Automatically

Automatic Package Installation:

SXEmacs comes with some tools to make the periodic updating and installing easier. It will notice if new packages or versions are available and will fetch them from the FTP site.

Unfortunately this requires that a few packages are already in place. You will have to install them by hand see Manually, or use a SUMO tarball. This requirement will hopefully go away in the future. And, indeed it has, See Bootstrapping PUI.

If you are unlucky enough to have a FFI-enabled SXEmacs, you will have to manually install the EFS and xemacs-base packages see Manually.

1. Choose a download site. via menu: Tools -> Packages -> Set Download Site via keyb: M-x customize-variable RET package-get-remote RET (put in the details of remote host and directory)

   If the package tarballs _AND_ the package-index file are in a local directory, you can: M-x pui-set-local-package-get-directory RET

2. Obtain a list of packages and display the list in a buffer named *Packages*. menu: Tools -> Packages -> List & Install keyb: M-x pui-list-packages RET

   SXEmacs will now connect to the remote site and download the latest package-index file.

   The visual package browser will then display a list of all packages. Help information will be displayed at the very bottom of the buffer; you may have to scroll down to see it. You can also press ? to get the same help. From this buffer, you can tell the package status by the character in the first column:

   -

   The package has not been installed.

   *

   The package has been installed, but a newer version is available. The current version is out-of-date.

   +

   The package has been marked for installation/update.

   If there is no character in the first column, the package has been installed and is up to date.

   From here, you can select or unselect packages for installation using the RET key, the Mouse-2 button or selecting "Select" from the Popup Mouse-3 Menu. Once you’ve finished selecting the packages, you can press the x key (or use the menu) to actually install the packages. Note that you will have to restart SXEmacs for SXEmacs to recognize any new packages.

   Key summary:

   ?

   Display simple help.

   RET

   Mouse-2

   Toggle between selecting and unselecting a package for installation.

   x

   Install selected packages.

   SPC

   View, in the minibuffer, additional information about the package, such as the package date (not the build date) and the package author. Moving the mouse over a package name will also do the same thing.

   v

   Toggle between verbose and non-verbose package display.

   g

   Refresh the package display.

   q

   Kill the package buffer.

   Moving the mouse over a package will also cause additional information about the package to be displayed in the minibuffer. If you have balloon-help enabled a balloon-help frame will pop up and display additional package information also.

3. Choose the packages you wish to install. mouse: Click button 2 on the package name. keyb: RET on the package name
4. Make sure you have everything you need. menu: Packages -> Add Required keyb: r

   SXEmacs will now search for packages that are required by the ones that you have chosen to install and offer to select those packages also.

   For novices and gurus alike, this step can save your bacon. It’s easy to forget to install a critical package.

5. Download and install the packages. menu: Packages -> Install/Remove Selected keyb: x

You can also install packages using a semi-manual interface:

M-x package-get-all <return>

Enter the name of the package (e.g., prog-modes), and SXEmacs will search for the latest version and install it and any packages that it depends upon.

Keeping Packages Up To Date:

Once you have the packages you want installed (using any of the above methods) you’ll want to keep them up to date. You can do this easily from the menubar:

Tools -> Packages -> Set Download Site
Tools -> Packages -> Update Installed Packages