {
+        if (post != null && table != null && post.containsKey("addrow")) {
             // get a new key
-            String pk = new String(sb.tables.insert(table, new HashMap<String, byte[]>()));
+            String pk = sb.tables.createRow(table);
             setEdit(sb, prop, table, pk, columns);
-        } catch (IOException e) {
-            Log.logException(e);
-        } catch (RowSpaceExceededException e) {
-            Log.logException(e);
         }
         
         // adding the peer address
@@ -169,7 +145,7 @@ public class Tables_p {
         return prop;
     }
     
-    private static void setEdit(final Switchboard sb, final serverObjects prop, final String table, final String pk, List<String> columns) throws IOException {
+    private static void setEdit(final Switchboard sb, final serverObjects prop, final String table, final String pk, List<String> columns) {
         prop.put("showedit", 1);
         prop.put("showedit_table", table);
         prop.put("showedit_pk", pk);
diff --git a/source/de/anomic/data/Tables.java b/source/de/anomic/data/Tables.java
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..071b5ecbe
--- /dev/null
+++ b/source/de/anomic/data/Tables.java
@@ -0,0 +1,144 @@
+package de.anomic.data;
+
+import java.io.File;
+import java.io.IOException;
+import java.util.ArrayList;
+import java.util.Date;
+import java.util.HashMap;
+import java.util.Iterator;
+import java.util.List;
+import java.util.Map;
+import java.util.TreeMap;
+
+import net.yacy.kelondro.blob.BEncodedHeapArray;
+import net.yacy.kelondro.index.RowSpaceExceededException;
+import net.yacy.kelondro.logging.Log;
+import net.yacy.kelondro.util.DateFormatter;
+import de.anomic.server.serverObjects;
+
+public class Tables {
+
+    public final static String API_TYPE_CONFIGURATION = "configuration";
+    public final static String API_TYPE_CRAWLER = "crawler";
+    
+    private BEncodedHeapArray tables;
+    
+    public Tables(File workPath) {
+        this.tables = new BEncodedHeapArray(workPath, 12);
+    }
+    
+    public boolean has(String table) {
+        return tables.hasHeap(table);
+    }
+    
+    public boolean has(String table, byte[] pk) {
+        try {
+            return tables.has(table, pk);
+        } catch (IOException e) {
+            Log.logException(e);
+            return false;
+        }
+    }
+    
+    public Iterator<String> tables() {
+        return this.tables.tables();
+    }
+    
+    public List<String> columns(String table) {
+        try {
+            return this.tables.columns(table);
+        } catch (IOException e) {
+            Log.logException(e);
+            return new ArrayList<String>(0);
+        }
+    }
+    
+    public void clear(String table) {
+        try {
+            this.tables.clear(table);
+        } catch (IOException e) {
+            Log.logException(e);
+        }
+    }
+    
+    public void delete(String table, byte[] pk) {
+        try {
+            this.tables.delete(table, pk);
+        } catch (IOException e) {
+            Log.logException(e);
+        }
+    }
+    
+    public int size(String table) {
+        try {
+            return this.tables.size(table);
+        } catch (IOException e) {
+            Log.logException(e);
+            return 0;
+        }
+    }
+    
+    public Iterator<Map.Entry<byte[], Map<String, byte[]>>> iterator(String table) {
+        try {
+            return this.tables.iterator(table);
+        } catch (IOException e) {
+            Log.logException(e);
+            return new TreeMap<byte[], Map<String, byte[]>>().entrySet().iterator();
+        }
+    }
+    
+    public void close() {
+        this.tables.close();
