diff --git a/hyracks-examples/btree-example/btreeclient/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/examples/btree/client/InsertPipelineExample.java b/hyracks-examples/btree-example/btreeclient/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/examples/btree/client/InsertPipelineExample.java
index b5468ad..e7a02ce 100644
--- a/hyracks-examples/btree-example/btreeclient/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/examples/btree/client/InsertPipelineExample.java
+++ b/hyracks-examples/btree-example/btreeclient/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/examples/btree/client/InsertPipelineExample.java
@@ -50,8 +50,8 @@
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.dataflow.IBTreeRegistryProvider;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.frames.NSMInteriorFrameFactory;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.frames.NSMLeafFrameFactory;
-import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.impls.BTreeOp;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.tuples.TypeAwareTupleWriterFactory;
+import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.ophelpers.TreeIndexOp;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.common.IStorageManagerInterface;
 
 // This example will insert tuples into the primary and secondary index using an insert pipeline
@@ -158,7 +158,7 @@
         BTreeInsertUpdateDeleteOperatorDescriptor primaryInsert = new BTreeInsertUpdateDeleteOperatorDescriptor(spec,
                 recDesc, storageManager, btreeRegistryProvider, primarySplitProvider, primaryInteriorFrameFactory,
                 primaryLeafFrameFactory, primaryTypeTraits, primaryComparatorFactories, primaryFieldPermutation,
-                BTreeOp.BTO_INSERT);
+                TreeIndexOp.TI_INSERT);
         JobHelper.createPartitionConstraint(spec, primaryInsert, splitNCs);
 
         // prepare insertion into secondary index
@@ -187,7 +187,7 @@
         BTreeInsertUpdateDeleteOperatorDescriptor secondaryInsert = new BTreeInsertUpdateDeleteOperatorDescriptor(spec,
                 recDesc, storageManager, btreeRegistryProvider, secondarySplitProvider, secondaryInteriorFrameFactory,
                 secondaryLeafFrameFactory, secondaryTypeTraits, secondaryComparatorFactories,
-                secondaryFieldPermutation, BTreeOp.BTO_INSERT);
+                secondaryFieldPermutation, TreeIndexOp.TI_INSERT);
         JobHelper.createPartitionConstraint(spec, secondaryInsert, splitNCs);
 
         // end the insert pipeline at this sink operator
diff --git a/hyracks-examples/hyracks-integration-tests/src/test/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/tests/btree/BTreeOperatorsTest.java b/hyracks-examples/hyracks-integration-tests/src/test/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/tests/btree/BTreeOperatorsTest.java
index 3109c33..8235deb 100644
--- a/hyracks-examples/hyracks-integration-tests/src/test/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/tests/btree/BTreeOperatorsTest.java
+++ b/hyracks-examples/hyracks-integration-tests/src/test/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/tests/btree/BTreeOperatorsTest.java
@@ -55,8 +55,8 @@
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.dataflow.IBTreeRegistryProvider;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.frames.NSMInteriorFrameFactory;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.frames.NSMLeafFrameFactory;
-import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.impls.BTreeOp;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.tuples.TypeAwareTupleWriterFactory;
+import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.ophelpers.TreeIndexOp;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.common.IStorageManagerInterface;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.test.support.TestBTreeRegistryProvider;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.test.support.TestStorageManagerComponentHolder;
@@ -498,7 +498,7 @@
 				primaryBtreeSplitProvider, primaryInteriorFrameFactory,
 				primaryLeafFrameFactory, primaryTypeTraits,
 				primaryComparatorFactories, primaryFieldPermutation,
-				BTreeOp.BTO_INSERT);
+				TreeIndexOp.TI_INSERT);
 		PartitionConstraintHelper.addAbsoluteLocationConstraint(spec,
 				primaryBtreeInsertOp, NC1_ID);
 
@@ -509,7 +509,7 @@
 				secondaryBtreeSplitProvider, secondaryInteriorFrameFactory,
 				secondaryLeafFrameFactory, secondaryTypeTraits,
 				secondaryComparatorFactories, fieldPermutationB,
-				BTreeOp.BTO_INSERT);
+				TreeIndexOp.TI_INSERT);
 		PartitionConstraintHelper.addAbsoluteLocationConstraint(spec,
 				secondaryInsertOp, NC1_ID);
 
diff --git a/hyracks-storage-am-btree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/api/IBTreeInteriorFrame.java b/hyracks-storage-am-btree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/api/IBTreeInteriorFrame.java
index d102612..0f1c66a 100644
--- a/hyracks-storage-am-btree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/api/IBTreeInteriorFrame.java
+++ b/hyracks-storage-am-btree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/api/IBTreeInteriorFrame.java
@@ -15,8 +15,9 @@
 
 package edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.api;
 
-import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.impls.MultiComparator;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.impls.RangePredicate;
+import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.api.ITreeIndexFrame;
+import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.ophelpers.MultiComparator;
 
 public interface IBTreeInteriorFrame extends ITreeIndexFrame {
     public int getChildPageId(RangePredicate pred, MultiComparator srcCmp);
diff --git a/hyracks-storage-am-btree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/api/IBTreeLeafFrame.java b/hyracks-storage-am-btree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/api/IBTreeLeafFrame.java
index 21cb6b6..697edfa 100644
--- a/hyracks-storage-am-btree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/api/IBTreeLeafFrame.java
+++ b/hyracks-storage-am-btree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/api/IBTreeLeafFrame.java
@@ -16,9 +16,11 @@
 package edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.api;
 
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.dataflow.common.data.accessors.ITupleReference;
-import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.impls.FindTupleMode;
-import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.impls.FindTupleNoExactMatchPolicy;
-import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.impls.MultiComparator;
+import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.api.ITreeIndexFrame;
+import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.api.ITreeIndexTupleReference;
+import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.ophelpers.FindTupleMode;
+import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.ophelpers.FindTupleNoExactMatchPolicy;
+import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.ophelpers.MultiComparator;
 
 public interface IBTreeLeafFrame extends ITreeIndexFrame {
     public void setNextLeaf(int nextPage);
diff --git a/hyracks-storage-am-btree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/api/IFrameCompressor.java b/hyracks-storage-am-btree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/api/IFrameCompressor.java
index 51e67ca..390524d 100644
--- a/hyracks-storage-am-btree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/api/IFrameCompressor.java
+++ b/hyracks-storage-am-btree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/api/IFrameCompressor.java
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@
 package edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.api;
 
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.frames.FieldPrefixNSMLeafFrame;
-import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.impls.MultiComparator;
+import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.ophelpers.MultiComparator;
 
 public interface IFrameCompressor {
     public boolean compress(FieldPrefixNSMLeafFrame frame, MultiComparator cmp) throws Exception;
diff --git a/hyracks-storage-am-btree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/api/IPrefixSlotManager.java b/hyracks-storage-am-btree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/api/IPrefixSlotManager.java
index 97412e5..5d78afc 100644
--- a/hyracks-storage-am-btree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/api/IPrefixSlotManager.java
+++ b/hyracks-storage-am-btree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/api/IPrefixSlotManager.java
@@ -17,9 +17,10 @@
 
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.dataflow.common.data.accessors.ITupleReference;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.frames.FieldPrefixNSMLeafFrame;
-import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.impls.FindTupleMode;
-import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.impls.FindTupleNoExactMatchPolicy;
-import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.impls.MultiComparator;
+import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.api.ITreeIndexTupleReference;
+import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.ophelpers.FindTupleMode;
+import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.ophelpers.FindTupleNoExactMatchPolicy;
+import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.ophelpers.MultiComparator;
 
 // a slot consists of two fields:
 // first field is 1 byte, it indicates the slot number of a prefix tuple
diff --git a/hyracks-storage-am-btree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/compressors/FieldPrefixCompressor.java b/hyracks-storage-am-btree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/compressors/FieldPrefixCompressor.java
index eb6c0ab..fb2a2be 100644
--- a/hyracks-storage-am-btree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/compressors/FieldPrefixCompressor.java
+++ b/hyracks-storage-am-btree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/compressors/FieldPrefixCompressor.java
@@ -27,8 +27,8 @@
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.frames.FieldPrefixNSMLeafFrame;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.impls.FieldPrefixSlotManager;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.impls.FieldPrefixTupleReference;
-import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.impls.MultiComparator;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.tuples.TypeAwareTupleWriter;
+import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.ophelpers.MultiComparator;
 
 public class FieldPrefixCompressor implements IFrameCompressor {
 
diff --git a/hyracks-storage-am-btree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/dataflow/BTreeDiskOrderScanOperatorNodePushable.java b/hyracks-storage-am-btree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/dataflow/BTreeDiskOrderScanOperatorNodePushable.java
index 279a0c3..a3eb2f3 100644
--- a/hyracks-storage-am-btree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/dataflow/BTreeDiskOrderScanOperatorNodePushable.java
+++ b/hyracks-storage-am-btree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/dataflow/BTreeDiskOrderScanOperatorNodePushable.java
@@ -26,9 +26,9 @@
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.dataflow.std.base.AbstractUnaryOutputSourceOperatorNodePushable;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.api.IBTreeLeafFrame;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.impls.DiskOrderScanCursor;
-import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.impls.MultiComparator;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.api.ITreeIndexMetaDataFrame;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.frames.LIFOMetaDataFrame;
+import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.ophelpers.MultiComparator;
 
