Complete implementation as necessary for workshop (bugs & minor features)

- collect remaining issues under this task and start implementing

• move the remainder of the issues to either v2.2 for public release or X.x for non-pressing tasks

(from redmine: issue id 434, created on 2018-01-22tgradl, closed on 2018-01-22)

• Relations:
  • relates #435 (closed)
  • relates #395
  • relates #417
  • relates #421 (closed)
  • relates #394
  • relates #437 (closed)
  • relates #438 (closed)
  • relates #439 (closed)
  • relates #441 (closed)
  • relates #440 (closed)
  • relates #442 (closed)
  • relates #444 (closed)
  • relates #445 (closed)
  • relates #446 (closed)
  • relates #448 (closed)