diff --git a/create_database/tuple_reader/Makefile b/create_database/tuple_reader/Makefile
index 2408bce..0977a2a 100644
--- a/create_database/tuple_reader/Makefile
+++ b/create_database/tuple_reader/Makefile
@@ -29,6 +29,10 @@ INCFLAGS += -I$(BOOST_ROOT)
 INCFLAGS += $(shell root-config --cflags)
 LDFLAGS += $(shell root-config --libs)
 
+# custom cpp utilities
+CUSTOM_CPP_UTIL_ROOT = /Users/dchao/bdtaunu/v4/custom_cpp_utilities
+INCFLAGS += -I$(CUSTOM_CPP_UTIL_ROOT)
+
 # particle data file
 PDT_FILE_PATHNAME = $(shell pwd | sed 's/\/[^/]*$$//')/tuple_reader/meta/pdt.dat
 CXXFLAGS += -D__PDT_FILE_PATHNAME='"$(PDT_FILE_PATHNAME)"'
diff --git a/create_database/tuple_reader/McBTypeCatalogue.cc b/create_database/tuple_reader/McBTypeCatalogue.cc
index 532639f..fbb8a2f 100644
--- a/create_database/tuple_reader/McBTypeCatalogue.cc
+++ b/create_database/tuple_reader/McBTypeCatalogue.cc
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 #include <vector>
 #include <algorithm>
+#include <cstdlib>
 
 #include "McBTypeCatalogue.h"
 
@@ -22,176 +23,176 @@ McBTypeCatalogue::search_catalogue(std::vector<int> lund_list) const {
   if (hasX) word.push_back(Alphabet::X);
   word.push_back(Alphabet::null);
 
-  return trie.search_word(word);
+  return catalogue.find(word);
 }
 
 void McBTypeCatalogue::RegisterDecays() {
 
   // nu_tau branch
-  trie.add_word({
+  catalogue.insert({
       Alphabet::nu_tau, Alphabet::tau, 
       Alphabet::null
     }, BType::SL);
 
-  trie.add_word({
+  catalogue.insert({
       Alphabet::nu_tau, Alphabet::tau, Alphabet::D,
       Alphabet::null
     }, BType::Dtau);
 
-  trie.add_word({
+  catalogue.insert({
       Alphabet::nu_tau, Alphabet::tau, Alphabet::Dstar,
       Alphabet::null
     }, BType::Dstartau);
 
-  trie.add_word({
+  catalogue.insert({
       Alphabet::nu_tau, Alphabet::tau, Alphabet::Dstarstar,
       Alphabet::null
     }, BType::Dstarstar_res);
 
-  trie.add_word({
+  catalogue.insert({
       Alphabet::nu_tau, Alphabet::tau, Alphabet::X,
       Alphabet::null
     }, BType::SL);
 
-  trie.add_word({
+  catalogue.insert({
       Alphabet::nu_tau, Alphabet::tau, 
       Alphabet::D, Alphabet::X,
       Alphabet::null
     }, BType::Dstarstar_nonres);
 
-  trie.add_word({
+  catalogue.insert({
       Alphabet::nu_tau, Alphabet::tau, 
       Alphabet::Dstar, Alphabet::X,
       Alphabet::null
     }, BType::Dstarstar_nonres);
 
-  trie.add_word({
+  catalogue.insert({
       Alphabet::nu_tau, Alphabet::tau, 
       Alphabet::Dstarstar, Alphabet::X,
       Alphabet::null
     }, BType::Dstarstar_res);
 
   // nu_ell branch
-  trie.add_word({
+  catalogue.insert({
       Alphabet::nu_ell, Alphabet::ell, 
       Alphabet::null
     }, BType::SL);
 
-  trie.add_word({
+  catalogue.insert({
       Alphabet::nu_ell, Alphabet::ell, Alphabet::D,
       Alphabet::null
     }, BType::Dl);
 
-  trie.add_word({
+  catalogue.insert({
       Alphabet::nu_ell, Alphabet::ell, Alphabet::Dstar,
       Alphabet::null
     }, BType::Dstarl);
 