+    }
+    
+    public Map<String, byte[]> select(String table, byte[] pk) {
+        try {
+            return tables.select(table, pk);
+        } catch (IOException e) {
+            Log.logException(e);
+            return new TreeMap<String, byte[]>();
+        }
+    }
+    
+    public void insert(String table, byte[] pk, Map<String, byte[]> map) {
+        try {
+            this.tables.insert(table, pk, map);
+        } catch (RowSpaceExceededException e) {
+            Log.logException(e);
+        } catch (IOException e) {
+            Log.logException(e);
+        }
+    }
+    
+    public String createRow(String table) {
+        try {
+            return new String(this.tables.insert(table, new HashMap<String, byte[]>()));
+        } catch (RowSpaceExceededException e) {
+            Log.logException(e);
+            return null;
+        } catch (IOException e) {
+            Log.logException(e);
+            return null;
+        }
+    }
+    
+    public void recordAPICall(final serverObjects post, final String servletName, String type, String comment) {
+        String apiurl = /*"http://localhost:" + getConfig("port", "8080") +*/ "/" + servletName + "?" + post.toString();
+        try {
+            this.tables.insert(
+                    "api",
+                    "type", type.getBytes(),
+                    "comment", comment.getBytes(),
+                    "date", DateFormatter.formatShortMilliSecond(new Date()).getBytes(),
+                    "url", apiurl.getBytes()
+                    );
+        } catch (RowSpaceExceededException e2) {
+            Log.logException(e2);
+        } catch (IOException e2) {
+            Log.logException(e2);
+        }
+        Log.logInfo("APICALL", apiurl);
+    }
+    
+    
+}
diff --git a/source/de/anomic/search/Switchboard.java b/source/de/anomic/search/Switchboard.java
index fdc62d088..bbecde34f 100644
--- a/source/de/anomic/search/Switchboard.java
+++ b/source/de/anomic/search/Switchboard.java
@@ -70,12 +70,10 @@ import net.yacy.document.content.RSSMessage;
 import net.yacy.document.content.SurrogateReader;
 import net.yacy.document.parser.html.ImageEntry;
 import net.yacy.document.parser.xml.RSSFeed;
-import net.yacy.kelondro.blob.BEncodedHeapArray;
 import net.yacy.kelondro.data.meta.DigestURI;
 import net.yacy.kelondro.data.meta.URIMetadataRow;
 import net.yacy.kelondro.data.meta.URIMetadataRow.Components;
 import net.yacy.kelondro.data.word.Word;
-import net.yacy.kelondro.index.RowSpaceExceededException;
 import net.yacy.kelondro.logging.Log;
 import net.yacy.kelondro.order.Base64Order;
 import net.yacy.kelondro.order.Digest;
@@ -112,6 +110,7 @@ import de.anomic.crawler.retrieval.HTTPLoader;
 import de.anomic.crawler.retrieval.Request;
 import de.anomic.crawler.retrieval.Response;
 import de.anomic.data.LibraryProvider;
+import de.anomic.data.Tables;
 import de.anomic.data.URLLicense;
 import de.anomic.data.blogBoard;
 import de.anomic.data.blogBoardComments;
@@ -132,7 +131,6 @@ import de.anomic.http.server.ResponseHeader;
 import de.anomic.http.server.RobotsTxtConfig;
 import de.anomic.net.UPnP;
 import de.anomic.search.blockrank.CRDistribution;
-import de.anomic.server.serverObjects;
 import de.anomic.server.serverSwitch;
 import de.anomic.server.serverCore;
 import de.anomic.tools.crypt;
@@ -218,7 +216,7 @@ public final class Switchboard extends serverSwitch {
     public  Dispatcher                     dhtDispatcher;
     public  List<String>                   trail;
     public  yacySeedDB                     peers;
-    public  BEncodedHeapArray              tables;
+    public  Tables                         tables;
     