 public class BTreeDiskOrderScanOperatorNodePushable extends AbstractUnaryOutputSourceOperatorNodePushable {
     private final BTreeOpHelper btreeOpHelper;
diff --git a/hyracks-storage-am-btree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/dataflow/BTreeInsertUpdateDeleteOperatorDescriptor.java b/hyracks-storage-am-btree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/dataflow/BTreeInsertUpdateDeleteOperatorDescriptor.java
index b7a88ed..84cd89d 100644
--- a/hyracks-storage-am-btree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/dataflow/BTreeInsertUpdateDeleteOperatorDescriptor.java
+++ b/hyracks-storage-am-btree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/dataflow/BTreeInsertUpdateDeleteOperatorDescriptor.java
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.dataflow.std.file.IFileSplitProvider;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.api.IBTreeInteriorFrameFactory;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.api.IBTreeLeafFrameFactory;
-import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.impls.TreeIndexOp;
+import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.ophelpers.TreeIndexOp;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.common.IStorageManagerInterface;
 
 public class BTreeInsertUpdateDeleteOperatorDescriptor extends AbstractBTreeOperatorDescriptor {
diff --git a/hyracks-storage-am-btree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/dataflow/BTreeInsertUpdateDeleteOperatorNodePushable.java b/hyracks-storage-am-btree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/dataflow/BTreeInsertUpdateDeleteOperatorNodePushable.java
index 681c86b..7d54060 100644
--- a/hyracks-storage-am-btree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/dataflow/BTreeInsertUpdateDeleteOperatorNodePushable.java
+++ b/hyracks-storage-am-btree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/dataflow/BTreeInsertUpdateDeleteOperatorNodePushable.java
@@ -24,9 +24,9 @@
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.dataflow.common.comm.util.FrameUtils;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.dataflow.std.base.AbstractUnaryInputUnaryOutputOperatorNodePushable;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.impls.BTree;
-import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.impls.TreeIndexOp;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.impls.BTreeOpContext;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.frames.LIFOMetaDataFrame;
+import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.ophelpers.TreeIndexOp;
 
 public class BTreeInsertUpdateDeleteOperatorNodePushable extends AbstractUnaryInputUnaryOutputOperatorNodePushable {
     private final BTreeOpHelper btreeOpHelper;
diff --git a/hyracks-storage-am-btree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/dataflow/BTreeOpHelper.java b/hyracks-storage-am-btree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/dataflow/BTreeOpHelper.java
index 51826ce..871c288 100644
--- a/hyracks-storage-am-btree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/dataflow/BTreeOpHelper.java
+++ b/hyracks-storage-am-btree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/dataflow/BTreeOpHelper.java
@@ -22,11 +22,11 @@
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.api.IBTreeInteriorFrame;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.api.IBTreeLeafFrame;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.impls.BTree;
-import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.impls.MultiComparator;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.api.IFreePageManager;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.api.ITreeIndexMetaDataFrame;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.frames.LIFOMetaDataFrame;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.freepage.LinkedListFreePageManager;
+import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.ophelpers.MultiComparator;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.common.buffercache.IBufferCache;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.common.file.IFileMapProvider;
 
diff --git a/hyracks-storage-am-btree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/dataflow/BTreeSearchOperatorNodePushable.java b/hyracks-storage-am-btree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/dataflow/BTreeSearchOperatorNodePushable.java
index e68ea40..49e3599 100644
--- a/hyracks-storage-am-btree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/dataflow/BTreeSearchOperatorNodePushable.java
+++ b/hyracks-storage-am-btree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/dataflow/BTreeSearchOperatorNodePushable.java
@@ -31,11 +31,11 @@
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.api.IBTreeCursor;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.api.IBTreeLeafFrame;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.impls.BTree;
-import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.impls.TreeIndexOp;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.impls.BTreeOpContext;
-import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.impls.MultiComparator;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.impls.RangePredicate;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.impls.RangeSearchCursor;
+import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.ophelpers.MultiComparator;
+import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.ophelpers.TreeIndexOp;
 
 public class BTreeSearchOperatorNodePushable extends
 		AbstractUnaryInputUnaryOutputOperatorNodePushable {
diff --git a/hyracks-storage-am-btree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/frames/FieldPrefixNSMLeafFrame.java b/hyracks-storage-am-btree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/frames/FieldPrefixNSMLeafFrame.java
index 7cabe16..46e59db 100644
--- a/hyracks-storage-am-btree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/frames/FieldPrefixNSMLeafFrame.java
+++ b/hyracks-storage-am-btree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/frames/FieldPrefixNSMLeafFrame.java
@@ -26,25 +26,25 @@
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.api.dataflow.value.ITypeTrait;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.api.exceptions.HyracksDataException;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.dataflow.common.data.accessors.ITupleReference;
-import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.api.ITreeIndexFrame;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.api.IBTreeLeafFrame;
-import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.api.ITreeIndexTupleReference;
-import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.api.ITreeIndexTupleWriter;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.api.IFrameCompressor;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.api.IPrefixSlotManager;
-import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.api.ISlotManager;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.compressors.FieldPrefixCompressor;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.impls.BTreeException;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.impls.FieldPrefixPrefixTupleReference;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.impls.FieldPrefixSlotManager;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.impls.FieldPrefixTupleReference;
-import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.impls.FindTupleMode;
-import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.impls.FindTupleNoExactMatchPolicy;
-import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.impls.MultiComparator;
-import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.impls.SlotOffTupleOff;
-import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.impls.FrameOpSpaceStatus;
-import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.impls.BTreeSplitKey;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.tuples.TypeAwareTupleWriter;
+import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.api.ISlotManager;
+import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.api.ISplitKey;
+import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.api.ITreeIndexFrame;
+import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.api.ITreeIndexTupleReference;
+import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.api.ITreeIndexTupleWriter;
+import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.ophelpers.FindTupleMode;
+import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.ophelpers.FindTupleNoExactMatchPolicy;
+import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.ophelpers.FrameOpSpaceStatus;
+import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.ophelpers.MultiComparator;
+import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.ophelpers.SlotOffTupleOff;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.common.buffercache.ICachedPage;
 
 // WARNING: only works when tupleWriter is an instance of TypeAwareTupleWriter
@@ -446,7 +446,7 @@
     }
 
     @Override
-    public int split(ITreeIndexFrame rightFrame, ITupleReference tuple, MultiComparator cmp, BTreeSplitKey splitKey)
+    public int split(ITreeIndexFrame rightFrame, ITupleReference tuple, MultiComparator cmp, ISplitKey splitKey)
             throws Exception {
 
         FieldPrefixNSMLeafFrame rf = (FieldPrefixNSMLeafFrame) rightFrame;
@@ -581,7 +581,7 @@
         int splitKeySize = tupleWriter.bytesRequired(frameTuple, 0, cmp.getKeyFieldCount());
         splitKey.initData(splitKeySize);
         tupleWriter.writeTupleFields(frameTuple, 0, cmp.getKeyFieldCount(), splitKey.getBuffer(), 0);
-        splitKey.getTuple().resetByOffset(splitKey.getBuffer(), 0);
+        splitKey.getTuple().resetByTupleOffset(splitKey.getBuffer(), 0);
 
         return 0;
     }
diff --git a/hyracks-storage-am-btree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/frames/FieldPrefixNSMLeafFrameFactory.java b/hyracks-storage-am-btree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/frames/FieldPrefixNSMLeafFrameFactory.java
index acac44e..b6665c1 100644
--- a/hyracks-storage-am-btree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/frames/FieldPrefixNSMLeafFrameFactory.java
+++ b/hyracks-storage-am-btree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/frames/FieldPrefixNSMLeafFrameFactory.java
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@
 
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.api.IBTreeLeafFrame;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.api.IBTreeLeafFrameFactory;
-import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.api.ITreeIndexTupleWriterFactory;
+import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.api.ITreeIndexTupleWriterFactory;
 
 public class FieldPrefixNSMLeafFrameFactory implements IBTreeLeafFrameFactory {
 
diff --git a/hyracks-storage-am-btree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/frames/NSMInteriorFrame.java b/hyracks-storage-am-btree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/frames/NSMInteriorFrame.java
index 1df55f8..5a4513c 100644
--- a/hyracks-storage-am-btree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/frames/NSMInteriorFrame.java
+++ b/hyracks-storage-am-btree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/frames/NSMInteriorFrame.java
@@ -25,18 +25,19 @@
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.api.dataflow.value.ISerializerDeserializer;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.api.exceptions.HyracksDataException;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.dataflow.common.data.accessors.ITupleReference;
-import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.api.ITreeIndexFrame;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.api.IBTreeInteriorFrame;
-import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.api.ITreeIndexTupleReference;
-import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.api.ITreeIndexTupleWriter;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.impls.BTreeException;
-import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.impls.FindTupleMode;
-import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.impls.FindTupleNoExactMatchPolicy;
-import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.impls.MultiComparator;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.impls.RangePredicate;
-import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.impls.SlotOffTupleOff;
-import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.impls.FrameOpSpaceStatus;
-import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.impls.BTreeSplitKey;
+import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.api.ISplitKey;
+import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.api.ITreeIndexFrame;
+import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.api.ITreeIndexTupleReference;
+import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.api.ITreeIndexTupleWriter;
+import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.frames.TreeIndexNSMFrame;
+import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.ophelpers.FindTupleMode;
+import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.ophelpers.FindTupleNoExactMatchPolicy;
+import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.ophelpers.FrameOpSpaceStatus;
+import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.ophelpers.MultiComparator;
+import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.ophelpers.SlotOffTupleOff;
 
 public class NSMInteriorFrame extends TreeIndexNSMFrame implements IBTreeInteriorFrame {
 
@@ -87,7 +88,7 @@
         if (tupleIndex < 0)
             isDuplicate = false; // greater than all existing keys
         else {
-            frameTuple.resetByOffset(buf, slotManager.getTupleOff(slotOff));
+            frameTuple.resetByTupleOffset(buf, slotManager.getTupleOff(slotOff));
             if (cmp.compare(tuple, frameTuple) != 0)
                 isDuplicate = false;
         }
@@ -120,7 +121,7 @@
                 // case was handled in the if above)
                 if (buf.getInt(tupleCountOff) > 1) {
                     int rightNeighborOff = slotOff - slotManager.getSlotSize();
-                    frameTuple.resetByOffset(buf, slotManager.getTupleOff(rightNeighborOff));
+                    frameTuple.resetByTupleOffset(buf, slotManager.getTupleOff(rightNeighborOff));
                     System.arraycopy(tuple.getFieldData(0), getLeftChildPageOff(tuple, cmp) + childPtrSize,
                             buf.array(), getLeftChildPageOff(frameTuple, cmp), childPtrSize);
                 }
@@ -144,7 +145,7 @@
     }
 
