diff --git a/anki/importing/cardimp.py b/anki/importing/cardimp.py
deleted file mode 100644
index 18d980b8d..000000000
--- a/anki/importing/cardimp.py
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,321 +0,0 @@
-# -*- coding: utf-8 -*-
-# Copyright: Damien Elmes <anki@ichi2.net>
-# License: GNU AGPL, version 3 or later; http://www.gnu.org/licenses/agpl.html
-
-import time
-from anki.lang import _
-from anki.utils import fieldChecksum, ids2str
-from anki.errors import *
-from anki.importing.base import Importer
-#from anki.deck import NEW_CARDS_RANDOM
-
-# Stores a list of fields, tags, and optionally properties like 'ivl'
-######################################################################
-
-class ForeignCard(object):
-    "An temporary object storing fields and attributes."
-    def __init__(self):
-        self.fields = []
-        self.tags = u""
-
-# Base class for csv/supermemo/etc importers
-######################################################################
-
-class CardImporter(Importer):
-
-    needMapper = True
-    tagDuplicates = False
-    # if set, update instead of regular importing
-    # (foreignCardFieldIndex, fieldModelId)
-    updateKey = None
-    needDelimiter = False
-
-    def __init__(self, col, file):
-        Importer.__init__(self, col, file)
-        self._model = col.currentModel
-        self.tagsToAdd = u""
-        self._mapping = None
-
-    def run(self):
-        "Import."
-        if self.updateKey is not None:
-            return self.doUpdate()
-        random = self.col.newCardOrder == NEW_CARDS_RANDOM
-        num = 6
-        if random:
-            num += 1
-        c = self.foreignCards()
-        if self.importCards(c):
-            self.col.updateCardTags(self.cardIds)
-            if random:
-                self.col.randomizeNewCards(self.cardIds)
-        if c:
-            self.col.setModified()
-
-    def doUpdate(self):
-        # grab the data from the external file
-        cards = self.foreignCards()
-        # grab data from db
-        fields = self.col.db.all("""
-select noteId, value from fields where fieldModelId = :id
-and value != ''""",
-                               id=self.updateKey[1])
-        # hash it
-        vhash = {}
-        nids = []
-        for (nid, val) in fields:
-            nids.append(nid)
-            vhash[val] = nid
-        # prepare tags
-        tagsIdx = None
-        try:
-            tagsIdx = self.mapping.index(0)
-            for c in cards:
-                c.tags = canonifyTags(self.tagsToAdd + " " + c.fields[tagsIdx])
-        except ValueError:
-            pass
-        # look for matches
-        upcards = []
-        newcards = []
-        for c in cards:
-            v = c.fields[self.updateKey[0]]
-            if v in vhash:
-                # ignore empty keys
-                if v:
-                    # nid, card
-                    upcards.append((vhash[v], c))
-            else:
-                newcards.append(c)
-        # update fields
-        for fm in self.model.fieldModels:
-            if fm.id == self.updateKey[1]:
-                # don't update key
-                continue
-            try:
-                index = self.mapping.index(fm)
-            except ValueError:
-                # not mapped
-                continue
-            data = [{'nid': nid,
-                     'fmid': fm.id,
-                     'v': c.fields[index],
-                     'chk': self.maybeChecksum(c.fields[index], fm.unique)}
-                    for (nid, c) in upcards]
-            self.col.db.execute("""
-update fields set value = :v, chksum = :chk where noteId = :nid
-and fieldModelId = :fmid""", data)
-        # update tags
-        if tagsIdx is not None:
-            data = [{'nid': nid,
-                     't': c.fields[tagsIdx]}
-                    for (nid, c) in upcards]
-            self.col.db.execute(
-                "update notes set tags = :t where id = :nid",
-                data)
-        # rebuild caches
-        cids = self.col.db.column0(
-            "select id from cards where noteId in %s" %
-            ids2str(nids))
-        self.col.updateCardTags(cids)
-        self.col.updateCardsFromNoteIds(nids)
-        self.total = len(cards)
-        self.col.setModified()
-
-    def fields(self):
-        "The number of fields."
-        return 0
-
-    def maybeChecksum(self, data, unique):
-        if not unique:
-            return ""
-        return fieldChecksum(data)
-
-    def foreignCards(self):
-        "Return a list of foreign cards for importing."
-        assert 0
-
-    def resetMapping(self):
-        "Reset mapping to default."
-        numFields = self.fields()
-        m = [f for f in self.model.fieldModels]
-        m.append(0)
-        rem = max(0, self.fields() - len(m))
-        m += [None] * rem
-        del m[numFields:]
-        self._mapping = m
-
-    def getMapping(self):
-        if not self._mapping:
-            self.resetMapping()
-        return self._mapping
-
-    def setMapping(self, mapping):
-        self._mapping = mapping
-
-    mapping = property(getMapping, setMapping)
-
-    def getModel(self):
-        return self._model
-
-    def setModel(self, model):
-        self._model = model
-        # update the mapping for the new model
-        self._mapping = None
-        self.getMapping()
-
-    model = property(getModel, setModel)
-
-    def importCards(self, cards):
-        "Convert each card into a note, apply attributes and add to col."
-        # ensure all unique and required fields are mapped
-        for fm in self.model.fieldModels:
-            if fm.required or fm.unique:
-                if fm not in self.mapping:
-                    raise ImportFormatError(
-                        type="missingRequiredUnique",
-                        info=_("Missing required/unique field '%(field)s'") %
