diff --git a/tools/Makefile.am b/tools/Makefile.am
index f501ef3530..ceb8be87f2 100644
--- a/tools/Makefile.am
+++ b/tools/Makefile.am
@@ -1,24 +1,28 @@
 
+templatefiles=\
+	element-templates/audiofilter \
+	element-templates/audiosink \
+	element-templates/audiosrc \
+	element-templates/base \
+	element-templates/baseaudiosink \
+	element-templates/baseaudiosrc \
+	element-templates/basertpdepayload \
+	element-templates/basertppayload \
+	element-templates/basesink \
+	element-templates/basesrc \
+	element-templates/basetransform \
+	element-templates/cddabasesrc \
+	element-templates/element \
+	element-templates/gobject \
+	element-templates/pushsrc \
+	element-templates/sinkpad \
+	element-templates/sinkpad-simple \
+	element-templates/srcpad \
+	element-templates/srcpad-simple \
+	element-templates/tagdemux \
+	element-templates/videosink
+
 EXTRA_DIST = \
-	element-maker \
-	base.c \
-	gobject.c \
-	gstaudiofilter.c \
-	gstaudiosink.c \
-	gstaudiosrc.c \
-	gstbaseaudiosink.c \
-	gstbaseaudiosrc.c \
-	gstbasertpdepayload.c \
-	gstbasertppayload.c \
-	gstbasesink.c \
-	gstbasesrc.c \
-	gstbasetransform.c \
-	gstcddabasesrc.c \
-	gstelement.c \
-	gstpushsrc.c \
-	gsttagdemux.c \
-	gstvideosink.c \
-	sinkpad.c \
-	sinkpad-simple.c \
-	srcpad.c \
-	srcpad-simple.c
+	gst-element-maker \
+	$(templatefiles)
+
diff --git a/tools/gstaudiofilter.c b/tools/element-templates/audiofilter
similarity index 95%
rename from tools/gstaudiofilter.c
rename to tools/element-templates/audiofilter
index 698e756b4e..2d0929364f 100644
--- a/tools/gstaudiofilter.c
+++ b/tools/element-templates/audiofilter
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+/* vim: set filetype=c: */
 % ClassName
 GstAudioFilter
 % TYPE_CLASS_NAME
diff --git a/tools/gstaudiosink.c b/tools/element-templates/audiosink
similarity index 98%
rename from tools/gstaudiosink.c
rename to tools/element-templates/audiosink
index 645993ae09..2a1b7a421b 100644
--- a/tools/gstaudiosink.c
+++ b/tools/element-templates/audiosink
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+/* vim: set filetype=c: */
 % ClassName
 GstAudioSink
 % TYPE_CLASS_NAME
diff --git a/tools/gstaudiosrc.c b/tools/element-templates/audiosrc
similarity index 98%
rename from tools/gstaudiosrc.c
rename to tools/element-templates/audiosrc
index 051211e563..fe4f6129fe 100644
--- a/tools/gstaudiosrc.c
+++ b/tools/element-templates/audiosrc
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+/* vim: set filetype=c: */
 % ClassName
 GstAudioSrc
 % TYPE_CLASS_NAME
diff --git a/tools/base.c b/tools/element-templates/base
similarity index 97%
rename from tools/base.c
rename to tools/element-templates/base
index 990168a319..44d6528923 100644
--- a/tools/base.c
+++ b/tools/element-templates/base
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+/* vim: set filetype=c: */
 