-  trie.add_word({
+  catalogue.insert({
       Alphabet::nu_ell, Alphabet::ell, Alphabet::Dstarstar,
       Alphabet::null
     }, BType::Dstarstar_res);
 
-  trie.add_word({
+  catalogue.insert({
       Alphabet::nu_ell, Alphabet::ell, Alphabet::X,
       Alphabet::null
     }, BType::SL);
 
-  trie.add_word({
+  catalogue.insert({
       Alphabet::nu_ell, Alphabet::ell, 
       Alphabet::D, Alphabet::X,
       Alphabet::null
     }, BType::Dstarstar_nonres);
 
-  trie.add_word({
+  catalogue.insert({
       Alphabet::nu_ell, Alphabet::ell, 
       Alphabet::Dstar, Alphabet::X,
       Alphabet::null
     }, BType::Dstarstar_nonres);
 
-  trie.add_word({
+  catalogue.insert({
       Alphabet::nu_ell, Alphabet::ell, 
       Alphabet::Dstarstar, Alphabet::X,
       Alphabet::null
     }, BType::Dstarstar_res);
 
   // hadron branch
-  trie.add_word({
+  catalogue.insert({
       Alphabet::X,
       Alphabet::null
     }, BType::Had);
 
-  trie.add_word({
+  catalogue.insert({
       Alphabet::D, Alphabet::X, 
       Alphabet::null
     }, BType::Had);
 
-  trie.add_word({
+  catalogue.insert({
       Alphabet::Dstar, Alphabet::X, 
       Alphabet::null
     }, BType::Had);
 
-  trie.add_word({
+  catalogue.insert({
       Alphabet::Dstarstar, Alphabet::X, 
       Alphabet::null
     }, BType::Had);
 
-  trie.add_word({
+  catalogue.insert({
       Alphabet::D, Alphabet::D, 
       Alphabet::null
     }, BType::Had);
 
-  trie.add_word({
+  catalogue.insert({
       Alphabet::D, Alphabet::Dstar, 
       Alphabet::null
     }, BType::Had);
 
-  trie.add_word({
+  catalogue.insert({
       Alphabet::D, Alphabet::Dstarstar, 
       Alphabet::null
     }, BType::Had);
 
-  trie.add_word({
+  catalogue.insert({
       Alphabet::Dstar, Alphabet::Dstar, 
       Alphabet::null
     }, BType::Had);
 
-  trie.add_word({
+  catalogue.insert({
       Alphabet::Dstar, Alphabet::Dstarstar, 
       Alphabet::null
     }, BType::Had);
 
-  trie.add_word({
+  catalogue.insert({
       Alphabet::Dstarstar, Alphabet::Dstarstar, 
       Alphabet::null
     }, BType::Had);
 
-  trie.add_word({
+  catalogue.insert({
       Alphabet::D, Alphabet::D, Alphabet::X,
       Alphabet::null
     }, BType::Had);
 
-  trie.add_word({
+  catalogue.insert({
       Alphabet::D, Alphabet::Dstar, Alphabet::X,
       Alphabet::null
     }, BType::Had);
 
-  trie.add_word({
+  catalogue.insert({
       Alphabet::D, Alphabet::Dstarstar, Alphabet::X,
       Alphabet::null
     }, BType::Had);
 
-  trie.add_word({
+  catalogue.insert({
       Alphabet::Dstar, Alphabet::Dstar, Alphabet::X,
       Alphabet::null
     }, BType::Had);
 
-  trie.add_word({
+  catalogue.insert({
       Alphabet::Dstar, Alphabet::Dstarstar, Alphabet::X,
       Alphabet::null
     }, BType::Had);
 
-  trie.add_word({
+  catalogue.insert({
       Alphabet::Dstarstar, Alphabet::Dstarstar, Alphabet::X,
       Alphabet::null
     }, BType::Had);
@@ -199,7 +200,7 @@ void McBTypeCatalogue::RegisterDecays() {
 }
 