     @Override
-    public int split(ITreeIndexFrame rightFrame, ITupleReference tuple, MultiComparator cmp, BTreeSplitKey splitKey)
+    public int split(ITreeIndexFrame rightFrame, ITupleReference tuple, MultiComparator cmp, ISplitKey splitKey)
             throws Exception {
         // before doing anything check if key already exists
         frameTuple.setFieldCount(cmp.getKeyFieldCount());
@@ -152,7 +153,7 @@
                 FindTupleNoExactMatchPolicy.FTP_HIGHER_KEY);
         int slotOff = slotManager.getSlotOff(tupleIndex);
         if (tupleIndex >= 0) {
-            frameTuple.resetByOffset(buf, slotManager.getTupleOff(slotOff));
+            frameTuple.resetByTupleOffset(buf, slotManager.getTupleOff(slotOff));
             if (cmp.compare(tuple, frameTuple) == 0) {
                 throw new BTreeException("Inserting duplicate key in interior node during split");
             }
@@ -163,7 +164,7 @@
 
         int tuplesToLeft = (tupleCount / 2) + (tupleCount % 2);
         ITreeIndexFrame targetFrame = null;
-        frameTuple.resetByOffset(buf, getTupleOffset(tuplesToLeft - 1));
+        frameTuple.resetByTupleOffset(buf, getTupleOffset(tuplesToLeft - 1));
         if (cmp.compare(tuple, frameTuple) <= 0) {
             targetFrame = this;
         } else {
@@ -189,18 +190,18 @@
         // copy data to be inserted, we need this because creating the splitkey
         // will overwrite the data param (data points to same memory as
         // splitKey.getData())
-        BTreeSplitKey savedSplitKey = splitKey.duplicate(tupleWriter.createTupleReference());
+        ISplitKey savedSplitKey = splitKey.duplicate(tupleWriter.createTupleReference());
 
         // set split key to be highest value in left page
         int tupleOff = slotManager.getTupleOff(slotManager.getSlotEndOff());
-        frameTuple.resetByOffset(buf, tupleOff);
+        frameTuple.resetByTupleOffset(buf, tupleOff);
         int splitKeySize = tupleWriter.bytesRequired(frameTuple, 0, cmp.getKeyFieldCount());
         splitKey.initData(splitKeySize);
         tupleWriter.writeTupleFields(frameTuple, 0, cmp.getKeyFieldCount(), splitKey.getBuffer(), 0);
-        splitKey.getTuple().resetByOffset(splitKey.getBuffer(), 0);
+        splitKey.getTuple().resetByTupleOffset(splitKey.getBuffer(), 0);
 
         int deleteTupleOff = slotManager.getTupleOff(slotManager.getSlotEndOff());
-        frameTuple.resetByOffset(buf, deleteTupleOff);
+        frameTuple.resetByTupleOffset(buf, deleteTupleOff);
         buf.putInt(rightLeafOff, buf.getInt(getLeftChildPageOff(frameTuple, cmp)));
         buf.putInt(tupleCountOff, tuplesToLeft - 1);
 
@@ -234,7 +235,7 @@
 
         for (int i = 0; i < sortedTupleOffs.size(); i++) {
             int tupleOff = sortedTupleOffs.get(i).tupleOff;
-            frameTuple.resetByOffset(buf, tupleOff);
+            frameTuple.resetByTupleOffset(buf, tupleOff);
 
             int tupleEndOff = frameTuple.getFieldStart(frameTuple.getFieldCount() - 1)
                     + frameTuple.getFieldLength(frameTuple.getFieldCount() - 1);
@@ -294,14 +295,14 @@
             return buf.getInt(rightLeafOff);
         } else {
             int origTupleOff = slotManager.getTupleOff(slotOff);
-            cmpFrameTuple.resetByOffset(buf, origTupleOff);
+            cmpFrameTuple.resetByTupleOffset(buf, origTupleOff);
             int cmpTupleOff = origTupleOff;
             if (pred.isForward()) {
                 int maxSlotOff = buf.capacity();
                 slotOff += slotManager.getSlotSize();
                 while (slotOff < maxSlotOff) {
                     cmpTupleOff = slotManager.getTupleOff(slotOff);
-                    frameTuple.resetByOffset(buf, cmpTupleOff);
+                    frameTuple.resetByTupleOffset(buf, cmpTupleOff);
                     if (targetCmp.compare(cmpFrameTuple, frameTuple) != 0)
                         break;
                     slotOff += slotManager.getSlotSize();
@@ -312,15 +313,15 @@
                 slotOff -= slotManager.getSlotSize();
                 while (slotOff > minSlotOff) {
                     cmpTupleOff = slotManager.getTupleOff(slotOff);
-                    frameTuple.resetByOffset(buf, cmpTupleOff);
+                    frameTuple.resetByTupleOffset(buf, cmpTupleOff);
                     if (targetCmp.compare(cmpFrameTuple, frameTuple) != 0)
                         break;
                     slotOff -= slotManager.getSlotSize();
                 }
                 slotOff += slotManager.getSlotSize();
             }
-
-            frameTuple.resetByOffset(buf, slotManager.getTupleOff(slotOff));
+            
+            frameTuple.resetByTupleOffset(buf, slotManager.getTupleOff(slotOff));
             int childPageOff = getLeftChildPageOff(frameTuple, srcCmp);
             return buf.getInt(childPageOff);
         }
@@ -337,14 +338,14 @@
 
         if (tupleIndex < 0) {
             tupleOff = slotManager.getTupleOff(slotManager.getSlotEndOff());
-            frameTuple.resetByOffset(buf, tupleOff);
+            frameTuple.resetByTupleOffset(buf, tupleOff);
             keySize = tupleWriter.bytesRequired(frameTuple, 0, cmp.getKeyFieldCount());
 
             // copy new rightmost pointer
             System.arraycopy(buf.array(), tupleOff + keySize, buf.array(), rightLeafOff, childPtrSize);
         } else {
             tupleOff = slotManager.getTupleOff(slotOff);
-            frameTuple.resetByOffset(buf, tupleOff);
+            frameTuple.resetByTupleOffset(buf, tupleOff);
             keySize = tupleWriter.bytesRequired(frameTuple, 0, cmp.getKeyFieldCount());
             // perform deletion (we just do a memcpy to overwrite the slot)
             int slotStartOff = slotManager.getSlotEndOff();
@@ -368,7 +369,7 @@
     public int getLeftmostChildPageId(MultiComparator cmp) {
         int tupleOff = slotManager.getTupleOff(slotManager.getSlotStartOff());
         frameTuple.setFieldCount(cmp.getKeyFieldCount());
-        frameTuple.resetByOffset(buf, tupleOff);
+        frameTuple.resetByTupleOffset(buf, tupleOff);
         int childPageOff = getLeftChildPageOff(frameTuple, cmp);
         return buf.getInt(childPageOff);
     }
@@ -390,7 +391,7 @@
         int tupleCount = buf.getInt(tupleCountOff);
         for (int i = 0; i < tupleCount; i++) {
             int tupleOff = slotManager.getTupleOff(slotManager.getSlotOff(i));
-            frameTuple.resetByOffset(buf, tupleOff);
+            frameTuple.resetByTupleOffset(buf, tupleOff);
             int intVal = getInt(buf.array(), frameTuple.getFieldStart(frameTuple.getFieldCount() - 1)
                     + frameTuple.getFieldLength(frameTuple.getFieldCount() - 1));
             ret.add(intVal);
@@ -408,7 +409,7 @@
         int slotOff = slotManager.getSlotEndOff();
         int tupleOff = slotManager.getTupleOff(slotOff);
         frameTuple.setFieldCount(cmp.getKeyFieldCount());
-        frameTuple.resetByOffset(buf, tupleOff);
+        frameTuple.resetByTupleOffset(buf, tupleOff);
         int keySize = tupleWriter.bytesRequired(frameTuple, 0, cmp.getKeyFieldCount());
         System.arraycopy(buf.array(), tupleOff + keySize, buf.array(), rightLeafOff, childPtrSize);
 
diff --git a/hyracks-storage-am-btree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/frames/NSMInteriorFrameFactory.java b/hyracks-storage-am-btree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/frames/NSMInteriorFrameFactory.java
index 3e451f9..b201cd1 100644
--- a/hyracks-storage-am-btree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/frames/NSMInteriorFrameFactory.java
+++ b/hyracks-storage-am-btree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/frames/NSMInteriorFrameFactory.java
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@
 
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.api.IBTreeInteriorFrame;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.api.IBTreeInteriorFrameFactory;
-import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.api.ITreeIndexTupleWriterFactory;
+import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.api.ITreeIndexTupleWriterFactory;
 
 public class NSMInteriorFrameFactory implements IBTreeInteriorFrameFactory {
 
diff --git a/hyracks-storage-am-btree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/frames/NSMLeafFrame.java b/hyracks-storage-am-btree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/frames/NSMLeafFrame.java
index e22b825..3f8a5d8 100644
--- a/hyracks-storage-am-btree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/frames/NSMLeafFrame.java
+++ b/hyracks-storage-am-btree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/frames/NSMLeafFrame.java
@@ -19,15 +19,16 @@
 