 % copyright
 /* GStreamer
diff --git a/tools/gstbaseaudiosink.c b/tools/element-templates/baseaudiosink
similarity index 95%
rename from tools/gstbaseaudiosink.c
rename to tools/element-templates/baseaudiosink
index 695b685fb0..4d6555d7dd 100644
--- a/tools/gstbaseaudiosink.c
+++ b/tools/element-templates/baseaudiosink
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+/* vim: set filetype=c: */
 % ClassName
 GstBaseAudioSink
 % TYPE_CLASS_NAME
diff --git a/tools/gstbaseaudiosrc.c b/tools/element-templates/baseaudiosrc
similarity index 95%
rename from tools/gstbaseaudiosrc.c
rename to tools/element-templates/baseaudiosrc
index 6ef302b0ef..8b0e4ab0ef 100644
--- a/tools/gstbaseaudiosrc.c
+++ b/tools/element-templates/baseaudiosrc
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+/* vim: set filetype=c: */
 % ClassName
 GstBaseAudioSrc
 % TYPE_CLASS_NAME
diff --git a/tools/gstbasertpdepayload.c b/tools/element-templates/basertpdepayload
similarity index 98%
rename from tools/gstbasertpdepayload.c
rename to tools/element-templates/basertpdepayload
index 8257a32719..8b40e52656 100644
--- a/tools/gstbasertpdepayload.c
+++ b/tools/element-templates/basertpdepayload
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+/* vim: set filetype=c: */
 % ClassName
 GstBaseRTPDepayload
 % TYPE_CLASS_NAME
diff --git a/tools/gstbasertppayload.c b/tools/element-templates/basertppayload
similarity index 97%
rename from tools/gstbasertppayload.c
rename to tools/element-templates/basertppayload
index 65d216f64c..1a5be183d0 100644
--- a/tools/gstbasertppayload.c
+++ b/tools/element-templates/basertppayload
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+/* vim: set filetype=c: */
 % ClassName
 GstBaseRTPPayload
 % TYPE_CLASS_NAME
diff --git a/tools/gstbasesink.c b/tools/element-templates/basesink
similarity index 99%
rename from tools/gstbasesink.c
rename to tools/element-templates/basesink
index 26ad3f9218..bf018283df 100644
--- a/tools/gstbasesink.c
+++ b/tools/element-templates/basesink
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+/* vim: set filetype=c: */
 % ClassName
 GstBaseSink
 % TYPE_CLASS_NAME
diff --git a/tools/gstbasesrc.c b/tools/element-templates/basesrc
similarity index 99%
rename from tools/gstbasesrc.c
rename to tools/element-templates/basesrc
index 048e274dd1..0b7e56fc17 100644
--- a/tools/gstbasesrc.c
+++ b/tools/element-templates/basesrc
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+/* vim: set filetype=c: */
 % ClassName
 GstBaseSrc
 % TYPE_CLASS_NAME
diff --git a/tools/gstbasetransform.c b/tools/element-templates/basetransform
similarity index 99%
rename from tools/gstbasetransform.c
rename to tools/element-templates/basetransform
index 7dcbc8588a..e5fd24cf3a 100644
--- a/tools/gstbasetransform.c
+++ b/tools/element-templates/basetransform
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+/* vim: set filetype=c: */
 % ClassName
 GstBaseTransform
 % TYPE_CLASS_NAME
diff --git a/tools/gstcddabasesrc.c b/tools/element-templates/cddabasesrc
similarity index 97%
rename from tools/gstcddabasesrc.c
rename to tools/element-templates/cddabasesrc
index 201a843c96..d788d19c41 100644
--- a/tools/gstcddabasesrc.c
+++ b/tools/element-templates/cddabasesrc
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+/* vim: set filetype=c: */
 % ClassName
 GstCddaBaseSrc
 % TYPE_CLASS_NAME
diff --git a/tools/gstelement.c b/tools/element-templates/element
similarity index 99%
rename from tools/gstelement.c
rename to tools/element-templates/element
index c9e05c66c0..ed025ee2b2 100644
--- a/tools/gstelement.c
+++ b/tools/element-templates/element
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+/* vim: set filetype=c: */
 % ClassName
 GstElement
 % TYPE_CLASS_NAME
diff --git a/tools/gobject.c b/tools/element-templates/gobject
similarity index 98%
rename from tools/gobject.c
rename to tools/element-templates/gobject
index dc5392d860..4ef34e6c2d 100644
--- a/tools/gobject.c
+++ b/tools/element-templates/gobject
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+/* vim: set filetype=c: */
 
 % includes
 % prototypes
diff --git a/tools/gstpushsrc.c b/tools/element-templates/pushsrc
similarity index 95%
rename from tools/gstpushsrc.c
rename to tools/element-templates/pushsrc
index a35595085b..4dfb678494 100644
--- a/tools/gstpushsrc.c
+++ b/tools/element-templates/pushsrc
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+/* vim: set filetype=c: */
 % ClassName
 GstPushSrc
 % TYPE_CLASS_NAME
diff --git a/tools/sinkpad.c b/tools/element-templates/sinkpad
similarity index 99%
rename from tools/sinkpad.c
rename to tools/element-templates/sinkpad
index 87babbc7f9..6d3bad1fb3 100644
--- a/tools/sinkpad.c
+++ b/tools/element-templates/sinkpad
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+/* vim: set filetype=c: */
 
