diff --git a/src/core/Tree.h b/src/core/Tree.h
index f78fadd..fbc401f 100644
--- a/src/core/Tree.h
+++ b/src/core/Tree.h
@@ -12,6 +12,10 @@ public:
     virtual ~Tree();
 
     const std::shared_ptr<TreeNode<T>> getRoot() { return root; }
+    const std::shared_ptr<TreeNode<T>> getFirst() {
+        if(root->getChildren()->size() > 0) return root->getChildren()->at(0);
+        return nullptr;
+    }
 
     void nodeDataChanged(std::shared_ptr<TreeNode<T>> node);
     void treeChanged(std::shared_ptr<TreeNode<T>> node);
diff --git a/src/core/TreeNode.h b/src/core/TreeNode.h
index 9726fb3..0892b20 100644
--- a/src/core/TreeNode.h
+++ b/src/core/TreeNode.h
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
 #include <iostream>
 #include <memory>
 #include <functional>
-#include <list>
+#include <deque>
 #include <algorithm>
 
 template <class T>
@@ -12,8 +12,7 @@ class TreeNode;
 
 enum class TreeWalkStrategy {
     depthFirst,
-    breadthFirst,
-    mixture
+    breadthFirst
 };
 template <class T>
 class TreeNode : public std::enable_shared_from_this<TreeNode<T>>
@@ -30,15 +29,15 @@ public:
 
     const std::shared_ptr<TreeNode<T>> next(TreeWalkStrategy walkStrategy = TreeWalkStrategy::depthFirst);
     const std::shared_ptr<TreeNode<T>> getRoot();
-    void move(std::shared_ptr<TreeNode<T>> to); //as child
-    void moveChildren(std::shared_ptr<TreeNode<T>> to); //all children but not the 'executing' element
+    void move(const std::shared_ptr<TreeNode<T> > &to); //as child
+    void moveChildren(const std::shared_ptr<TreeNode<T> > &to); //all children but not the 'executing' element
 
-    void addChild(std::shared_ptr<TreeNode<T>> child);
-    void addChildren(std::shared_ptr<TreeNode<T>> nodeWithChildren);
-    bool removeChild(std::shared_ptr<TreeNode<T>> child);
-    bool remove();
+    void addChild(const std::shared_ptr<TreeNode<T> > &child);
+    void addChildren(const std::shared_ptr<TreeNode<T> > &nodeWithChildren);
+    void removeChild(const std::shared_ptr<TreeNode<T> > &child);
+    void remove();
 
-    void addChildObject(std::shared_ptr<T> obj);
+    void addChildObject(const std::shared_ptr<T> &obj);
 
     uint getDistanceFromRoot();
 
@@ -48,7 +47,7 @@ public:
     std::shared_ptr<T> getData() const;
     void setData(const std::shared_ptr<T> &value);
 
-    std::list<std::shared_ptr<TreeNode<T>> > getChildren() const;
+    std::shared_ptr<std::deque<std::shared_ptr<TreeNode<T> > > > getChildren() const;
 
     void setDataChangedSignal(std::function<void(std::shared_ptr<TreeNode<T>>)> f)
     {
@@ -72,7 +71,7 @@ private:
     std::shared_ptr<TreeNode<T>> nextOnSameLevel();
     std::shared_ptr<TreeNode<T>> parent;
     std::shared_ptr<T> data;
-    std::list<std::shared_ptr<TreeNode<T>>> children;
+    std::shared_ptr<std::deque<std::shared_ptr<TreeNode<T>>>> children;
 };
 
 template <class T>
@@ -81,6 +80,7 @@ TreeNode<T>::TreeNode()
     this->data = nullptr;
     this->nodeDataChanged = nullptr;
     this->treeChanged = nullptr;
+    this->children = std::make_shared<std::deque<std::shared_ptr<TreeNode<T>>>>();
 }
 
