diff --git a/TODO b/TODO
index 2ffa3b10..22c06ff7 100644
--- a/TODO
+++ b/TODO
@@ -94,10 +94,11 @@ Legend:
    + requirements
    + xml format, add to PSPEC
    + index component.xml's and make use of them in build
-   - a database of components: 
-     - query components by name
-     - query list of packages in a component
-     - index: update component database(s)
+   / a database of components: 
+     + query components by name
+     + query list of packages in a component
+     + index: update component database(s)
+     / bug fixing
    - install/remove components
    - safety switch: preserve system.base, install system.devel for build, etc. 
  + multiple package repository (eray)
diff --git a/pisi/api.py b/pisi/api.py
index dced5c6c..cdc65be0 100644
--- a/pisi/api.py
+++ b/pisi/api.py
@@ -38,6 +38,7 @@ import pisi.packagedb as packagedb
 import pisi.repodb
 import pisi.installdb
 import pisi.sourcedb
+import pisi.component as component
 from pisi.index import Index
 import pisi.cli
 from pisi.operations import install, remove, upgrade
@@ -70,12 +71,14 @@ def init(database = True, options = None, ui = None, comar = True):
         ctx.repodb = pisi.repodb.init()
         ctx.installdb = pisi.installdb.init()
         ctx.filesdb = pisi.files.FilesDB()
+        ctx.componentdb = pisi.component.ComponentDB()
         packagedb.init_db()
         pisi.sourcedb.init()
     else:
         ctx.repodb = None
         ctx.installdb = None
         ctx.filesdb = None
+        ctx.componentdb = None
     ctx.ui.debug('PISI API initialized')
     ctx.initialized = True
 
@@ -84,7 +87,8 @@ def finalize():
     pisi.installdb.finalize()
     if ctx.filesdb != None:
         ctx.filesdb.close()
-
+    if ctx.componentdb != None:
+        ctx.componentdb.close()
     packagedb.finalize_db()
     pisi.sourcedb.finalize()
     ctx.ui.debug('PISI API finalized')
@@ -223,11 +227,13 @@ def info_name(package_name):
     else:
         raise Error(_('Package %s not found') % package_name)
 
-def index(repo_dir = '.', output = 'pisi-index.xml'):
-
-    ctx.ui.info(_('* Building index of PISI files under %s') % repo_dir)
+def index(dirs, output = 'pisi-index.xml'):
     index = Index()
-    index.index(repo_dir)
+    if not dirs:
+        dirs = ['.']
+    for repo_dir in dirs:
+        ctx.ui.info(_('* Building index of PISI files under %s') % repo_dir)
+        index.index(repo_dir)
     index.write(output)
     ctx.ui.info(_('* Index file written'))
 
diff --git a/pisi/cli/commands.py b/pisi/cli/commands.py
index f255afe8..88036ab6 100644
--- a/pisi/cli/commands.py
+++ b/pisi/cli/commands.py
@@ -565,14 +565,11 @@ source and binary packages.
         
         self.init()
         from pisi.api import index
-        if len(self.args)==1:
-            index(self.args[0], ctx.get_option('output'))
+        if len(self.args)>0:
+            index(self.args, ctx.get_option('output'))
         elif len(self.args)==0:
             ctx.ui.info( _('Indexing current directory.'))
             index('.', ctx.get_option('output'))
-        else:
-            ctx.ui.info( _('Indexing only a single directory supported.'))
-            return
         self.finalize()
 
 
diff --git a/pisi/component.py b/pisi/component.py
index f3f8bd93..86b7dcf2 100644
--- a/pisi/component.py
+++ b/pisi/component.py
@@ -9,9 +9,7 @@
 #
 # Please read the COPYING file.
 #
-# Authors:  Eray Ozkural <eray@uludag.org.tr>
-
-"""a placeholder for data types, might factor elsewhere later"""
+# Author:  Eray Ozkural <eray@uludag.org.tr>
 