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.api.exceptions.HyracksDataException;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.dataflow.common.data.accessors.ITupleReference;
-import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.api.ITreeIndexFrame;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.api.IBTreeLeafFrame;
-import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.api.ITreeIndexTupleReference;
-import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.api.ITreeIndexTupleWriter;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.impls.BTreeException;
-import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.impls.FindTupleMode;
-import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.impls.FindTupleNoExactMatchPolicy;
-import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.impls.MultiComparator;
-import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.impls.BTreeSplitKey;
+import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.api.ISplitKey;
+import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.api.ITreeIndexFrame;
+import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.api.ITreeIndexTupleReference;
+import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.api.ITreeIndexTupleWriter;
+import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.frames.TreeIndexNSMFrame;
+import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.ophelpers.FindTupleMode;
+import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.ophelpers.FindTupleNoExactMatchPolicy;
+import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.ophelpers.MultiComparator;
 
 public class NSMLeafFrame extends TreeIndexNSMFrame implements IBTreeLeafFrame {
     protected static final int prevLeafOff = smFlagOff + 1;
@@ -75,7 +76,7 @@
         if (tupleIndex < 0)
             isDuplicate = false; // greater than all existing keys
         else {
-            frameTuple.resetByOffset(buf, slotManager.getTupleOff(slotOff));
+            frameTuple.resetByTupleOffset(buf, slotManager.getTupleOff(slotOff));
             if (cmp.compare(tuple, frameTuple) != 0)
                 isDuplicate = false;
         }
@@ -105,7 +106,7 @@
     }
 
     @Override
-    public int split(ITreeIndexFrame rightFrame, ITupleReference tuple, MultiComparator cmp, BTreeSplitKey splitKey)
+    public int split(ITreeIndexFrame rightFrame, ITupleReference tuple, MultiComparator cmp, ISplitKey splitKey)
             throws Exception {
 
         frameTuple.setFieldCount(cmp.getFieldCount());
@@ -127,7 +128,7 @@
         int mid = tupleCount / 2;
         ITreeIndexFrame targetFrame = null;
         int tupleOff = slotManager.getTupleOff(slotManager.getSlotEndOff() + slotManager.getSlotSize() * mid);
-        frameTuple.resetByOffset(buf, tupleOff);
+        frameTuple.resetByTupleOffset(buf, tupleOff);
         if (cmp.compare(tuple, frameTuple) >= 0) {
             tuplesToLeft = mid + (tupleCount % 2);
             targetFrame = rightFrame;
@@ -160,12 +161,12 @@
 
         // set split key to be highest value in left page
         tupleOff = slotManager.getTupleOff(slotManager.getSlotEndOff());
-        frameTuple.resetByOffset(buf, tupleOff);
+        frameTuple.resetByTupleOffset(buf, tupleOff);
 
         int splitKeySize = tupleWriter.bytesRequired(frameTuple, 0, cmp.getKeyFieldCount());
         splitKey.initData(splitKeySize);
         tupleWriter.writeTupleFields(frameTuple, 0, cmp.getKeyFieldCount(), splitKey.getBuffer(), 0);
-        splitKey.getTuple().resetByOffset(splitKey.getBuffer(), 0);
+        splitKey.getTuple().resetByTupleOffset(splitKey.getBuffer(), 0);
 
         return 0;
     }
diff --git a/hyracks-storage-am-btree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/frames/NSMLeafFrameFactory.java b/hyracks-storage-am-btree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/frames/NSMLeafFrameFactory.java
index e774f39..f7c8c11 100644
--- a/hyracks-storage-am-btree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/frames/NSMLeafFrameFactory.java
+++ b/hyracks-storage-am-btree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/frames/NSMLeafFrameFactory.java
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@
 
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.api.IBTreeLeafFrame;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.api.IBTreeLeafFrameFactory;
-import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.api.ITreeIndexTupleWriterFactory;
+import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.api.ITreeIndexTupleWriterFactory;
 
 public class NSMLeafFrameFactory implements IBTreeLeafFrameFactory {
 
diff --git a/hyracks-storage-am-btree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/impls/BTree.java b/hyracks-storage-am-btree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/impls/BTree.java
index 6a610e7..c4a9868 100644
--- a/hyracks-storage-am-btree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/impls/BTree.java
+++ b/hyracks-storage-am-btree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/impls/BTree.java
@@ -23,15 +23,19 @@
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.api.exceptions.HyracksDataException;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.dataflow.common.data.accessors.ITupleReference;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.api.IBTreeCursor;
-import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.api.ITreeIndexFrame;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.api.IBTreeInteriorFrame;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.api.IBTreeInteriorFrameFactory;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.api.IBTreeLeafFrame;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.api.IBTreeLeafFrameFactory;
-import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.api.ITreeIndexTupleWriter;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.frames.NSMInteriorFrame;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.api.IFreePageManager;
+import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.api.ITreeIndexFrame;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.api.ITreeIndexMetaDataFrame;
+import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.api.ITreeIndexTupleWriter;
+import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.api.TreeIndexException;
+import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.ophelpers.FrameOpSpaceStatus;
+import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.ophelpers.MultiComparator;
+import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.ophelpers.TreeIndexOp;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.common.buffercache.IBufferCache;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.common.buffercache.ICachedPage;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.common.file.BufferedFileHandle;
@@ -973,7 +977,7 @@
                         break;
                 }
             }
-        } catch (BTreeException e) {
+        } catch (TreeIndexException e) {
             // System.out.println("BTREE EXCEPTION");
             // System.out.println(e.getMessage());
             // e.printStackTrace();
@@ -1074,13 +1078,13 @@
             BTreeSplitKey copyKey = ctx.splitKey.duplicate(ctx.leafFrame.getTupleWriter().createTupleReference());
             tuple = copyKey.getTuple();
 
-            frontier.lastTuple.resetByOffset(frontier.page.getBuffer(), ctx.interiorFrame
+            frontier.lastTuple.resetByTupleOffset(frontier.page.getBuffer(), ctx.interiorFrame
                     .getTupleOffset(ctx.interiorFrame.getTupleCount() - 1));
             int splitKeySize = ctx.tupleWriter.bytesRequired(frontier.lastTuple, 0, cmp.getKeyFieldCount());
             ctx.splitKey.initData(splitKeySize);
             ctx.tupleWriter
                     .writeTupleFields(frontier.lastTuple, 0, cmp.getKeyFieldCount(), ctx.splitKey.getBuffer(), 0);
-            ctx.splitKey.getTuple().resetByOffset(ctx.splitKey.getBuffer(), 0);
+            ctx.splitKey.getTuple().resetByTupleOffset(ctx.splitKey.getBuffer(), 0);
             ctx.splitKey.setLeftPage(frontier.pageId);
 
             ctx.interiorFrame.deleteGreatest(cmp);
@@ -1139,7 +1143,7 @@
             ctx.splitKey.initData(splitKeySize);
             ctx.tupleWriter.writeTupleFields(leafFrontier.lastTuple, 0, cmp.getKeyFieldCount(), ctx.splitKey
                     .getBuffer(), 0);
-            ctx.splitKey.getTuple().resetByOffset(ctx.splitKey.getBuffer(), 0);
+            ctx.splitKey.getTuple().resetByTupleOffset(ctx.splitKey.getBuffer(), 0);
             ctx.splitKey.setLeftPage(leafFrontier.pageId);
             int prevPageId = leafFrontier.pageId;
             leafFrontier.pageId = freePageManager.getFreePage(ctx.metaFrame);
diff --git a/hyracks-storage-am-btree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/impls/BTreeException.java b/hyracks-storage-am-btree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/impls/BTreeException.java
index 7ec61ed..8019bcb 100644
--- a/hyracks-storage-am-btree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/impls/BTreeException.java
+++ b/hyracks-storage-am-btree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/impls/BTreeException.java
@@ -15,7 +15,9 @@
 
 package edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.impls;
 
-public class BTreeException extends Exception {
+import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.api.TreeIndexException;
+
+public class BTreeException extends TreeIndexException {
 
     private static final long serialVersionUID = 1L;
     private boolean handled = false;
diff --git a/hyracks-storage-am-btree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/impls/BTreeOpContext.java b/hyracks-storage-am-btree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/impls/BTreeOpContext.java
index 92ad0a2..eb1f53d 100644
--- a/hyracks-storage-am-btree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/impls/BTreeOpContext.java
+++ b/hyracks-storage-am-btree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/impls/BTreeOpContext.java
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.api.IBTreeInteriorFrame;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.api.IBTreeLeafFrame;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.api.ITreeIndexMetaDataFrame;
+import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.ophelpers.TreeIndexOp;
 
 public final class BTreeOpContext {
     public final TreeIndexOp op;
diff --git a/hyracks-storage-am-btree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/impls/BTreeSplitKey.java b/hyracks-storage-am-btree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/impls/BTreeSplitKey.java
index 1c02d71..e664e5b 100644
--- a/hyracks-storage-am-btree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/impls/BTreeSplitKey.java
+++ b/hyracks-storage-am-btree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/impls/BTreeSplitKey.java
@@ -17,8 +17,8 @@
 
 import java.nio.ByteBuffer;
 
-import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.api.ISplitKey;
-import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.api.ITreeIndexTupleReference;
+import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.api.ISplitKey;
+import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.api.ITreeIndexTupleReference;
 
 public class BTreeSplitKey implements ISplitKey {
     public byte[] data = null;
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@
             buf = ByteBuffer.wrap(data);
         }
 