 template <class T>
@@ -105,7 +105,7 @@ template<class T>
 std::shared_ptr<TreeNode<T> > TreeNode<T>::rcopy()
 {
     auto n = std::make_shared<TreeNode<T>>(std::make_shared<T>(*this->getData()));
-    for(auto c : this->getChildren())
+    for(auto c : *children)
         n->addChild(c->rcopy());
     return n;
 }
@@ -114,9 +114,9 @@ template <class T>
 const std::shared_ptr<TreeNode<T>> TreeNode<T>::nextSibling()
 {
     if (parent != nullptr) {
-        auto l = parent->getChildren();
+        auto l = *(parent->getChildren());
         auto it = std::find(l.begin(), l.end(), this->shared_from_this());
-        if (it != l.end() && ++it != l.end())
+        if (it != l.end() && it+1 != l.end())
             return *(++it); //next sibling...
         else
             return nullptr;
@@ -128,41 +128,9 @@ const std::shared_ptr<TreeNode<T>> TreeNode<T>::nextSibling()
 template <class T>
 const std::shared_ptr<TreeNode<T>> TreeNode<T>::next(TreeWalkStrategy walkStrategy)
 {
-    if (walkStrategy == TreeWalkStrategy::mixture)
-        // choose node, work through all siblings, choose next node, but don't change branches more than one parent away, except branch is at an end.
-        if (parent != nullptr) {
-            if (nextSibling() != nullptr) // next sibling
-                return nextSibling();
-            else // find next children
-            {
-                for (auto n : parent->getChildren())
-                    if (n->getChildren().size() > 0)
-                        return n->getChildren().front();
-                        //return n->getChildren().first();
-                auto siblingOfParent = parent->nextSibling();
-                while (siblingOfParent != nullptr && siblingOfParent->getChildren().size() == 0) {
-                    if (siblingOfParent->nextSibling() == nullptr)
-                        siblingOfParent = siblingOfParent->getParent();
-                    else
-                        siblingOfParent = siblingOfParent->nextSibling();
-                }
-                if (siblingOfParent != nullptr)
-                    return siblingOfParent->getChildren().front();
-                    //return siblingOfParent->getChildren().first();
-                else
-                    return nullptr;
-            }
-        } else {
-            if (getChildren().size() > 0)
-                return getChildren().front();
-                //return getChildren().first();
-            else
-                return nullptr;
-        }
-    else if (walkStrategy == TreeWalkStrategy::depthFirst)
-        if (getChildren().size() > 0)
-            return getChildren().front();
-            //return getChildren().first();
+    if (walkStrategy == TreeWalkStrategy::depthFirst)
+        if (getChildren()->size() > 0)
+            return getChildren()->front();
         else {
             auto node = this->shared_from_this();
             while (node->nextSibling() == nullptr && node->getParent() != nullptr)
@@ -173,10 +141,9 @@ const std::shared_ptr<TreeNode<T>> TreeNode<T>::next(TreeWalkStrategy walkStrate
         if (parent != nullptr) {
             auto nextOnLvl = nextOnSameLevel();
             if (nextOnLvl == nullptr){
-                for (auto n : parent->getChildren())
-                    if (n->getChildren().size() > 0)
-                        return n->getChildren().front();
-                        //return n->getChildren().first();
+                for (auto n : *(parent->getChildren()))
+                    if (n->getChildren()->size() > 0)
+                        return n->getChildren()->front();
             }
             else return nextOnLvl;
         }
@@ -193,78 +160,77 @@ const std::shared_ptr<TreeNode<T>> TreeNode<T>::getRoot()
 }
 
 template <class T>
-void TreeNode<T>::move(std::shared_ptr<TreeNode<T>> to)
+void TreeNode<T>::move(const std::shared_ptr<TreeNode<T>> &to)
 {
-    this->getParent()->getChildren().remove(this->shared_from_this());
-    //this->getParent()->getChildren().removeOne(std::shared_ptr<EditorNode>(this));
-    to->getChildren().push_back(this->shared_from_this());
-    //to->getChildren().append(std::shared_ptr<EditorNode>(this));
+    this->getParent()->removeChild(this->shared_from_this());
+    to->getChildren()->push_back(this->shared_from_this());
     fireTreeChanged();
 }
 
 template <class T>
-void TreeNode<T>::moveChildren(std::shared_ptr<TreeNode<T>> to)
+void TreeNode<T>::moveChildren(const std::shared_ptr<TreeNode<T>> &to)
 {
-    for (auto child : getChildren())
+    for (auto child : getChildren().get())
         child->move(to);
     fireTreeChanged();
 }
 