     public WorkflowProcessor<indexingQueueEntry> indexingDocumentProcessor;
     public WorkflowProcessor<indexingQueueEntry> indexingCondensementProcessor;
@@ -279,7 +277,7 @@ public final class Switchboard extends serverSwitch {
         this.log.logConfig("Dictionaries Path:" + this.dictionariesPath.toString());
         
         // init tables
-        this.tables = new BEncodedHeapArray(this.workPath, 12);
+        this.tables = new Tables(this.workPath);
         
         // init libraries
         this.log.logConfig("initializing libraries");
@@ -2100,26 +2098,7 @@ public final class Switchboard extends serverSwitch {
         }
         yacyCore.log.logInfo("BOOTSTRAP: " + (peers.sizeConnected() - sc) + " new seeds while bootstraping.");
     }
-    
-    
-    public void recordAPICall(final serverObjects post, final String servletName, String type, String comment) {
-        String apiurl = /*"http://localhost:" + getConfig("port", "8080") +*/ "/" + servletName + "?" + post.toString();
-        try {
-            sb.tables.insert(
-                    "api",
-                    "type", type.getBytes(),
-                    "comment", comment.getBytes(),
-                    "date", DateFormatter.formatShortMilliSecond(new Date()).getBytes(),
-                    "url", apiurl.getBytes()
-                    );
-        } catch (RowSpaceExceededException e2) {
-            Log.logException(e2);
-        } catch (IOException e2) {
-            Log.logException(e2);
-        }
-        Log.logInfo("APICALL", apiurl);
-    }
-    
+
     public void checkInterruption() throws InterruptedException {
         final Thread curThread = Thread.currentThread();
         if ((curThread instanceof WorkflowThread) && ((WorkflowThread)curThread).shutdownInProgress()) throw new InterruptedException("Shutdown in progress ...");
diff --git a/source/de/anomic/server/serverSwitch.java b/source/de/anomic/server/serverSwitch.java
index 099f2761e..a5eb9209f 100644
--- a/source/de/anomic/server/serverSwitch.java
+++ b/source/de/anomic/server/serverSwitch.java
@@ -283,7 +283,7 @@ public class serverSwitch {
         if (f == null) {
             ret = null;
         } else {
-            ret = (f.isAbsolute() ? f : new File(this.rootPath, path));
+            ret = (f.isAbsolute() ? new File(f.getAbsolutePath()) : new File(this.rootPath, path));
         }
         
         return ret;
diff --git a/source/net/yacy/kelondro/blob/BEncodedHeapArray.java b/source/net/yacy/kelondro/blob/BEncodedHeapArray.java
index fa3c03d3c..eb0d10e09 100644
--- a/source/net/yacy/kelondro/blob/BEncodedHeapArray.java
+++ b/source/net/yacy/kelondro/blob/BEncodedHeapArray.java
@@ -52,6 +52,7 @@ public class BEncodedHeapArray {
     
     public BEncodedHeapArray(final File location, final int keymaxlen) {
         this.location = new File(location.getAbsolutePath());
+        if (!this.location.exists()) this.location.mkdirs();
         this.keymaxlen = keymaxlen;
         this.tables = new ConcurrentHashMap<String, BEncodedHeap>();
         String[] files = this.location.list();
diff --git a/source/net/yacy/kelondro/blob/HeapReader.java b/source/net/yacy/kelondro/blob/HeapReader.java
index b19a5276f..0c1733602 100644
--- a/source/net/yacy/kelondro/blob/HeapReader.java
+++ b/source/net/yacy/kelondro/blob/HeapReader.java
@@ -555,17 +555,22 @@ public class HeapReader {
                 final int keylen1 = this.keylen - 1;
                 while (true) {
                     int len = is.readInt();
-                    if (len == 0) continue;
-                    b = is.readByte(); // check for empty record
+                    if (len == 0) continue; // rare, but possible: zero length record (takes 4 bytes)
+                    b = is.readByte();      // read a single by te to check for empty record
                     if (b == 0) {
+                        // this is empty
                         // read some more bytes to consume the empty record
-                        is.skip(len - 1);
+                        is.skip(len - 1);   // all that is remaining
                         continue;
                     }
+                    // we are now ahead of remaining this.keylen - 1 bytes of the key
                     key = new byte[this.keylen];
-                    key[0] = b;
-                    if (is.read(key, 1, keylen1) < keylen1) return null;
-                    payload = new byte[len - this.keylen];
+                    key[0] = b;             // the first entry that we know already
+                    if (is.read(key, 1, keylen1) < keylen1) return null; // read remaining key bytes
+                    // so far we have read this.keylen - 1 + 1 = this.keylen bytes.
+                    // there must be a remaining number of len - this.keylen bytes left for the BLOB
+                    if (len < this.keylen) return null;    // a strange case that can only happen in case of corrupted data
+                    payload = new byte[len - this.keylen]; // the remaining record entries
                     if (is.read(payload) < payload.length) return null;
                     return new entry(key, payload);
                 }
@@ -574,6 +579,22 @@ public class HeapReader {
             }
         }
         
+        /* the old code:
+         
+           private Map.Entry<byte[], byte[]> next0() {
+            try {
+                while (true) {
+                    int len = is.readInt();
+                    byte[] key = new byte[this.keylen];
+                    if (is.read(key) < key.length) return null;
+                    byte[] payload = new byte[len - this.keylen];
+                    if (is.read(payload) < payload.length) return null;
+                    if (key[0] == 0) continue; // this is an empty gap
+                    return new entry(key, payload);
+                }
+            }
+         */        
+        
         public Map.Entry<byte[], byte[]> next() {
             final Map.Entry<byte[], byte[]> n = this.nextEntry;
             this.nextEntry = next0();