 McBTypeCatalogue::Alphabet McBTypeCatalogue::LundToAlphabet(int lund) const {
-  switch (abs(lund)) {
+  switch (std::abs(lund)) {
     case 12: // nu_e
     case 14: // nu_mu
       return Alphabet::nu_ell;
diff --git a/create_database/tuple_reader/McBTypeCatalogue.h b/create_database/tuple_reader/McBTypeCatalogue.h
index 07853c2..454f005 100644
--- a/create_database/tuple_reader/McBTypeCatalogue.h
+++ b/create_database/tuple_reader/McBTypeCatalogue.h
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
 
 #include <vector>
 
-#include "Trie.h"
+#include <custom_cpp_utilities/trie.h>
 
 class McBTypeCatalogue {
 
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ class McBTypeCatalogue {
     void RegisterDecays();
     Alphabet LundToAlphabet(int lund) const;
 
-    bdtaunu::Trie<Alphabet, BType, Alphabet::null, BType::null> trie;
+    custom_cpp_utilities::trie<Alphabet, BType, Alphabet::null, BType::null> catalogue;
 
 };
 
diff --git a/create_database/tuple_reader/RecoDTypeCatalogue.cc b/create_database/tuple_reader/RecoDTypeCatalogue.cc
index 98982da..b07df0a 100644
--- a/create_database/tuple_reader/RecoDTypeCatalogue.cc
+++ b/create_database/tuple_reader/RecoDTypeCatalogue.cc
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ RecoDTypeCatalogue::search_d_catalogue(std::vector<int> lund_list) const {
   for (auto l : lund_list) word.push_back(LundToAlphabet(l));
   std::sort(word.begin(), word.end());
   word.push_back(Alphabet::null);
-  return d_trie.search_word(word);
+  return d_catalogue.find(word);
 }
 
 RecoDTypeCatalogue::DstarType 
@@ -20,109 +20,109 @@ RecoDTypeCatalogue::search_dstar_catalogue(std::vector<int> lund_list) const {
   for (auto l : lund_list) word.push_back(LundToAlphabet(l));
   std::sort(word.begin(), word.end());
   word.push_back(Alphabet::null);
-  return dstar_trie.search_word(word);
+  return dstar_catalogue.find(word);
 }
 
 void RecoDTypeCatalogue::RegisterDecays() {
 
-  // D trie
-  d_trie.add_word({
+  // D catalogue
+  d_catalogue.insert({
       Alphabet::Dc, Alphabet::K, Alphabet::pi, Alphabet::pi, 
       Alphabet::null
     }, DType::Dc_Kpipi);
 
-  d_trie.add_word({
+  d_catalogue.insert({
       Alphabet::Dc, Alphabet::K, Alphabet::pi, Alphabet::pi, Alphabet::pi0,
       Alphabet::null
     }, DType::Dc_Kpipipi0);
 
-  d_trie.add_word({
+  d_catalogue.insert({
       Alphabet::Dc, Alphabet::Ks, Alphabet::K,
       Alphabet::null
     }, DType::Dc_KsK);
 
-  d_trie.add_word({
+  d_catalogue.insert({
       Alphabet::Dc, Alphabet::Ks, Alphabet::pi,
       Alphabet::null
     }, DType::Dc_Kspi);
 
-  d_trie.add_word({
+  d_catalogue.insert({
       Alphabet::Dc, Alphabet::Ks, Alphabet::pi, Alphabet::pi0,
       Alphabet::null
     }, DType::Dc_Kspipi0);
 
-  d_trie.add_word({
+  d_catalogue.insert({
       Alphabet::Dc, Alphabet::Ks, Alphabet::pi, Alphabet::pi, Alphabet::pi,
       Alphabet::null
     }, DType::Dc_Kspipipi);
 
-  d_trie.add_word({
+  d_catalogue.insert({
       Alphabet::Dc, Alphabet::K, Alphabet::K, Alphabet::pi,
       Alphabet::null
     }, DType::Dc_KKpi);
 
-  d_trie.add_word({
+  d_catalogue.insert({
       Alphabet::D0, Alphabet::K, Alphabet::pi,
       Alphabet::null
     }, DType::D0_Kpi);
 
-  d_trie.add_word({
+  d_catalogue.insert({
       Alphabet::D0, Alphabet::K, Alphabet::pi, Alphabet::pi0,
       Alphabet::null
     }, DType::D0_Kpipi0);
 