 template <class T>
-void TreeNode<T>::addChild(std::shared_ptr<TreeNode<T>> child)
+void TreeNode<T>::addChild(const std::shared_ptr<TreeNode<T>>& child)
 {
-
-    this->getChildren().push_back(child);
-
+    this->getChildren()->push_back(child);
     child->setParent(this->shared_from_this());
-
     fireTreeChanged();
 }
 
 
 template <class T>
-void TreeNode<T>::addChildren(std::shared_ptr<TreeNode<T>> nodeWithChildren)
+void TreeNode<T>::addChildren(const std::shared_ptr<TreeNode<T>>& nodeWithChildren)
 {
-    for(std::shared_ptr<TreeNode<T>> child : nodeWithChildren->getChildren())
+    for(std::shared_ptr<TreeNode<T>> child : nodeWithChildren->getChildren().get())
     {
-        this->getChildren().push_back(child);
+        this->getChildren()->push_back(child);
         child->setParent(this->shared_from_this());
     }
     fireTreeChanged();
 }
 
 template <class T>
-bool TreeNode<T>::removeChild(std::shared_ptr<TreeNode<T>> child)
+void TreeNode<T>::removeChild(const std::shared_ptr<TreeNode<T>>& child)
 {
-    this->getChildren().remove(child);
-    bool ret = true; //this->getChildren().removeOne(child);
-    if (ret) fireTreeChanged();
-    return ret;
+    auto it = children->begin();
+    while ( *it != child && it != children->end())
+        ++it;
+    children->erase(it);
+    fireTreeChanged();
 }
 
 template <class T>
-bool TreeNode<T>::remove()
+void TreeNode<T>::remove()
 {
-    bool worked = true;
-    if (children.size() > 0) {
-        for (auto node : children) {
-            worked &= node->remove();
+
+    if (children->size() > 0) {
+        for (auto node : *children) {
+            node->remove();
         }
     }
-    if (worked && parent != nullptr) {
-        parent->getChildren().remove(this->shared_from_this());
-        //worked &= parent->getChildren().removeOne(std::shared_ptr<EditorNode>(this));
+
+    if (parent != nullptr) {
+        auto n = this->shared_from_this();
+        auto it = getParent()->getChildren()->begin();
+        while ( *it != n && it != getParent()->getChildren()->end())
+            ++it;
+        fireTreeChanged();
+
+        parent->getChildren()->erase(it);
+
     }
-    if (worked) fireTreeChanged();
-    return worked;
 }
 
 template<class T>
-void TreeNode<T>::addChildObject(std::shared_ptr<T> obj)
+void TreeNode<T>::addChildObject(const std::shared_ptr<T> &obj)
 {
-
     auto node = std::make_shared<TreeNode<T>>(obj);
-
     this->addChild(node);
 }
 
@@ -289,12 +255,12 @@ std::shared_ptr<T> TreeNode<T>::getData() const
 template <class T>
 void TreeNode<T>::setData(const std::shared_ptr<T> &value)
 {
-    fireNodeDataChanged();
     data = value;
+    fireNodeDataChanged();
 }
 
 template <class T>
-std::list<std::shared_ptr<TreeNode<T>>> TreeNode<T>::getChildren() const
+std::shared_ptr<std::deque<std::shared_ptr<TreeNode<T>>>> TreeNode<T>::getChildren() const
 {
     return children;
 }
@@ -329,9 +295,8 @@ std::shared_ptr<TreeNode<T>> TreeNode<T>::nextOnSameLevel()
     auto node = this->getParent();
     auto pnode = this->shared_from_this();
     while (lvl > 0 && node != nullptr) {
-        if (node != pnode->getParent() && node->getChildren().size() > 0) {
-            node = node->getChildren().front();
-            //node = node->getChildren().first();
+        if (node != pnode && node != pnode->getParent() && node->getChildren()->size() > 0) {
+            node = node->getChildren()->front();
             --lvl;
         } else {
             pnode = node;
@@ -342,9 +307,11 @@ std::shared_ptr<TreeNode<T>> TreeNode<T>::nextOnSameLevel()
                     node = node->getParent();
                     ++lvl;
                 }
+                else return nullptr;
             }
         }
     }
+    if (lvl != 0) return nullptr;
     return node;
 }
 
diff --git a/src/editor/CMakeLists.txt b/src/editor/CMakeLists.txt
index 8fb4b56..d04d9b0 100644
--- a/src/editor/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/src/editor/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -1,16 +1,11 @@
 