 % instance-members
   GstPad *sinkpad;
diff --git a/tools/sinkpad-simple.c b/tools/element-templates/sinkpad-simple
similarity index 95%
rename from tools/sinkpad-simple.c
rename to tools/element-templates/sinkpad-simple
index 9a031fc150..e8538b6ece 100644
--- a/tools/sinkpad-simple.c
+++ b/tools/element-templates/sinkpad-simple
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+/* vim: set filetype=c: */
 
 % instance-members
   GstPad *sinkpad;
diff --git a/tools/srcpad.c b/tools/element-templates/srcpad
similarity index 99%
rename from tools/srcpad.c
rename to tools/element-templates/srcpad
index 61cbd21326..d1f799267d 100644
--- a/tools/srcpad.c
+++ b/tools/element-templates/srcpad
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+/* vim: set filetype=c: */
 
 % instance-members
   GstPad *srcpad;
diff --git a/tools/srcpad-simple.c b/tools/element-templates/srcpad-simple
similarity index 95%
rename from tools/srcpad-simple.c
rename to tools/element-templates/srcpad-simple
index 42db8d385b..0fca9157ed 100644
--- a/tools/srcpad-simple.c
+++ b/tools/element-templates/srcpad-simple
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+/* vim: set filetype=c: */
 
 % instance-members
   GstPad *srcpad;
diff --git a/tools/gsttagdemux.c b/tools/element-templates/tagdemux
similarity index 97%
rename from tools/gsttagdemux.c
rename to tools/element-templates/tagdemux
index 6cdfb58d8e..8517c5802f 100644
--- a/tools/gsttagdemux.c
+++ b/tools/element-templates/tagdemux
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+/* vim: set filetype=c: */
 % ClassName
 GstTagDemux
 % TYPE_CLASS_NAME
diff --git a/tools/gstvideosink.c b/tools/element-templates/videosink
similarity index 95%
rename from tools/gstvideosink.c
rename to tools/element-templates/videosink
index 72a9e88789..d26de559b8 100644
--- a/tools/gstvideosink.c
+++ b/tools/element-templates/videosink
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+/* vim: set filetype=c: */
 % ClassName
 GstVideoSink
 % TYPE_CLASS_NAME
diff --git a/tools/element-maker b/tools/gst-element-maker
similarity index 67%
rename from tools/element-maker
rename to tools/gst-element-maker
index 60dc35d3be..816385d965 100755
--- a/tools/element-maker
+++ b/tools/gst-element-maker
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 
 
 prefix=gst
+templatedir=element-templates
 
 while [ "$1" ] ; do
   case $1 in
@@ -43,7 +44,7 @@ if [ "$name" = "" -o "$class" = "" ] ; then
   exit 1
 fi
 
-if [ ! -f "gst$class.c" ] ; then
+if [ ! -f "element-templates/$class" ] ; then
   echo "Template file for $class not found."
   exit 1
 fi
@@ -69,11 +70,11 @@ if [ "$EMAIL_ADDRESS" = "" ] ; then
   EMAIL_ADDRESS=fixme@example.com
 fi
 
-source=gst$class.c
-pkg=`grep -A 10000 '^% pkg-config' $source | tail -n +2|grep -m 1 -B 10000 '^%'|head -n -1`
-GST_TYPE_BASE_REPLACE=`grep -A 10000 '^% TYPE_CLASS_NAME' $source | tail -n +2|grep -m 1 -B 10000 '^%'|head -n -1`
-GstBaseReplace=`grep -A 10000 '^% ClassName' $source | tail -n +2|grep -m 1 -B 10000 '^%'|head -n -1`
-pads=`grep -A 10000 '^% pads' $source | tail -n +2|grep -m 1 -B 10000 '^%'|head -n -1`
+
+pkg=`grep -A 10000 '^% pkg-config' $templatedir/$class | tail -n +2|grep -m 1 -B 10000 '^%'|head -n -1`
+GST_TYPE_BASE_REPLACE=`grep -A 10000 '^% TYPE_CLASS_NAME' $templatedir/$class | tail -n +2|grep -m 1 -B 10000 '^%'|head -n -1`
+GstBaseReplace=`grep -A 10000 '^% ClassName' $templatedir/$class | tail -n +2|grep -m 1 -B 10000 '^%'|head -n -1`
+pads=`grep -A 10000 '^% pads' $templatedir/$class | tail -n +2|grep -m 1 -B 10000 '^%'|head -n -1`
 