-  d_trie.add_word({
+  d_catalogue.insert({
       Alphabet::D0, Alphabet::K, Alphabet::pi, Alphabet::pi, Alphabet::pi,
       Alphabet::null
     }, DType::D0_Kpipipi);
 
-  d_trie.add_word({
+  d_catalogue.insert({
       Alphabet::D0, Alphabet::K, Alphabet::pi, Alphabet::pi, Alphabet::pi, Alphabet::pi0,
       Alphabet::null
     }, DType::D0_Kpipipipi0);
 
-  d_trie.add_word({
+  d_catalogue.insert({
       Alphabet::D0, Alphabet::Ks, Alphabet::pi, Alphabet::pi,
       Alphabet::null
     }, DType::D0_Kspipi);
 
-  d_trie.add_word({
+  d_catalogue.insert({
       Alphabet::D0, Alphabet::Ks, Alphabet::pi, Alphabet::pi, Alphabet::pi0,
       Alphabet::null
     }, DType::D0_Kspipipi0);
 
-  d_trie.add_word({
+  d_catalogue.insert({
       Alphabet::D0, Alphabet::Ks, Alphabet::pi0,
       Alphabet::null
     }, DType::D0_Kspi0);
 
-  d_trie.add_word({
+  d_catalogue.insert({
       Alphabet::D0, Alphabet::K, Alphabet::K,
       Alphabet::null
     }, DType::D0_KK);
 
-  // Dstar trie
-  dstar_trie.add_word({
+  // Dstar catalogue
+  dstar_catalogue.insert({
       Alphabet::Dstar0, Alphabet::D0, Alphabet::pi0,
       Alphabet::null
     }, DstarType::Dstar0_D0pi0);
 
-  dstar_trie.add_word({
+  dstar_catalogue.insert({
       Alphabet::Dstar0, Alphabet::D0, Alphabet::gamma,
       Alphabet::null
     }, DstarType::Dstar0_D0gamma);
 
-  dstar_trie.add_word({
+  dstar_catalogue.insert({
       Alphabet::Dstarc, Alphabet::D0, Alphabet::pi,
       Alphabet::null
     }, DstarType::Dstarc_D0pi);
 
-  dstar_trie.add_word({
+  dstar_catalogue.insert({
       Alphabet::Dstarc, Alphabet::Dc, Alphabet::pi0,
       Alphabet::null
     }, DstarType::Dstarc_Dcpi0);
 
-  dstar_trie.add_word({
+  dstar_catalogue.insert({
       Alphabet::Dstarc, Alphabet::Dc, Alphabet::gamma,
       Alphabet::null
     }, DstarType::Dstarc_Dcgamma);
diff --git a/create_database/tuple_reader/RecoDTypeCatalogue.h b/create_database/tuple_reader/RecoDTypeCatalogue.h
index b3a1a97..31ed87c 100644
--- a/create_database/tuple_reader/RecoDTypeCatalogue.h
+++ b/create_database/tuple_reader/RecoDTypeCatalogue.h
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
 
 #include <vector>
 
-#include "Trie.h"
+#include <custom_cpp_utilities/trie.h>
 
 class RecoDTypeCatalogue {
 
@@ -51,8 +51,8 @@ class RecoDTypeCatalogue {
     void RegisterDecays();
     Alphabet LundToAlphabet(int lund) const;
 
-    bdtaunu::Trie<Alphabet, DType, Alphabet::null, DType::null> d_trie;
-    bdtaunu::Trie<Alphabet, DstarType, Alphabet::null, DstarType::null> dstar_trie;
+    custom_cpp_utilities::trie<Alphabet, DType, Alphabet::null, DType::null> d_catalogue;
+    custom_cpp_utilities::trie<Alphabet, DstarType, Alphabet::null, DstarType::null> dstar_catalogue;
 