-set(HEADERS editorelementdata.h
-            guidededitorelementview.h
+set(HEADERS
             flowlayout.h
-            EditorElementValue.h
             StructureField.h
 )
 
-set(SOURCES guidededitorelementview.cpp
-            editorelementdata.cpp
-            guidededitorview.cpp
+set(SOURCES
             flowlayout.cpp
-            EditorElementValue.cpp
             StructureField.cpp
 )
 
diff --git a/src/editor/guidededitorelementview.cpp b/src/editor/guidededitorelementview.cpp
index 15fbe9d..713be37 100644
--- a/src/editor/guidededitorelementview.cpp
+++ b/src/editor/guidededitorelementview.cpp
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ void GuidedEditorElementView::render()
     title->setText(QString::fromStdString(reference->getData()->getName()));
     layout->addWidget(title);
 
-    if (reference->getChildren().size() == 0) {
+    if (reference->getChildren()->size() == 0) {
         // need global information about showing syntax, and other hints
 
         if (false ){// reference->getData()->isMultiLine()) {
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ void GuidedEditorElementView::render()
             subContainer = new QWidget(this);
             FlowLayout* flayout = new FlowLayout(subContainer);
             //create and render subelementviews! this is DEPTH_FIRST!!! TODO: make this breadth first!
-            for (std::shared_ptr<TreeNode<Field>> node : reference->getChildren()) {
+            for (std::shared_ptr<TreeNode<Field>> node : reference->getChildren().get()) {
                 GuidedEditorElementView* view = new GuidedEditorElementView(subContainer);
                 view->setReference(node);
                 flayout->addWidget(view);
diff --git a/src/mainwindow.cpp b/src/mainwindow.cpp
index 41aa565..477566e 100644
--- a/src/mainwindow.cpp
+++ b/src/mainwindow.cpp
@@ -5,15 +5,15 @@
 void MainWindow::doSomething()
 {
     std::cout<<"sending nullptr"<<std::endl;
-    this->editor->addElement(nullptr);
+    //this->editor->addElement(nullptr);
     std::cout<<"sent nullptr"<<std::endl;
 }
 
 MainWindow::MainWindow(QWidget *parent)
 	: QMainWindow(parent)
 {
-    editor = new GuidedEditorView(this);
-    this->setCentralWidget(editor);
+    //editor = new GuidedEditorView(this);
+    //this->setCentralWidget(editor);
     dockWidget = new QDockWidget(this);
     this->addDockWidget(Qt::LeftDockWidgetArea, dockWidget);
 
diff --git a/test/core/test_tree.cpp b/test/core/test_tree.cpp
index 0e42eb4..3b00057 100644
--- a/test/core/test_tree.cpp
+++ b/test/core/test_tree.cpp
@@ -9,7 +9,16 @@ class TreeTest: public ::testing::Test {
   protected:
     virtual void SetUp(){
         for(int i = 0; i < 5; ++i) {
-            t2.getRoot()->addChildObject(std::make_shared<std::string>("blah"));
+            t2.getRoot()->addChildObject(std::make_shared<std::string>("a"+std::to_string(i)));
+        }
+        for(int i = 0; i < 5; ++i) {
+            t3.getRoot()->addChildObject(std::make_shared<std::string>("a"+std::to_string(i)));
+        }
+        for(int i = 0; i < 5; ++i) {
+            t3.getRoot()->getChildren()->at(2)->addChildObject(std::make_shared<std::string>("b" + std::to_string(i)));
+        }
+        for(int i = 0; i < 3; ++i) {
+            t3.getRoot()->getChildren()->at(4)->addChildObject(std::make_shared<std::string>("c" + std::to_string(i)));
         }
     }
 
@@ -23,19 +32,82 @@ class TreeTest: public ::testing::Test {
 
 TEST_F(TreeTest, IsEmptyInitially) {
     EXPECT_EQ(0, t.getRoot()->getDistanceFromRoot());
-    EXPECT_EQ(0, t.getRoot()->getChildren().size());
+    EXPECT_EQ(0, t.getRoot()->getChildren()->size());
 }
 