-        tuple.resetByOffset(buf, 0);
+        tuple.resetByTupleOffset(buf, 0);
     }
 
     public void reset() {
@@ -85,7 +85,7 @@
         copy.data = data.clone();
         copy.buf = ByteBuffer.wrap(copy.data);
         copy.tuple.setFieldCount(tuple.getFieldCount());
-        copy.tuple.resetByOffset(copy.buf, 0);
+        copy.tuple.resetByTupleOffset(copy.buf, 0);
         return copy;
     }
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/hyracks-storage-am-btree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/impls/DiskOrderScanCursor.java b/hyracks-storage-am-btree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/impls/DiskOrderScanCursor.java
index 0aab609..10eb042 100644
--- a/hyracks-storage-am-btree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/impls/DiskOrderScanCursor.java
+++ b/hyracks-storage-am-btree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/impls/DiskOrderScanCursor.java
@@ -18,8 +18,9 @@
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.api.exceptions.HyracksDataException;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.api.IBTreeCursor;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.api.IBTreeLeafFrame;
-import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.api.ITreeIndexTupleReference;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.api.ISearchPredicate;
+import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.api.ITreeIndexTupleReference;
+import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.ophelpers.MultiComparator;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.common.buffercache.IBufferCache;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.common.buffercache.ICachedPage;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.common.file.BufferedFileHandle;
diff --git a/hyracks-storage-am-btree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/impls/FieldPrefixPrefixTupleReference.java b/hyracks-storage-am-btree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/impls/FieldPrefixPrefixTupleReference.java
index d3f28f9..d860b33 100644
--- a/hyracks-storage-am-btree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/impls/FieldPrefixPrefixTupleReference.java
+++ b/hyracks-storage-am-btree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/impls/FieldPrefixPrefixTupleReference.java
@@ -16,9 +16,9 @@
 package edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.impls;
 
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.api.dataflow.value.ITypeTrait;
-import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.api.ITreeIndexFrame;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.frames.FieldPrefixNSMLeafFrame;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.tuples.TypeAwareTupleReference;
+import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.api.ITreeIndexFrame;
 
 public class FieldPrefixPrefixTupleReference extends TypeAwareTupleReference {
 
@@ -35,6 +35,6 @@
         setFieldCount(concreteFrame.slotManager.decodeFirstSlotField(prefixSlot));
         tupleStartOff = concreteFrame.slotManager.decodeSecondSlotField(prefixSlot);
         buf = concreteFrame.getBuffer();
-        resetByOffset(buf, tupleStartOff);
+        resetByTupleOffset(buf, tupleStartOff);
     }
 }
diff --git a/hyracks-storage-am-btree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/impls/FieldPrefixSlotManager.java b/hyracks-storage-am-btree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/impls/FieldPrefixSlotManager.java
index 112e186..225dc83 100644
--- a/hyracks-storage-am-btree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/impls/FieldPrefixSlotManager.java
+++ b/hyracks-storage-am-btree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/impls/FieldPrefixSlotManager.java
@@ -18,9 +18,12 @@
 import java.nio.ByteBuffer;
 
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.dataflow.common.data.accessors.ITupleReference;
-import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.api.ITreeIndexTupleReference;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.api.IPrefixSlotManager;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.frames.FieldPrefixNSMLeafFrame;
+import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.api.ITreeIndexTupleReference;
+import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.ophelpers.FindTupleMode;
+import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.ophelpers.FindTupleNoExactMatchPolicy;
+import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.ophelpers.MultiComparator;
 
 public class FieldPrefixSlotManager implements IPrefixSlotManager {
 
diff --git a/hyracks-storage-am-btree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/impls/FieldPrefixTupleReference.java b/hyracks-storage-am-btree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/impls/FieldPrefixTupleReference.java
index d3fb098..4628e60 100644
--- a/hyracks-storage-am-btree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/impls/FieldPrefixTupleReference.java
+++ b/hyracks-storage-am-btree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/impls/FieldPrefixTupleReference.java
@@ -2,9 +2,9 @@
 
 import java.nio.ByteBuffer;
 
-import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.api.ITreeIndexFrame;
-import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.api.ITreeIndexTupleReference;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.frames.FieldPrefixNSMLeafFrame;
+import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.api.ITreeIndexFrame;
+import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.api.ITreeIndexTupleReference;
 
 public class FieldPrefixTupleReference implements ITreeIndexTupleReference {
 
@@ -63,11 +63,11 @@
     public int getFieldLength(int fIdx) {
         if (fIdx < numPrefixFields) {
             helperTuple.setFieldCount(numPrefixFields);
-            helperTuple.resetByOffset(frame.getBuffer(), prefixTupleStartOff);
+            helperTuple.resetByTupleOffset(frame.getBuffer(), prefixTupleStartOff);
             return helperTuple.getFieldLength(fIdx);
         } else {
             helperTuple.setFieldCount(numPrefixFields, fieldCount - numPrefixFields);
-            helperTuple.resetByOffset(frame.getBuffer(), suffixTupleStartOff);
+            helperTuple.resetByTupleOffset(frame.getBuffer(), suffixTupleStartOff);
             return helperTuple.getFieldLength(fIdx - numPrefixFields);
         }
     }
@@ -76,18 +76,18 @@
     public int getFieldStart(int fIdx) {
         if (fIdx < numPrefixFields) {
             helperTuple.setFieldCount(numPrefixFields);
-            helperTuple.resetByOffset(frame.getBuffer(), prefixTupleStartOff);
+            helperTuple.resetByTupleOffset(frame.getBuffer(), prefixTupleStartOff);
             return helperTuple.getFieldStart(fIdx);
         } else {
             helperTuple.setFieldCount(numPrefixFields, fieldCount - numPrefixFields);
-            helperTuple.resetByOffset(frame.getBuffer(), suffixTupleStartOff);
+            helperTuple.resetByTupleOffset(frame.getBuffer(), suffixTupleStartOff);
             return helperTuple.getFieldStart(fIdx - numPrefixFields);
         }
     }
 
     // unsupported operation
     @Override
-    public void resetByOffset(ByteBuffer buf, int tupleStartOffset) {
+    public void resetByTupleOffset(ByteBuffer buf, int tupleStartOffset) {
         frame = null;
     }
 }
diff --git a/hyracks-storage-am-btree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/impls/NodeFrontier.java b/hyracks-storage-am-btree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/impls/NodeFrontier.java
index 7501c5a..60f682c 100644
--- a/hyracks-storage-am-btree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/impls/NodeFrontier.java
+++ b/hyracks-storage-am-btree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/impls/NodeFrontier.java
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@
 
 package edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.impls;
 
-import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.api.ITreeIndexTupleReference;
+import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.api.ITreeIndexTupleReference;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.common.buffercache.ICachedPage;
 
 public class NodeFrontier {
diff --git a/hyracks-storage-am-btree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/impls/RangePredicate.java b/hyracks-storage-am-btree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/impls/RangePredicate.java
index 697b9ab..0ed7f47 100644
--- a/hyracks-storage-am-btree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/impls/RangePredicate.java
+++ b/hyracks-storage-am-btree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/impls/RangePredicate.java
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@
 
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.dataflow.common.data.accessors.ITupleReference;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.api.ISearchPredicate;
+import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.ophelpers.MultiComparator;
 
 public class RangePredicate implements ISearchPredicate {
 
diff --git a/hyracks-storage-am-btree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/impls/RangeSearchCursor.java b/hyracks-storage-am-btree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/impls/RangeSearchCursor.java
index a912ae6..1518581 100644
--- a/hyracks-storage-am-btree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/impls/RangeSearchCursor.java
+++ b/hyracks-storage-am-btree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/impls/RangeSearchCursor.java
@@ -19,8 +19,11 @@
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.dataflow.common.data.accessors.ITupleReference;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.api.IBTreeCursor;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.api.IBTreeLeafFrame;
-import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.api.ITreeIndexTupleReference;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.api.ISearchPredicate;
+import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.api.ITreeIndexTupleReference;
+import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.ophelpers.FindTupleMode;
+import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.ophelpers.FindTupleNoExactMatchPolicy;
+import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.ophelpers.MultiComparator;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.common.buffercache.IBufferCache;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.common.buffercache.ICachedPage;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.common.file.BufferedFileHandle;
diff --git a/hyracks-storage-am-btree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/tuples/SimpleTupleReference.java b/hyracks-storage-am-btree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/tuples/SimpleTupleReference.java
index 93497c1..3198aa3 100644
--- a/hyracks-storage-am-btree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/tuples/SimpleTupleReference.java
+++ b/hyracks-storage-am-btree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/tuples/SimpleTupleReference.java
@@ -17,8 +17,8 @@
 
 import java.nio.ByteBuffer;
 
-import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.api.ITreeIndexFrame;
-import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.api.ITreeIndexTupleReference;
+import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.api.ITreeIndexFrame;
+import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.api.ITreeIndexTupleReference;
 
 public class SimpleTupleReference implements ITreeIndexTupleReference {
 
@@ -30,14 +30,14 @@
     protected int fieldSlotsBytes;
 
     @Override
-    public void resetByOffset(ByteBuffer buf, int tupleStartOff) {
+    public void resetByTupleOffset(ByteBuffer buf, int tupleStartOff) {
         this.buf = buf;
         this.tupleStartOff = tupleStartOff;
     }
 
     @Override
     public void resetByTupleIndex(ITreeIndexFrame frame, int tupleIndex) {
-        resetByOffset(frame.getBuffer(), frame.getTupleOffset(tupleIndex));
+        resetByTupleOffset(frame.getBuffer(), frame.getTupleOffset(tupleIndex));
     }
 
     @Override
diff --git a/hyracks-storage-am-btree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/tuples/SimpleTupleWriter.java b/hyracks-storage-am-btree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/tuples/SimpleTupleWriter.java
index 8a72fa9..ba9680a 100644
--- a/hyracks-storage-am-btree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/tuples/SimpleTupleWriter.java
+++ b/hyracks-storage-am-btree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/tuples/SimpleTupleWriter.java
@@ -18,8 +18,8 @@
 import java.nio.ByteBuffer;
 