-                        {'field': fm.name})
-        active = 0
-        for cm in self.model.cardModels:
-            if cm.active: active += 1
-        # strip invalid cards
-        cards = self.stripInvalid(cards)
-        cards = self.stripOrTagDupes(cards)
-        self.cardIds = []
-        if cards:
-            self.addCards(cards)
-        return cards
-
-    def addCards(self, cards):
-        "Add notes in bulk from foreign cards."
-        # map tags field to attr
-        try:
-            idx = self.mapping.index(0)
-            for c in cards:
-                c.tags += " " + c.fields[idx]
-        except ValueError:
-            pass
-        # add notes
-        noteIds = [genID() for n in range(len(cards))]
-        noteCreated = {}
-        def fudgeCreated(d, tmp=[]):
-            if not tmp:
-                tmp.append(time.time())
-            else:
-                tmp[0] += 0.0001
-            d['created'] = tmp[0]
-            noteCreated[d['id']] = d['created']
-            return d
-        self.col.db.execute(notesTable.insert(),
-            [fudgeCreated({'modelId': self.model.id,
-              'tags': canonifyTags(self.tagsToAdd + " " + cards[n].tags),
-              'id': noteIds[n]}) for n in range(len(cards))])
-        self.col.db.execute("""
-delete from notesDeleted
-where noteId in (%s)""" % ",".join([str(s) for s in noteIds]))
-        # add all the fields
-        for fm in self.model.fieldModels:
-            try:
-                index = self.mapping.index(fm)
-            except ValueError:
-                index = None
-            data = [{'noteId': noteIds[m],
-                     'fieldModelId': fm.id,
-                     'ordinal': fm.ordinal,
-                     'id': genID(),
-                     'value': (index is not None and
-                               cards[m].fields[index] or u""),
-                     'chksum': self.maybeChecksum(
-                index is not None and
-                cards[m].fields[index] or u"", fm.unique)
-                     }
-                    for m in range(len(cards))]
-            self.col.db.execute(fieldsTable.insert(),
-                                data)
-        # and cards
-        active = 0
-        for cm in self.model.cardModels:
-            if cm.active:
-                active += 1
-                data = [self.addMeta({
-                    'id': genID(),
-                    'noteId': noteIds[m],
-                    'noteCreated': noteCreated[noteIds[m]],
-                    'cardModelId': cm.id,
-                    'ordinal': cm.ordinal,
-                    'question': u"",
-                    'answer': u""
-                    },cards[m]) for m in range(len(cards))]
-                self.col.db.execute(cardsTable.insert(),
-                                    data)
-        self.col.updateCardsFromNoteIds(noteIds)
-        self.total = len(noteIds)
-
-    def addMeta(self, data, card):
-        "Add any scheduling metadata to cards"
-        if 'fields' in card.__dict__:
-            del card.fields
-        t = data['noteCreated'] + data['ordinal'] * 0.00001
-        data['created'] = t
-        data['modified'] = t
-        data['due'] = t
-        data.update(card.__dict__)
-        data['tags'] = u""
-        self.cardIds.append(data['id'])
-        data['combinedDue'] = data['due']
-        if data.get('successive', 0):
-            t = 1
-        elif data.get('reps', 0):
-            t = 0
-        else:
-            t = 2
-        data['type'] = t
-        data['queue'] = t
-        return data
-
-    def stripInvalid(self, cards):
-        return [c for c in cards if self.cardIsValid(c)]
-
-    def cardIsValid(self, card):
-        fieldNum = len(card.fields)
-        for n in range(len(self.mapping)):
-            if self.mapping[n] and self.mapping[n].required:
-                if fieldNum <= n or not card.fields[n].strip():
-                    self.log.append("Note is missing field '%s': %s" %
-                                    (self.mapping[n].name,
-                                     ", ".join(card.fields)))
-                    return False
-        return True
-
-    def stripOrTagDupes(self, cards):
-        # build a cache of items
-        self.uniqueCache = {}
-        for field in self.mapping:
-            if field and field.unique:
-                self.uniqueCache[field.id] = self.getUniqueCache(field)
-        return [c for c in cards if self.cardIsUnique(c)]
-
-    def getUniqueCache(self, field):
-        "Return a dict with all fields, to test for uniqueness."
-        return dict(self.col.db.all(
-            "select value, 1 from fields where fieldModelId = :fmid",
-            fmid=field.id))
-
-    def cardIsUnique(self, card):
-        fieldsAsTags = []
-        for n in range(len(self.mapping)):
-            if self.mapping[n] and self.mapping[n].unique:
-                if card.fields[n] in self.uniqueCache[self.mapping[n].id]:
-                    if not self.tagDuplicates:
-                        self.log.append("Note has duplicate '%s': %s" %
-                                        (self.mapping[n].name,
-                                         ", ".join(card.fields)))
-                        return False
-                    fieldsAsTags.append(self.mapping[n].name.replace(" ", "-"))
-                else:
-                    self.uniqueCache[self.mapping[n].id][card.fields[n]] = 1
-        if fieldsAsTags:
-            card.tags += u" Duplicate:" + (
-                "+".join(fieldsAsTags))
-            card.tags = canonifyTags(card.tags)
-        return True
diff --git a/anki/importing/csvfile.py b/anki/importing/csvfile.py
index 07f5fea1d..4ea330207 100644
--- a/anki/importing/csvfile.py
+++ b/anki/importing/csvfile.py
@@ -3,26 +3,26 @@
 # License: GNU AGPL, version 3 or later; http://www.gnu.org/licenses/agpl.html
 
