local info files and top info directory

[Eric Abrahamsen <eric@ericabrahamsen.net>]

I use a lot of development versions of emacs packages (gnus, org, magit,
auctex, emms, etc), and keep them all under ~/.emacs.d. I've also got
~/.emacs.d/info, where I symlink those packages' info files, then I add
it to the info directories like so:

(add-to-list 'Info-default-directory-list "~/.emacs.d/info")

This works, except that when I run `info' and it composes the main Info
directory, the info files of some of the packages (gnus, org) show up in
the directory listing, while others (magit, auctex, emms) don't.

I'm able to reach all of the symlinked info files via
`info-display-manual', so I know it's not a problem with the files
themselves, or the info reader. I've looked at the info files and, with
my limited understanding of info, can't see why one would make a
directory entry and another wouldn't.

I'm suspecting the `make' process: for all these packages I generally do
configure/make, but no "make install", and then add the lisp dirs, if
any, to my load path. My best guess is that something in the make
process adds a listing to the directory, and for some of the packages
that happens on "make", and for others on "make install". Should the
`install-info' command line command come into play at all?

Anyway, any hints very much appreciated!

Eric

-- 
GNU Emacs 24.0.92.1 (i686-pc-linux-gnu, GTK+ Version 2.24.8)
 of 2011-12-29 on pellet