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.dataflow.common.data.accessors.ITupleReference;
-import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.api.ITreeIndexTupleReference;
-import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.api.ITreeIndexTupleWriter;
+import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.api.ITreeIndexTupleReference;
+import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.api.ITreeIndexTupleWriter;
 
 public class SimpleTupleWriter implements ITreeIndexTupleWriter {
 
diff --git a/hyracks-storage-am-btree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/tuples/SimpleTupleWriterFactory.java b/hyracks-storage-am-btree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/tuples/SimpleTupleWriterFactory.java
index 3229dd8..918414c 100644
--- a/hyracks-storage-am-btree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/tuples/SimpleTupleWriterFactory.java
+++ b/hyracks-storage-am-btree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/tuples/SimpleTupleWriterFactory.java
@@ -15,8 +15,8 @@
 
 package edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.tuples;
 
-import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.api.ITreeIndexTupleWriter;
-import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.api.ITreeIndexTupleWriterFactory;
+import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.api.ITreeIndexTupleWriter;
+import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.api.ITreeIndexTupleWriterFactory;
 
 public class SimpleTupleWriterFactory implements ITreeIndexTupleWriterFactory {
 
diff --git a/hyracks-storage-am-btree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/tuples/TypeAwareTupleReference.java b/hyracks-storage-am-btree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/tuples/TypeAwareTupleReference.java
index 2ff7a8a..01d620f 100644
--- a/hyracks-storage-am-btree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/tuples/TypeAwareTupleReference.java
+++ b/hyracks-storage-am-btree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/tuples/TypeAwareTupleReference.java
@@ -18,8 +18,8 @@
 import java.nio.ByteBuffer;
 
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.api.dataflow.value.ITypeTrait;
-import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.api.ITreeIndexFrame;
-import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.api.ITreeIndexTupleReference;
+import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.api.ITreeIndexFrame;
+import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.api.ITreeIndexTupleReference;
 
 public class TypeAwareTupleReference implements ITreeIndexTupleReference {
     protected ByteBuffer buf;
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@
     }
 
     @Override
-    public void resetByOffset(ByteBuffer buf, int tupleStartOff) {
+    public void resetByTupleOffset(ByteBuffer buf, int tupleStartOff) {
         this.buf = buf;
         this.tupleStartOff = tupleStartOff;
 
@@ -63,7 +63,7 @@
 
     @Override
     public void resetByTupleIndex(ITreeIndexFrame frame, int tupleIndex) {
-        resetByOffset(frame.getBuffer(), frame.getTupleOffset(tupleIndex));
+        resetByTupleOffset(frame.getBuffer(), frame.getTupleOffset(tupleIndex));
     }
 
     @Override
diff --git a/hyracks-storage-am-btree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/tuples/TypeAwareTupleWriter.java b/hyracks-storage-am-btree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/tuples/TypeAwareTupleWriter.java
index b06ed83..697a192 100644
--- a/hyracks-storage-am-btree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/tuples/TypeAwareTupleWriter.java
+++ b/hyracks-storage-am-btree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/tuples/TypeAwareTupleWriter.java
@@ -19,8 +19,8 @@
 
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.api.dataflow.value.ITypeTrait;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.dataflow.common.data.accessors.ITupleReference;
-import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.api.ITreeIndexTupleReference;
-import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.api.ITreeIndexTupleWriter;
+import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.api.ITreeIndexTupleReference;
+import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.api.ITreeIndexTupleWriter;
 
 public class TypeAwareTupleWriter implements ITreeIndexTupleWriter {
 
diff --git a/hyracks-storage-am-btree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/tuples/TypeAwareTupleWriterFactory.java b/hyracks-storage-am-btree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/tuples/TypeAwareTupleWriterFactory.java
index 8ece6a2..fc80816 100644
--- a/hyracks-storage-am-btree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/tuples/TypeAwareTupleWriterFactory.java
+++ b/hyracks-storage-am-btree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/tuples/TypeAwareTupleWriterFactory.java
@@ -16,8 +16,8 @@
 package edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.tuples;
 
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.api.dataflow.value.ITypeTrait;
-import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.api.ITreeIndexTupleWriter;
-import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.api.ITreeIndexTupleWriterFactory;
+import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.api.ITreeIndexTupleWriter;
+import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.api.ITreeIndexTupleWriterFactory;
 
 public class TypeAwareTupleWriterFactory implements ITreeIndexTupleWriterFactory {
 
diff --git a/hyracks-storage-am-btree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/api/ISlotManager.java b/hyracks-storage-am-common/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/common/api/ISlotManager.java
similarity index 82%
rename from hyracks-storage-am-btree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/api/ISlotManager.java
rename to hyracks-storage-am-common/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/common/api/ISlotManager.java
index a7e840e..29646e7 100644
--- a/hyracks-storage-am-btree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/api/ISlotManager.java
+++ b/hyracks-storage-am-common/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/common/api/ISlotManager.java
@@ -13,12 +13,12 @@
  * limitations under the License.
  */
 
-package edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.api;
+package edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.api;
 
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.dataflow.common.data.accessors.ITupleReference;
-import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.impls.FindTupleMode;
-import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.impls.FindTupleNoExactMatchPolicy;
-import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.impls.MultiComparator;
+import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.ophelpers.FindTupleMode;
+import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.ophelpers.FindTupleNoExactMatchPolicy;
+import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.ophelpers.MultiComparator;
 
 public interface ISlotManager {
     public void setFrame(ITreeIndexFrame frame);
diff --git a/hyracks-storage-am-btree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/api/ISplitKey.java b/hyracks-storage-am-common/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/common/api/ISplitKey.java
similarity index 89%
rename from hyracks-storage-am-btree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/api/ISplitKey.java
rename to hyracks-storage-am-common/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/common/api/ISplitKey.java
index 84526b8..57b9bc5 100644
--- a/hyracks-storage-am-btree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/api/ISplitKey.java
+++ b/hyracks-storage-am-common/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/common/api/ISplitKey.java
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-package edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.api;
+package edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.api;
 
 import java.nio.ByteBuffer;
 
diff --git a/hyracks-storage-am-btree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/api/ITreeIndexFrame.java b/hyracks-storage-am-common/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/common/api/ITreeIndexFrame.java
similarity index 91%
rename from hyracks-storage-am-btree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/api/ITreeIndexFrame.java
rename to hyracks-storage-am-common/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/common/api/ITreeIndexFrame.java
index f5687a9..51b82f8 100644
--- a/hyracks-storage-am-btree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/api/ITreeIndexFrame.java
+++ b/hyracks-storage-am-common/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/common/api/ITreeIndexFrame.java
@@ -13,16 +13,15 @@
  * limitations under the License.
  */
 
-package edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.api;
+package edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.api;
 
 import java.nio.ByteBuffer;
 
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.api.dataflow.value.ISerializerDeserializer;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.api.exceptions.HyracksDataException;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.dataflow.common.data.accessors.ITupleReference;
-import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.impls.MultiComparator;
-import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.impls.FrameOpSpaceStatus;
-import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.impls.BTreeSplitKey;
+import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.ophelpers.FrameOpSpaceStatus;
+import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.ophelpers.MultiComparator;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.common.buffercache.ICachedPage;
 
 public interface ITreeIndexFrame {
@@ -65,7 +64,7 @@
     public String printKeys(MultiComparator cmp, ISerializerDeserializer[] fields) throws HyracksDataException;
 
     // TODO; what if tuples more than half-page size?
-    public int split(ITreeIndexFrame rightFrame, ITupleReference tuple, MultiComparator cmp, BTreeSplitKey splitKey)
+    public int split(ITreeIndexFrame rightFrame, ITupleReference tuple, MultiComparator cmp, ISplitKey splitKey)
             throws Exception;
     
     public ISlotManager getSlotManager();
diff --git a/hyracks-storage-am-btree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/api/ITreeIndexTupleReference.java b/hyracks-storage-am-common/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/common/api/ITreeIndexTupleReference.java
similarity index 88%
rename from hyracks-storage-am-btree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/api/ITreeIndexTupleReference.java
rename to hyracks-storage-am-common/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/common/api/ITreeIndexTupleReference.java
index 67c946c..d2c2df4 100644
--- a/hyracks-storage-am-btree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/api/ITreeIndexTupleReference.java
+++ b/hyracks-storage-am-common/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/common/api/ITreeIndexTupleReference.java
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@
  * limitations under the License.
  */
 
-package edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.api;
+package edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.api;
 
 import java.nio.ByteBuffer;
 
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@
 
     public void setFieldCount(int fieldStartIndex, int fieldCount);
 
-    public void resetByOffset(ByteBuffer buf, int tupleStartOffset);
+    public void resetByTupleOffset(ByteBuffer buf, int tupleStartOffset);
 
     public void resetByTupleIndex(ITreeIndexFrame frame, int tupleIndex);
 }
diff --git a/hyracks-storage-am-btree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/api/ITreeIndexTupleWriter.java b/hyracks-storage-am-common/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/common/api/ITreeIndexTupleWriter.java
similarity index 96%
rename from hyracks-storage-am-btree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/api/ITreeIndexTupleWriter.java
rename to hyracks-storage-am-common/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/common/api/ITreeIndexTupleWriter.java
index 2531290..39577ea 100644
--- a/hyracks-storage-am-btree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/api/ITreeIndexTupleWriter.java
+++ b/hyracks-storage-am-common/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/common/api/ITreeIndexTupleWriter.java
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@
  * limitations under the License.
  */
 
-package edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.api;
+package edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.api;
 
 import java.nio.ByteBuffer;
 
diff --git a/hyracks-storage-am-btree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/api/ITreeIndexTupleWriterFactory.java b/hyracks-storage-am-common/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/common/api/ITreeIndexTupleWriterFactory.java
similarity index 93%
rename from hyracks-storage-am-btree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/api/ITreeIndexTupleWriterFactory.java
rename to hyracks-storage-am-common/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/common/api/ITreeIndexTupleWriterFactory.java
index 4eed9c3..bd7bfda 100644
--- a/hyracks-storage-am-btree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/api/ITreeIndexTupleWriterFactory.java
+++ b/hyracks-storage-am-common/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/common/api/ITreeIndexTupleWriterFactory.java
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@
  * limitations under the License.
  */
 