 };
 
diff --git a/create_database/tuple_reader/Trie.h b/create_database/tuple_reader/Trie.h
deleted file mode 100644
index f3700ff..0000000
--- a/create_database/tuple_reader/Trie.h
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,97 +0,0 @@
-#ifndef _BDTAUNU_TRIE_H_
-#define _BDTAUNU_TRIE_H_
-
-#include <iostream>
-#include <vector>
-#include <algorithm>
-
-namespace bdtaunu {
-
-template<typename alphaT, typename valueT,
-         alphaT alphaNull, valueT valueNull>
-class Trie {
-
-  private:
-    struct node {
-      alphaT alpha;
-      valueT value;
-      std::vector<node*> links;
-
-      node() : alpha(alphaT()), value(valueT()) {};
-      node(alphaT a, valueT v = valueNull) : alpha(a), value(v) {};
-      ~node() { for (auto l : links) delete l; }
-    };
-
-    node *root;
-    node *CopyNode(const node*);
-
-  public:
-    Trie() { root = new node; }
-    ~Trie() { delete root; }
-    Trie(const Trie &t) { root = CopyNode(t.root); }
-    Trie &operator=(const Trie&);
-
-    void add_word(std::vector<alphaT> word, valueT value);
-    valueT search_word(std::vector<alphaT> word) const;
-};
-
-
-template<typename alphaT, typename valueT,
-         alphaT alphaNull, valueT valueNull>
-typename Trie<alphaT, valueT, alphaNull, valueNull>::node*
- Trie<alphaT, valueT, alphaNull, valueNull>::CopyNode(const node *t) {
-  node *n = new node(t->alpha, t->value);
-  for (auto l : t->links) (n->links).push_back(CopyNode(l));
-  return n;
-}
-
-template<typename alphaT, typename valueT,
-         alphaT alphaNull, valueT valueNull>
-Trie<alphaT, valueT, alphaNull, valueNull>&
-Trie<alphaT, valueT, alphaNull, valueNull>::operator=(const Trie &target) {
-  if (this != &target) {
-    delete root;
-    root = CopyNode(target.root);
-  }
-  return *this;
-}
-
-
-template<typename alphaT, typename valueT,
-         alphaT alphaNull, valueT valueNull>
-void Trie<alphaT, valueT, alphaNull, valueNull>::add_word(
-    std::vector<alphaT> word, valueT value) {
-  node *p = root;
-  for (auto alpha : word) {
-    auto e_it = find_if((p->links).begin(), (p->links).end(), 
-              [alpha] (const node *n) { return (n->alpha == alpha); });
-
-    if (e_it == (p->links).end()) {
-      node *n = new node(alpha);
-      if (alpha == alphaNull) n->value = value;
-      (p->links).push_back(n);
-      p = n;
-    } else {
-      p = *e_it;
-    }
-  }
-}
-
-
-template<typename alphaT, typename valueT,
-         alphaT alphaNull, valueT valueNull>
-valueT Trie<alphaT, valueT, alphaNull, valueNull>::search_word(
-    std::vector<alphaT> word) const { 
-  node *p = root;
-  for (auto alpha : word) {
-    auto e_it = find_if((p->links).begin(), (p->links).end(), 
-              [alpha] (const node *n) { return (n->alpha == alpha); });
-    if (e_it == (p->links.end())) return valueNull; 
-    p = *e_it;
-  }
-  return p->value;
-}
-
-}
-
-#endif
diff --git a/create_database/tuple_reader/tests/Makefile b/create_database/tuple_reader/tests/Makefile
index 588c40d..ebd3d65 100644
--- a/create_database/tuple_reader/tests/Makefile
+++ b/create_database/tuple_reader/tests/Makefile
@@ -21,6 +21,10 @@ TUPLE_READER_LIB_PATH = ../lib
 INCFLAGS += -I $(TUPLE_READER_INC_PATH)
 LDFLAGS += -L $(TUPLE_READER_LIB_PATH) $(TUPLE_READER_LIBNAME)
 
+# custom cpp utilities
+CUSTOM_CPP_UTIL_ROOT = /Users/dchao/bdtaunu/v4/custom_cpp_utilities
+INCFLAGS += -I$(CUSTOM_CPP_UTIL_ROOT)
+
 # cern root
 INCFLAGS += $(shell root-config --cflags)
 LDFLAGS += $(shell root-config --libs)