 import gettext
 __trans = gettext.translation('pisi', fallback=True)
@@ -20,6 +18,7 @@ _ = __trans.ugettext
 import pisi
 import pisi.pxml.xmlfile as xmlfile
 import pisi.pxml.autoxml as autoxml
+import pisi.lockeddbshelve as shelve
 
 class Error(pisi.Error):
     pass
@@ -57,6 +56,10 @@ class Component(xmlfile.XmlFile):
     # Dependencies to other components
     t_Dependencies = [ [autoxml.String], autoxml.optional, "Dependencies/Component"]
 
+    # the components contained by this guy. 
+    # to be filled by the component database, thus it is optional.
+    t_Components = [ [autoxml.String], autoxml.optional, "Components/Component"]
+
     # TODO: this is probably not necessary since we use fully qualified 
     # module names (like in Java)
     #t_PartOf = [autoxml.Text, autoxml.mandatory]
@@ -74,3 +77,48 @@ class Component(xmlfile.XmlFile):
 #    t_Dependencies = [ [autoxml.Text], autoxml.optional, "Component"]
 #    #t_Parts = [ [pisi.component.ComponentTree], autoxml.optional, "Component"]
 
+class ComponentDB(object):
+    """a database of components"""
+    
+    #FIXME: we might need a database per repo in the future
+    def __init__(self):
+        self.d = shelve.LockedDBShelf('components')
+
+    def close(self):
+        self.d.close()
+
+    def has_component(self, name):
+        return self.d.has_key(name)
+
+    def get_component(self, name):
+        return self.d[name]
+
+    def list_components(self):
+        list = []
+        for (pkg, x) in self.d.iteritems():
+            list.append(pkg)
+        return list
+
+    def add_component(self, component):
+        self.d[name] = component.name
+
+    def add_package(self, component_name, package):
+        if not self.has_component(component_name):
+            raise Error(_('Information for component %s not available') % component_name)
+        component = self.get_component(component_name)
+        component.components.append(package)
+        self.d[component_name] = component # update
+
+    def remove_package(self, component_name, package):
+        if not self.has_component(component_name):
+            raise Error(_('Information for component %s not available') % component_name)
+        component = self.get_component(component_name)
+        component.components.remove(package)
+        self.d[component_name] = component # update
+
+    def clear(self):
+        self.d.clear()
+
+    def remove_component(self, name):
+        name = str(name)
+        del self.d[name]
diff --git a/pisi/index.py b/pisi/index.py
index 70742708..ef6a9971 100644
--- a/pisi/index.py
+++ b/pisi/index.py
@@ -79,10 +79,10 @@ class Index(XmlFile):
     def update_db(self, repo):
         pkgdb = packagedb.get_db(repo)
         pkgdb.clear()
+        for comp in self.components:
+            compdb.add_component(pkg)
         for pkg in self.packages:
             pkgdb.add_package(pkg)
-        #for comp in self.components:
-        #    compdb.add_component(pkg)
 
     def add_package(self, path, repo_uri):
         package = Package(path, 'r')
diff --git a/pisi/packagedb.py b/pisi/packagedb.py
index b22a3f38..75503e75 100644
--- a/pisi/packagedb.py
+++ b/pisi/packagedb.py
@@ -78,6 +78,8 @@ class PackageDB(object):
                 self.dr[dep_name].append( (name, dep) )
             else:
                 self.dr[dep_name] = [ (name, dep) ]
+        # add component
+        ctx.componentdb.add_package(package_info.partOf, package_info.name)
 
     def clear(self):
         self.d.clear()
@@ -85,7 +87,8 @@ class PackageDB(object):
     def remove_package(self, name):
         name = str(name)
         del self.d[name]
-
+        #FIXME: what's happening to dr?
+        ctx.componentdb.remove_package(package_info.partOf, package_info.name)
 
 packagedbs = {}