 import codecs, csv, re
-from anki.importing.cardimp import CardImporter, ForeignCard
+from anki.importing.noteimp import NoteImporter, ForeignNote
 from anki.lang import _
 from anki.errors import *
 
-class TextImporter(CardImporter):
+class TextImporter(NoteImporter):
 
     needDelimiter = True
     patterns = ("\t", ";")
 
     def __init__(self, *args):
-        Importer.__init__(self, *args)
+        NoteImporter.__init__(self, *args)
         self.lines = None
         self.fileobj = None
         self.delimiter = None
 
-    def foreignCards(self):
+    def foreignNotes(self):
         self.sniff()
         # process all lines
         log = []
-        cards = []
+        notes = []
         lineNum = 0
         ignored = 0
         if self.delimiter:
@@ -46,12 +46,12 @@ class TextImporter(CardImporter):
                     })
                 ignored += 1
                 continue
-            card = self.cardFromFields(row)
-            cards.append(card)
+            note = self.noteFromFields(row)
+            notes.append(note)
         self.log = log
         self.ignored = ignored
         self.fileobj.close()
-        return cards
+        return notes
 
     def sniff(self):
         "Parse the top line and determine the pattern and number of fields."
@@ -77,7 +77,7 @@ class TextImporter(CardImporter):
         self.data = [sub(x) for x in self.data.split("\n") if sub(x)]
         if self.data:
             if self.data[0].startswith("tags:"):
-                self.tagsToAdd = self.data[0][5:]
+                self.tagsToAdd = self.data[0][5:].split(" ")
                 del self.data[0]
             self.updateDelimiter()
         if not self.dialect and not self.delimiter:
@@ -128,7 +128,8 @@ class TextImporter(CardImporter):
         self.sniff()
         return self.numFields
 
