* Mike Kupfer <kupfer(a)athyra.sfbay.sun.com&gt; writes: SY> (package-get-info 'gnus 'date) SY> => 2005-11-15 ...because you have _that_ version installed. :-) That's exactly where the info originates from. Well, some of the info does. Some of it comes from autoloaded forms in `_pkg.el' files in each package lisp directory. Because the package-index file it created was the same as the one you blew away. It'd just be a copy of the file that is in /usr/local/lib/xemacs-x.x.x/etc/. And... ...because you are a "Sumo-installer" and not a "PUI-installer", your package-index file never gets updated. Yes, I know that seems like a bug or flaw in the way XEmacs handles package management. But really it isn't. Sumo's are _not_ part of and have no knowledge of package management. Installing a Sumo would be like getting a RPM package, converting it to a .tar.gz and installing it with `tar zxf file.tar.gz'. The package would install and work fine, but the underlying RPM database would have no knowledge of it. So, the moral to this story is: If you want the XEmacs PUI tools to give you the best results, always install/remove/update your packages with PUI. Sure, use the Sumo's to set up a virgin installation, but once the Sumo is installed, continue maintaining the packages with PUI From that point on. I use the following incantation to keep all of my packages up to date... Tools -> Packages -> Set Download Site ... Tools -> Packages -> Update Installed Packages This elisp should also work (untested)... ,---- | (defun sy-update-my-pkgs () | "Just an easy way to update installed packages." | (interactive) | (let ((package-get-remote '("ftp.xemacs.org" "pub/xemacs/packages"))) | (package-get-update-all))) `---- And while I'm on a roll with the recipes, this will make `package-get-info' use a package-index from a remote package mirror... ,---- | (let ((package-get-remote '("ftp.xemacs.org" "pub/xemacs/packages"))) | (package-get-info 'gnus 'date nil 'remote)) `---- -- |---<Steve Youngs>---------------<GnuPG KeyID: A94B3003>---| | I am Dyslexic of Borg. | | Fusistance is retile. Your arse will be laminated. | |------------------------------------&lt;steve(a)sxemacs.org&gt;---|