-TEST_F(TreeTest, blah) {
-    EXPECT_EQ(5, t2.getRoot()->getChildren().size());
-    auto last = t2.getRoot()->getChildren().back();
+TEST_F(TreeTest, AddingOneLayer) {
+    EXPECT_EQ(5, t2.getRoot()->getChildren()->size());
+    auto last = t2.getRoot()->getChildren()->back();
     EXPECT_EQ(1, last->getDistanceFromRoot());
 }
 
-
-
-
-TEST(sample_test_case, sample_test)
-{
-    EXPECT_EQ(1, 1);
+TEST_F(TreeTest, AddingTwoLayers) {
+    EXPECT_EQ(2, t3.getRoot()->getChildren()->at(2)->getChildren()->at(2)->getDistanceFromRoot());
+}
+
+TEST_F(TreeTest, RemovalSingleNode) {
+    auto node = t3.getRoot()->getChildren()->at(2)->getChildren()->at(2);
+    node->remove();
+    EXPECT_EQ(4, t3.getRoot()->getChildren()->at(2)->getChildren()->size());
+}
+
+TEST_F(TreeTest, RecursiveRemoval) {
+    auto node = t3.getRoot()->getChildren()->at(2);
+    node->remove();
+    EXPECT_EQ(4, t3.getRoot()->getChildren()->size());
+}
+
+TEST_F(TreeTest, SingleMovement) {
+    auto node = t3.getRoot()->getChildren()->at(2)->getChildren()->at(3);
+    auto to = t3.getRoot()->getChildren()->at(3);
+    node->move(to);
+    EXPECT_EQ(1, to->getChildren()->size());
+}
+TEST_F(TreeTest, RecursiveMovement) {
+    auto node = t3.getRoot()->getChildren()->at(2);
+    auto to = t3.getRoot()->getChildren()->at(3);
+    node->move(to);
+    EXPECT_EQ(1, to->getChildren()->size());
+    EXPECT_EQ(5, to->getChildren()->at(0)->getChildren()->size());
+}
+
+TEST_F(TreeTest, Copy) {
+    auto node = t3.getRoot()->getChildren()->at(2);
+    auto newnode = node->copy();
+    EXPECT_EQ(0, newnode->getChildren()->size());
+}
+TEST_F(TreeTest, RecursiveCopy) {
+    auto node = t3.getRoot()->getChildren()->at(2);
+    auto newnode = node->rcopy();
+    EXPECT_EQ(5, newnode->getChildren()->size());
+}
+
+TEST_F(TreeTest, TraverseTreeDepth) {
+    EXPECT_EQ(5, t3.getRoot()->getChildren()->size());
+    EXPECT_EQ(5, t3.getRoot()->getChildren()->at(2)->getChildren()->size());
+    std::string expectedResult = " a0 a1 a2 b0 b1 b2 b3 b4 a3 a4 c0 c1 c2";
+    std::string result = "";
+    TreeWalkStrategy walk = TreeWalkStrategy::depthFirst;
+    auto node = t3.getFirst();
+    while (node != nullptr) {
+        result = result + " " + node->getData()->c_str();
+        node = node->next(walk);
+    }
+    std::cout << result <<std::endl;
+    EXPECT_EQ(expectedResult, result);
+}
+
+TEST_F(TreeTest, TraverseTreeBreadth) {
+    EXPECT_EQ(5, t3.getRoot()->getChildren()->size());
+    EXPECT_EQ(5, t3.getRoot()->getChildren()->at(2)->getChildren()->size());
+    std::string expectedResult = " a0 a1 a2 a3 a4 b0 b1 b2 b3 b4 c0 c1 c2";
+    std::string result = "";
+    TreeWalkStrategy walk = TreeWalkStrategy::breadthFirst;
+    auto node = t3.getFirst();
+    while (node != nullptr) {
+        result = result + " " + node->getData()->c_str();
+        node = node->next(walk);
+    }
+    std::cout << result <<std::endl;
+    EXPECT_EQ(expectedResult, result);
 }