 generate ()
 {
@@ -115,7 +116,7 @@ cat <<-EOF
  */
 EOF
 
-#grep -A 10000 '^% copyright' base.c | tail -n +2|grep -m 1 -B 10000 '^%'|head -n -1
+#grep -A 10000 '^% copyright' $templatedir/base | tail -n +2|grep -m 1 -B 10000 '^%'|head -n -1
 
 cat <<EOF
 
@@ -125,9 +126,9 @@ cat <<EOF
 
 EOF
 
-grep -A 10000 '^% includes' base.c | tail -n +2|grep -m 1 -B 10000 '^%'|head -n -1
-grep -A 10000 '^% includes' gobject.c | tail -n +2|grep -m 1 -B 10000 '^%'|head -n -1
-grep -A 10000 '^% includes' $source | tail -n +2|grep -m 1 -B 10000 '^%'|head -n -1
+grep -A 10000 '^% includes' $templatedir/base | tail -n +2|grep -m 1 -B 10000 '^%'|head -n -1
+grep -A 10000 '^% includes' $templatedir/gobject | tail -n +2|grep -m 1 -B 10000 '^%'|head -n -1
+grep -A 10000 '^% includes' $templatedir/$class | tail -n +2|grep -m 1 -B 10000 '^%'|head -n -1
 
 cat <<EOF
 #include "gstreplace.h"
@@ -136,12 +137,12 @@ cat <<EOF
 
 EOF
 
-grep -A 10000 '^% prototypes' base.c | tail -n +2|grep -m 1 -B 10000 '^%'|head -n -1
-grep -A 10000 '^% prototypes' gobject.c | tail -n +2|grep -m 1 -B 10000 '^%'|head -n -1
-grep -A 10000 '^% prototypes' $source | tail -n +2|grep -m 1 -B 10000 '^%'|head -n -1
+grep -A 10000 '^% prototypes' $templatedir/base | tail -n +2|grep -m 1 -B 10000 '^%'|head -n -1
+grep -A 10000 '^% prototypes' $templatedir/gobject | tail -n +2|grep -m 1 -B 10000 '^%'|head -n -1
+grep -A 10000 '^% prototypes' $templatedir/$class | tail -n +2|grep -m 1 -B 10000 '^%'|head -n -1
 for each in $pads
 do
-  grep -A 10000 '^% prototypes' $each.c | tail -n +2|grep -m 1 -B 10000 '^%'|head -n -1
+  grep -A 10000 '^% prototypes' $templatedir/$each | tail -n +2|grep -m 1 -B 10000 '^%'|head -n -1
 done
 
 cat <<EOF
@@ -157,7 +158,7 @@ EOF
 
 for each in $pads
 do
-  grep -A 10000 '^% pad-template' $each.c | tail -n +2|grep -m 1 -B 10000 '^%'|head -n -1
+  grep -A 10000 '^% pad-template' $templatedir/$each | tail -n +2|grep -m 1 -B 10000 '^%'|head -n -1
 done
 
 cat <<EOF
@@ -176,7 +177,7 @@ EOF
 
 for each in $pads
 do
-  grep -A 10000 '^% base-init' $each.c | tail -n +2|grep -m 1 -B 10000 '^%'|head -n -1
+  grep -A 10000 '^% base-init' $templatedir/$each | tail -n +2|grep -m 1 -B 10000 '^%'|head -n -1
 done
 
 cat <<EOF
@@ -189,15 +190,15 @@ static void
 gst_replace_class_init (GstReplaceClass * klass)
 {
 EOF
-grep -A 10000 '^% declare-class' base.c | tail -n +2|grep -m 1 -B 10000 '^%'|head -n -1
-grep -A 10000 '^% declare-class' gobject.c | tail -n +2|grep -m 1 -B 10000 '^%'|head -n -1
-grep -A 10000 '^% declare-class' $source | tail -n +2|grep -m 1 -B 10000 '^%'|head -n -1
+grep -A 10000 '^% declare-class' $templatedir/base | tail -n +2|grep -m 1 -B 10000 '^%'|head -n -1
+grep -A 10000 '^% declare-class' $templatedir/gobject | tail -n +2|grep -m 1 -B 10000 '^%'|head -n -1
+grep -A 10000 '^% declare-class' $templatedir/$class | tail -n +2|grep -m 1 -B 10000 '^%'|head -n -1
 