-package edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.api;
+package edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.api;
 
 import java.io.Serializable;
 
diff --git a/hyracks-storage-am-common/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/common/api/TreeIndexException.java b/hyracks-storage-am-common/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/common/api/TreeIndexException.java
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..ad3db58
--- /dev/null
+++ b/hyracks-storage-am-common/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/common/api/TreeIndexException.java
@@ -0,0 +1,38 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright 2009-2010 by The Regents of the University of California
+ * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+ * you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+ * you may obtain a copy of the License from
+ * 
+ *     http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+ * 
+ * Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+ * distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+ * WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+ * See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+ * limitations under the License.
+ */
+
+package edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.api;
+
+public class TreeIndexException extends Exception {
+
+    private static final long serialVersionUID = 1L;
+    private boolean handled = false;
+
+    public TreeIndexException(Exception e) {
+        super(e);
+    }
+
+    public TreeIndexException(String message) {
+        super(message);
+    }
+
+    public void setHandled(boolean handled) {
+        this.handled = handled;
+    }
+
+    public boolean getHandled() {
+        return handled;
+    }
+}
diff --git a/hyracks-storage-am-btree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/frames/TreeIndexNSMFrame.java b/hyracks-storage-am-common/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/common/frames/TreeIndexNSMFrame.java
similarity index 89%
rename from hyracks-storage-am-btree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/frames/TreeIndexNSMFrame.java
rename to hyracks-storage-am-common/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/common/frames/TreeIndexNSMFrame.java
index d47ece4..3310542 100644
--- a/hyracks-storage-am-btree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/frames/TreeIndexNSMFrame.java
+++ b/hyracks-storage-am-common/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/common/frames/TreeIndexNSMFrame.java
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@
  * limitations under the License.
  */
 
-package edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.frames;
+package edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.frames;
 
 import java.io.ByteArrayInputStream;
 import java.io.DataInput;
@@ -25,17 +25,17 @@
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.api.dataflow.value.ISerializerDeserializer;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.api.exceptions.HyracksDataException;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.dataflow.common.data.accessors.ITupleReference;
-import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.api.ITreeIndexFrame;
-import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.api.ITreeIndexTupleReference;
-import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.api.ITreeIndexTupleWriter;
-import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.api.ISlotManager;
-import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.impls.BTreeException;
-import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.impls.FindTupleMode;
-import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.impls.FindTupleNoExactMatchPolicy;
-import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.impls.MultiComparator;
-import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.impls.OrderedSlotManager;
-import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.impls.SlotOffTupleOff;
-import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.impls.FrameOpSpaceStatus;
+import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.api.ISlotManager;
+import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.api.ITreeIndexFrame;
+import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.api.ITreeIndexTupleReference;
+import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.api.ITreeIndexTupleWriter;
+import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.api.TreeIndexException;
+import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.ophelpers.FindTupleMode;
+import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.ophelpers.FindTupleNoExactMatchPolicy;
+import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.ophelpers.FrameOpSpaceStatus;
+import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.ophelpers.MultiComparator;
+import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.ophelpers.OrderedSlotManager;
+import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.ophelpers.SlotOffTupleOff;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.common.buffercache.ICachedPage;
 
 public abstract class TreeIndexNSMFrame implements ITreeIndexFrame {
@@ -144,7 +144,7 @@
 
         for (int i = 0; i < sortedTupleOffs.size(); i++) {
             int tupleOff = sortedTupleOffs.get(i).tupleOff;
-            frameTuple.resetByOffset(buf, tupleOff);
+            frameTuple.resetByTupleOffset(buf, tupleOff);
 
             int tupleEndOff = frameTuple.getFieldStart(frameTuple.getFieldCount() - 1)
                     + frameTuple.getFieldLength(frameTuple.getFieldCount() - 1);
@@ -166,24 +166,24 @@
                 FindTupleNoExactMatchPolicy.FTP_HIGHER_KEY);
         int slotOff = slotManager.getSlotOff(tupleIndex);
         if (tupleIndex < 0) {
-            throw new BTreeException("Key to be deleted does not exist.");
+            throw new TreeIndexException("Key to be deleted does not exist.");
         } else {
             if (exactDelete) {
                 // check the non-key columns for equality by byte-by-byte
                 // comparison
                 int tupleOff = slotManager.getTupleOff(slotOff);
-                frameTuple.resetByOffset(buf, tupleOff);
+                frameTuple.resetByTupleOffset(buf, tupleOff);
 
                 int comparison = cmp.fieldRangeCompare(tuple, frameTuple, cmp.getKeyFieldCount() - 1, cmp
                         .getFieldCount()
                         - cmp.getKeyFieldCount());
                 if (comparison != 0) {
-                    throw new BTreeException("Cannot delete tuple. Byte-by-byte comparison failed to prove equality.");
+                    throw new TreeIndexException("Cannot delete tuple. Byte-by-byte comparison failed to prove equality.");
                 }
             }
 
             int tupleOff = slotManager.getTupleOff(slotOff);
-            frameTuple.resetByOffset(buf, tupleOff);
+            frameTuple.resetByTupleOffset(buf, tupleOff);
             int tupleSize = tupleWriter.bytesRequired(frameTuple);
 
             // perform deletion (we just do a memcpy to overwrite the slot)
diff --git a/hyracks-storage-am-btree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/impls/FindTupleMode.java b/hyracks-storage-am-common/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/common/ophelpers/FindTupleMode.java
similarity index 92%
rename from hyracks-storage-am-btree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/impls/FindTupleMode.java
rename to hyracks-storage-am-common/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/common/ophelpers/FindTupleMode.java
index 9e2fa75..cea2500 100644
--- a/hyracks-storage-am-btree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/impls/FindTupleMode.java
+++ b/hyracks-storage-am-common/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/common/ophelpers/FindTupleMode.java
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@
  * limitations under the License.
  */
 
-package edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.impls;
+package edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.ophelpers;
 
 public enum FindTupleMode {
     FTM_INCLUSIVE, FTM_EXCLUSIVE, FTM_EXACT
diff --git a/hyracks-storage-am-btree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/impls/FindTupleNoExactMatchPolicy.java b/hyracks-storage-am-common/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/common/ophelpers/FindTupleNoExactMatchPolicy.java
similarity index 92%
rename from hyracks-storage-am-btree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/impls/FindTupleNoExactMatchPolicy.java
rename to hyracks-storage-am-common/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/common/ophelpers/FindTupleNoExactMatchPolicy.java
index 1bc6ea3..0d534ed 100644
--- a/hyracks-storage-am-btree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/impls/FindTupleNoExactMatchPolicy.java
+++ b/hyracks-storage-am-common/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/common/ophelpers/FindTupleNoExactMatchPolicy.java
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@
  * limitations under the License.
  */
 
-package edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.impls;
+package edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.ophelpers;
 
 public enum FindTupleNoExactMatchPolicy {
     FTP_LOWER_KEY, FTP_HIGHER_KEY
diff --git a/hyracks-storage-am-btree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/impls/FrameOpSpaceStatus.java b/hyracks-storage-am-common/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/common/ophelpers/FrameOpSpaceStatus.java
similarity index 92%
rename from hyracks-storage-am-btree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/impls/FrameOpSpaceStatus.java
rename to hyracks-storage-am-common/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/common/ophelpers/FrameOpSpaceStatus.java
index 0568057..b9a2642 100644
--- a/hyracks-storage-am-btree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/impls/FrameOpSpaceStatus.java
+++ b/hyracks-storage-am-common/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/common/ophelpers/FrameOpSpaceStatus.java
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@
  * limitations under the License.
  */
 
-package edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.impls;
+package edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.ophelpers;
 
 public enum FrameOpSpaceStatus {
     INSUFFICIENT_SPACE, SUFFICIENT_CONTIGUOUS_SPACE, SUFFICIENT_SPACE
diff --git a/hyracks-storage-am-btree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/impls/MultiComparator.java b/hyracks-storage-am-common/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/common/ophelpers/MultiComparator.java
similarity index 97%
rename from hyracks-storage-am-btree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/impls/MultiComparator.java
rename to hyracks-storage-am-common/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/common/ophelpers/MultiComparator.java
index e029af0..7ed20bc 100644
--- a/hyracks-storage-am-btree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/impls/MultiComparator.java
+++ b/hyracks-storage-am-common/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/common/ophelpers/MultiComparator.java
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@
  * limitations under the License.
  */
 
-package edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.impls;
+package edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.ophelpers;
 
 import java.io.ByteArrayInputStream;
 import java.io.DataInput;
@@ -25,7 +25,6 @@
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.api.exceptions.HyracksDataException;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.dataflow.common.data.accessors.ITupleReference;
 
-@SuppressWarnings("unchecked")
 public class MultiComparator {
 
     private static final long serialVersionUID = 1L;
diff --git a/hyracks-storage-am-btree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/impls/OrderedSlotManager.java b/hyracks-storage-am-common/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/common/ophelpers/OrderedSlotManager.java
similarity index 93%
rename from hyracks-storage-am-btree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/impls/OrderedSlotManager.java
rename to hyracks-storage-am-common/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/common/ophelpers/OrderedSlotManager.java
index a106d5c..e2b5bcb 100644
--- a/hyracks-storage-am-btree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/impls/OrderedSlotManager.java
+++ b/hyracks-storage-am-common/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/common/ophelpers/OrderedSlotManager.java
@@ -13,12 +13,12 @@
  * limitations under the License.
  */
 