-    def cardFromFields(self, fields):
-        card = ForeignCard()
-        card.fields.extend([x.strip() for x in fields])
-        return card
+    def noteFromFields(self, fields):
+        note = ForeignNote()
+        note.fields.extend([x.strip() for x in fields])
+        print "fixme - add tagsToAdd to note tags"
+        return note
diff --git a/anki/importing/noteimp.py b/anki/importing/noteimp.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..76d5699a8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/anki/importing/noteimp.py
@@ -0,0 +1,175 @@
+# -*- coding: utf-8 -*-
+# Copyright: Damien Elmes <anki@ichi2.net>
+# License: GNU AGPL, version 3 or later; http://www.gnu.org/licenses/agpl.html
+
+import time
+from anki.lang import _
+from anki.utils import fieldChecksum, ids2str, guid64, timestampID, \
+    joinFields, intTime
+from anki.errors import *
+from anki.importing.base import Importer
+#from anki.deck import NEW_CARDS_RANDOM
+
+# Stores a list of fields, tags and deck
+######################################################################
+
+class ForeignNote(object):
+    "An temporary object storing fields and attributes."
+    def __init__(self):
+        self.fields = []
+        self.tags = []
+        self.deck = None
+
+# Base class for csv/supermemo/etc importers
+######################################################################
+
+# - instead of specifying an update key, do it by default using first field
+
+
+# The mapping is list of input fields, like:
+# ['Expression', 'Reading', '_tags', None]
+# - None means that the input should be discarded
+# - _tags maps to note tags
+# - _deck maps to card deck
+# If the first field of the model is not in the map, the map is invalid.
+
+class NoteImporter(Importer):
+
+    needMapper = True
+    needDelimiter = False
+    update = True
+
+    def __init__(self, col, file):
+        Importer.__init__(self, col, file)
+        self.model = col.models.current()
+        self.mapping = None
+        self._deckMap = {}
+
+    def run(self):
+        "Import."
+        print "fixme: randomize"
+        assert self.mapping
+        c = self.foreignNotes()
+        self.importNotes(c)
+
+    def fields(self):
+        "The number of fields."
+        return 0
+
+    def maybeChecksum(self, data, unique):
+        if not unique:
+            return ""
+        return fieldChecksum(data)
+
+    def foreignNotes(self):
+        "Return a list of foreign notes for importing."
+        assert 0
+
+    def importNotes(self, notes):
+        "Convert each card into a note, apply attributes and add to col."
+        # gather checks for duplicate comparison
+        csums = {}
+        for csum, id in self.col.db.execute(
+            "select csum, id from notes where mid = ?", self.model['id']):
+            if csum in csums:
+                csums[csum].append(id)
+            else:
+                csums[csum] = [id]
+        fld0idx = self.mapping.index(self.model['flds'][0]['name'])
+        self._fmap = self.col.models.fieldMap(self.model)
+        self._nextID = timestampID(self.col.db, "notes")
+        # loop through the notes
+        updates = []
+        new = []
+        self._ids = []
+        for n in notes:
+            fld0 = n.fields[fld0idx]
+            csum = fieldChecksum(fld0)
+            # first field must exist
+            if not fld0:
+                self.log.append(_("Empty first field: %s") %
+                                " ".join(n.fields))
+                continue
+            # already exists?
+            if csum in csums:
+                if csums[csum] == -1:
+                    # duplicates in source file; log and ignore
+                    self.log.append(_("Appeared twice in file: %s") %
+                                    fld0)
+                    continue
+                # csum is not a guarantee; have to check
+                for id in csums[csum]:
+                    flds = self.col.db.scalar(
+                        "select flds from notes where id = ?", id)
+                    if fld0 == splitFields(flds)[0]:
+                        # duplicate
+                        data = self.updateData(n, id)
+                        if data:
+                            updates.append(data)
+                        break
+            # newly add
+            else:
+                data = self.newData(n)
+                if data:
+                    new.append(data)
+                    # note that we've seen this note once already
+                    csums[fieldChecksum(n.fields[0])] = -1
+        self.addNew(new)
+        self.addUpdates(updates)
+        self.col.updateFieldCache(self._ids)
+        assert not self.col.genCards(self._ids)
+        # make sure to update sflds, etc
+        self.total = len(self._ids)
+
+    def newData(self, n):
+        id = self._nextID
+        self._nextID += 1
+        self._ids.append(id)
+        if not self.processFields(n):
+            print "no cards generated"
+            return
+        return [id, guid64(), self.model['id'], self.didForNote(n),
+                intTime(), self.col.usn(), self.col.tags.join(n.tags),
+                n.fieldsStr, "", "", 0, ""]
+
+    def addNew(self, rows):
+        self.col.db.executemany(
+            "insert or replace into notes values (?,?,?,?,?,?,?,?,?,?,?,?)",
+            rows)
+
+    # need to document that deck is ignored in this case
+    def updateData(self, n, id):
+        self._ids.append(id)
+        if not self.processFields(n):
+            print "no cards generated"
+            return
+        tags = self.col.tags.join(n.tags)
+        return [intTime(), self.col.usn(), n.fieldsStr, tags,
+                id, n.fieldsStr, tags]
+
+    def addUpdates(self, rows):
+        self.col.db.executemany("""
+update notes set mod = ?, usn = ?, flds = ?, tags = ?
+where id = ? and (flds != ? or tags != ?)""", rows)
+
+    def didForNote(self, n):
+        if not n.deck:
+            n.deck = _("Imported")
+        if n.deck not in self._deckMap:
+            self._deckMap[n.deck] = self.col.decks.id(n.deck)
+        return self._deckMap[n.deck]
+
+    def processFields(self, note):
+        fields = [""]*len(self.model['flds'])
+        for c, f in enumerate(self.mapping):
+            if not f:
+                continue
+            elif f == "_tags":
+                note.tags.extend(self.col.tags.split(note.fields[c]))
+            elif f == "_deck":
+                note.deck = note.fields[c]
+            else:
+                sidx = self._fmap[f][0]
+                fields[sidx] = note.fields[c]
+        note.fieldsStr = joinFields(fields)
+        return self.col.models.availOrds(self.model, note.fieldsStr)
diff --git a/anki/importing/supermemo_xml.py b/anki/importing/supermemo_xml.py
index c3ff04ba7..f3c148fa6 100644
--- a/anki/importing/supermemo_xml.py
+++ b/anki/importing/supermemo_xml.py
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
 