 echo
 
-grep -A 10000 '^% set-methods' base.c | tail -n +2|grep -m 1 -B 10000 '^%'|head -n -1
-grep -A 10000 '^% set-methods' gobject.c | tail -n +2|grep -m 1 -B 10000 '^%'|head -n -1
-grep -A 10000 '^% set-methods' $source | tail -n +2|grep -m 1 -B 10000 '^%'|head -n -1
+grep -A 10000 '^% set-methods' $templatedir/base | tail -n +2|grep -m 1 -B 10000 '^%'|head -n -1
+grep -A 10000 '^% set-methods' $templatedir/gobject | tail -n +2|grep -m 1 -B 10000 '^%'|head -n -1
+grep -A 10000 '^% set-methods' $templatedir/$class | tail -n +2|grep -m 1 -B 10000 '^%'|head -n -1
 
 cat <<EOF
 
@@ -210,7 +211,7 @@ EOF
 
 for each in $pads
 do
-  grep -A 10000 '^% instance-init' $each.c | tail -n +2|grep -m 1 -B 10000 '^%'|head -n -1
+  grep -A 10000 '^% instance-init' $templatedir/$each | tail -n +2|grep -m 1 -B 10000 '^%'|head -n -1
 done
 
 
@@ -219,12 +220,12 @@ cat <<EOF
 EOF
 
 
-grep -A 10000 '^% methods' base.c | tail -n +2|grep -m 1 -B 10000 '^%'|head -n -1
-grep -A 10000 '^% methods' gobject.c | tail -n +2|grep -m 1 -B 10000 '^%'|head -n -1
-grep -A 10000 '^% methods' $source | tail -n +2|grep -m 1 -B 10000 '^%'|head -n -1
+grep -A 10000 '^% methods' $templatedir/base | tail -n +2|grep -m 1 -B 10000 '^%'|head -n -1
+grep -A 10000 '^% methods' $templatedir/gobject | tail -n +2|grep -m 1 -B 10000 '^%'|head -n -1
+grep -A 10000 '^% methods' $templatedir/$class | tail -n +2|grep -m 1 -B 10000 '^%'|head -n -1
 for each in $pads
 do
-  grep -A 10000 '^% methods' $each.c | tail -n +2|grep -m 1 -B 10000 '^%'|head -n -1
+  grep -A 10000 '^% methods' $templatedir/$each | tail -n +2|grep -m 1 -B 10000 '^%'|head -n -1
 done
 
 
@@ -267,7 +268,7 @@ EOF
 generate_header ()
 {
 
-grep -A 10000 '^% copyright' base.c | tail -n +2|grep -m 1 -B 10000 '^%'|head -n -1
+grep -A 10000 '^% copyright' $templatedir/base | tail -n +2|grep -m 1 -B 10000 '^%'|head -n -1
 
 cat <<EOF
 #ifndef _GST_REPLACE_H_
@@ -275,9 +276,9 @@ cat <<EOF
 
 EOF
 
-grep -A 10000 '^% includes' base.c | tail -n +2|grep -m 1 -B 10000 '^%'|head -n -1
-grep -A 10000 '^% includes' gobject.c | tail -n +2|grep -m 1 -B 10000 '^%'|head -n -1
-grep -A 10000 '^% includes' $source | tail -n +2|grep -m 1 -B 10000 '^%'|head -n -1
+grep -A 10000 '^% includes' $templatedir/base | tail -n +2|grep -m 1 -B 10000 '^%'|head -n -1
+grep -A 10000 '^% includes' $templatedir/gobject | tail -n +2|grep -m 1 -B 10000 '^%'|head -n -1
+grep -A 10000 '^% includes' $templatedir/$class | tail -n +2|grep -m 1 -B 10000 '^%'|head -n -1
 
 cat <<EOF
 
@@ -305,7 +306,7 @@ EOF
 
 for each in $pads
 do
-  grep -A 10000 '^% instance-members' $each.c | tail -n +2|grep -m 1 -B 10000 '^%'|head -n -1
+  grep -A 10000 '^% instance-members' $templatedir/$each | tail -n +2|grep -m 1 -B 10000 '^%'|head -n -1
 done
 
 cat <<EOF