Shouldn't the configurables at the top of XEmacs.rules be pulled out and put into `Local.rules' as well? I've made a few modifications to `XEmacs.rules' to make it possible to run in place from a CVS checkout. I use `cp --recursive --symlink' as RCOPY, to make a symlink tree, have a switch to turn off creation of tarfiles in STAGING, and have made a few other changes (rooting paths at `/' so the `cp' works right). I believe it is still compatible with your version. (Yous require GNU make anyhow, right?) Would anyone like to have a copy of it to test? Should I submit a patch? Do you want to keep the commented off stuff in the targets near the bottom? (I've deleted it in my version.) The symlink tree starts in STAGING, and that's where I point the XEmacs' package-path when I build it. It works very well... I can use `find-library' or `find-function', and it asks whether to follow the symlink to the CVS controlled source. A `make in-place' at the top builds everything and creates the symlinks. I've been using it since about Feb. 1999.