 import sys
 
-from anki.importing.cardimp import CardImporter, ForeignCard
+from anki.importing.noteimp import NoteImporter, ForeignNote
 from anki.lang import _
 from anki.errors import *
 
@@ -63,7 +63,7 @@ class SuperMemoElement(SmartDict):
 
 
 # This is an AnkiImporter
-class SupermemoXmlImporter(CardImporter):
+class SupermemoXmlImporter(NoteImporter):
     """
     Supermemo XML export's to Anki parser.
     Goes through a SM collection and fetch all elements.
diff --git a/anki/utils.py b/anki/utils.py
index d715b3676..2ef5d7075 100644
--- a/anki/utils.py
+++ b/anki/utils.py
@@ -225,7 +225,7 @@ def checksum(data):
     return sha1(data).hexdigest()
 
 def fieldChecksum(data):
-    # 32 bit unsigned number from first 8 digits of md5 hash
+    # 32 bit unsigned number from first 8 digits of sha1 hash
     return int(checksum(data.encode("utf-8"))[:8], 16)
 
 # Temp files
diff --git a/tests/test_importing.py b/tests/test_importing.py
index 38aae7ce5..7f9143087 100644
--- a/tests/test_importing.py
+++ b/tests/test_importing.py
@@ -77,23 +77,24 @@ def test_anki1():
     check()
 
 def test_csv():
-    print "disabled"; return
-    deck = Deck()
-    deck.addModel(BasicModel())
-    file = unicode(os.path.join(testDir, "importing/text-2fields.txt"))
-    i = csvfile.TextImporter(deck, file)
+    deck = getEmptyDeck()
+    file = unicode(os.path.join(testDir, "support/text-2fields.txt"))
+    i = TextImporter(deck, file)
+    i.mapping = ['Front', 'Back']
     i.run()
-    # four problems - missing front, dupe front, wrong num of fields
+    print i.log
+    # four problems - too many & too few fields, a missing front, and a
+    # duplicate entry
     assert len(i.log) == 4
     assert i.total == 5
+    print deck.db.all("select * from notes")
     deck.close()
 
 def test_csv_tags():
     print "disabled"; return
-    deck = Deck()
-    deck.addModel(BasicModel())
-    file = unicode(os.path.join(testDir, "importing/text-tags.txt"))
-    i = csvfile.TextImporter(deck, file)
+    deck = getEmptyDeck()
+    file = unicode(os.path.join(testDir, "support/text-tags.txt"))
+    i = TextImporter(deck, file)
     i.run()
     notes = deck.db.query(Note).all()
     assert len(notes) == 2