-package edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.impls;
+package edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.ophelpers;
 
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.dataflow.common.data.accessors.ITupleReference;
-import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.api.ITreeIndexFrame;
-import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.api.ITreeIndexTupleReference;
-import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.api.ISlotManager;
+import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.api.ISlotManager;
+import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.api.ITreeIndexFrame;
+import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.api.ITreeIndexTupleReference;
 
 public class OrderedSlotManager implements ISlotManager {
 
diff --git a/hyracks-storage-am-btree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/impls/SlotOffTupleOff.java b/hyracks-storage-am-common/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/common/ophelpers/SlotOffTupleOff.java
similarity index 94%
rename from hyracks-storage-am-btree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/impls/SlotOffTupleOff.java
rename to hyracks-storage-am-common/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/common/ophelpers/SlotOffTupleOff.java
index c074642..4fc1861 100644
--- a/hyracks-storage-am-btree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/impls/SlotOffTupleOff.java
+++ b/hyracks-storage-am-common/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/common/ophelpers/SlotOffTupleOff.java
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@
  * limitations under the License.
  */
 
-package edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.impls;
+package edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.ophelpers;
 
 public class SlotOffTupleOff implements Comparable<SlotOffTupleOff> {
     public int tupleIndex;
diff --git a/hyracks-storage-am-btree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/impls/TreeIndexOp.java b/hyracks-storage-am-common/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/common/ophelpers/TreeIndexOp.java
similarity index 92%
rename from hyracks-storage-am-btree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/impls/TreeIndexOp.java
rename to hyracks-storage-am-common/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/common/ophelpers/TreeIndexOp.java
index f4c58cf..549c161 100644
--- a/hyracks-storage-am-btree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/impls/TreeIndexOp.java
+++ b/hyracks-storage-am-common/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/common/ophelpers/TreeIndexOp.java
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@
  * limitations under the License.
  */
 
-package edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.impls;
+package edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.ophelpers;
 
 public enum TreeIndexOp {
     TI_INSERT, TI_DELETE, TI_UPDATE, TI_SEARCH
diff --git a/hyracks-storage-am-invertedindex/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/invertedindex/impls/SimpleConjunctiveSearcher.java b/hyracks-storage-am-invertedindex/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/invertedindex/impls/SimpleConjunctiveSearcher.java
index eb0487f..dc5bd0c 100644
--- a/hyracks-storage-am-invertedindex/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/invertedindex/impls/SimpleConjunctiveSearcher.java
+++ b/hyracks-storage-am-invertedindex/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/invertedindex/impls/SimpleConjunctiveSearcher.java
@@ -36,11 +36,11 @@
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.api.IBTreeInteriorFrame;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.api.IBTreeLeafFrame;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.impls.BTree;
-import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.impls.TreeIndexOp;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.impls.BTreeOpContext;
-import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.impls.MultiComparator;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.impls.RangePredicate;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.impls.RangeSearchCursor;
+import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.ophelpers.MultiComparator;
+import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.ophelpers.TreeIndexOp;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.invertedindex.api.IBinaryTokenizer;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.invertedindex.api.IInvertedIndexResultCursor;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.invertedindex.api.IInvertedIndexSearcher;
diff --git a/hyracks-tests/hyracks-storage-am-btree-test/src/test/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/BTreeFieldPrefixNSMTest.java b/hyracks-tests/hyracks-storage-am-btree-test/src/test/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/BTreeFieldPrefixNSMTest.java
index 06463fc..bc863af 100644
--- a/hyracks-tests/hyracks-storage-am-btree-test/src/test/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/BTreeFieldPrefixNSMTest.java
+++ b/hyracks-tests/hyracks-storage-am-btree-test/src/test/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/BTreeFieldPrefixNSMTest.java
@@ -39,13 +39,13 @@
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.dataflow.common.data.accessors.ITupleReference;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.dataflow.common.data.comparators.IntegerBinaryComparatorFactory;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.dataflow.common.data.marshalling.IntegerSerializerDeserializer;
-import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.api.ITreeIndexTupleWriter;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.api.IPrefixSlotManager;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.frames.FieldPrefixNSMLeafFrame;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.impls.BTreeException;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.impls.FieldPrefixSlotManager;
-import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.impls.MultiComparator;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.tuples.TypeAwareTupleWriter;
+import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.api.ITreeIndexTupleWriter;
+import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.ophelpers.MultiComparator;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.common.buffercache.IBufferCache;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.common.buffercache.ICacheMemoryAllocator;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.common.buffercache.ICachedPage;
diff --git a/hyracks-tests/hyracks-storage-am-btree-test/src/test/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/BTreeTest.java b/hyracks-tests/hyracks-storage-am-btree-test/src/test/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/BTreeTest.java
index 98aefb6..1c44230 100644
--- a/hyracks-tests/hyracks-storage-am-btree-test/src/test/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/BTreeTest.java
+++ b/hyracks-tests/hyracks-storage-am-btree-test/src/test/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/BTreeTest.java
@@ -47,11 +47,8 @@
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.frames.NSMInteriorFrameFactory;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.frames.NSMLeafFrameFactory;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.impls.BTree;
-import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.impls.BTreeException;
-import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.impls.TreeIndexOp;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.impls.BTreeOpContext;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.impls.DiskOrderScanCursor;
-import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.impls.MultiComparator;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.impls.RangePredicate;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.impls.RangeSearchCursor;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.tuples.SimpleTupleWriterFactory;
@@ -59,15 +56,17 @@
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.api.IFreePageManager;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.api.ITreeIndexMetaDataFrame;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.api.ITreeIndexMetaDataFrameFactory;
+import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.api.TreeIndexException;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.frames.LIFOMetaDataFrameFactory;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.freepage.LinkedListFreePageManager;
+import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.ophelpers.MultiComparator;
+import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.ophelpers.TreeIndexOp;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.common.buffercache.IBufferCache;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.common.buffercache.ICacheMemoryAllocator;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.common.file.IFileMapProvider;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.test.support.TestStorageManagerComponentHolder;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.test.support.TestUtils;
 
-@SuppressWarnings("unchecked")
 public class BTreeTest extends AbstractBTreeTest {
 
 	private static final int PAGE_SIZE = 256;
@@ -194,7 +193,7 @@
 
 			try {
 				btree.insert(tuple, insertOpCtx);
-			} catch (BTreeException e) {
+			} catch (TreeIndexException e) {
 			} catch (Exception e) {
 				e.printStackTrace();
 			}
@@ -850,7 +849,7 @@
 				try {
 					btree.insert(tuple, insertOpCtx);
 					insDone++;
-				} catch (BTreeException e) {
+				} catch (TreeIndexException e) {
 					// e.printStackTrace();
 				} catch (Exception e) {
 					e.printStackTrace();
@@ -888,7 +887,7 @@
 				try {
 					btree.delete(tuple, deleteOpCtx);
 					delDone++;
-				} catch (BTreeException e) {
+				} catch (TreeIndexException e) {
 					// e.printStackTrace();
 				} catch (Exception e) {
 					e.printStackTrace();
diff --git a/hyracks-tests/hyracks-storage-am-btree-test/src/test/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/RangeSearchCursorTest.java b/hyracks-tests/hyracks-storage-am-btree-test/src/test/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/RangeSearchCursorTest.java
index 3cc5235..deec715 100644
--- a/hyracks-tests/hyracks-storage-am-btree-test/src/test/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/RangeSearchCursorTest.java
+++ b/hyracks-tests/hyracks-storage-am-btree-test/src/test/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/RangeSearchCursorTest.java
@@ -55,9 +55,7 @@
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.frames.NSMLeafFrameFactory;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.impls.BTree;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.impls.BTreeException;
-import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.impls.TreeIndexOp;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.impls.BTreeOpContext;
-import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.impls.MultiComparator;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.impls.RangePredicate;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.impls.RangeSearchCursor;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.tuples.TypeAwareTupleWriterFactory;
@@ -66,6 +64,8 @@
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.api.ITreeIndexMetaDataFrameFactory;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.frames.LIFOMetaDataFrameFactory;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.freepage.LinkedListFreePageManager;
+import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.ophelpers.MultiComparator;
+import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.ophelpers.TreeIndexOp;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.common.buffercache.IBufferCache;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.common.buffercache.ICacheMemoryAllocator;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.common.file.IFileMapProvider;
diff --git a/hyracks-tests/hyracks-storage-am-invertedindex-test/src/test/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/invertedindex/searchers/SimpleConjunctiveSearcherTest.java b/hyracks-tests/hyracks-storage-am-invertedindex-test/src/test/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/invertedindex/searchers/SimpleConjunctiveSearcherTest.java
index 9185735a1..2235a8a 100644
--- a/hyracks-tests/hyracks-storage-am-invertedindex-test/src/test/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/invertedindex/searchers/SimpleConjunctiveSearcherTest.java
+++ b/hyracks-tests/hyracks-storage-am-invertedindex-test/src/test/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/invertedindex/searchers/SimpleConjunctiveSearcherTest.java
@@ -50,15 +50,15 @@
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.frames.NSMInteriorFrameFactory;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.frames.NSMLeafFrameFactory;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.impls.BTree;
-import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.impls.TreeIndexOp;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.impls.BTreeOpContext;
-import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.impls.MultiComparator;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.tuples.TypeAwareTupleWriterFactory;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.api.IFreePageManager;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.api.ITreeIndexMetaDataFrame;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.api.ITreeIndexMetaDataFrameFactory;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.frames.LIFOMetaDataFrameFactory;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.freepage.LinkedListFreePageManager;
+import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.ophelpers.MultiComparator;
+import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.ophelpers.TreeIndexOp;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.invertedindex.api.IBinaryTokenizer;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.invertedindex.api.IInvertedIndexResultCursor;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.invertedindex.impls.SimpleConjunctiveSearcher;