diff --git a/scripts/jw-pkg b/scripts/jw-pkg
index aba08f40..b95d0181 100644
--- a/scripts/jw-pkg
+++ b/scripts/jw-pkg
@@ -1,9 +1,5 @@
 #!/bin/bash
 
-myname=`basename $0`
-longname=$0
-opts="v"
-
 channel_present()
 {
 	if smart channel --show $1 2>&1 | grep -q baseurl >/dev/null; then
@@ -33,11 +29,12 @@ cat << EOT
                           for others
     build-date:           show installed jannet packages along with build date
     built-today:          show installed jannet packages that were built today
+    list-templates:       list templates
     compile-templates:    compile templates
 
   global options are
 
-   -v              be verbose
+     -v                   be verbose
 
   package
 
@@ -46,9 +43,7 @@ cat << EOT
     janware packages
 
 EOT
-	if [ "$1" ]; then
-		exit $1
-	fi
+	[ "$1" ] && exit $1
 }
 
 get_opts()
@@ -168,26 +163,37 @@ cmd_build_date()
 		done
 }
 
+cmd_list_templates()
+{
+	local ext_from="$template_exts" # TODO: support more than one
+	local ext_from_re=`echo $ext_from | sed 's/\./\\./g'`
+	list_packages "$@" | xargs -r rpm -ql | while read f; do
+		[ -f "$f" ] || continue
+		echo $f | grep -q "$ext_from_re$" || continue
+		echo $f
+	done
+}
+
 cmd_compile_templates()
 {
-	local ext_from=".jw-tmpl"
+	local ext_from="$template_exts" # TODO: support more than one
+	local ext_from_re=`echo $template_exts | sed 's/\./\\./g'`
 	local ext_to=""
 	local ext_tables=".jw-secret .jw-vars"
 	local group=root
 	local owner=root
 	local mode=600
-	local ext_from_re=`echo $ext_from | sed 's/\./\\./g'`
+	local conf_patt="^[ 	]*# *conf:"
 
-	# TODO: allow target file attributes to be specified in options
+	# TODO: allow default target file attributes to be specified in options
 	umask 0077
 
 	local f
-	list_packages "$@" | xargs -r rpm -ql | while read f; do
-		echo searching $ext_from_re in $f
-		echo $f | grep -q "$ext_from_re$" || continue
+	cmd_list_templates "$@" | while read f; do
 		local base=`echo $f | sed "s/$ext_from_re$//"`
 		local to=$base$ext_to
-		local table="" ext
+		local table=""
+		local ext
 		for ext in $ext_tables; do
 			table=$base$ext
 			[ -f "$table" ] && break
@@ -199,10 +205,11 @@ cmd_compile_templates()
 		# TODO: use mktemp -d and keep temporary files in read-only dir
 		local tmp=$to.tmp
 		echo "Applying macros in $table to $f."
-		sed 's|\([^ ]\+\) \(.*\)|s/\1/\2/g|' $table | sed -f - $f > $tmp
+		eval `sed "/$conf_patt/ !d; s/$conf_patt//" $table`
+		sed 's|^[ 	]*#.*||; s|\([^ 	=]\+\)[ 	=]\+\(.*\)|s/\1/\2/g|' $table | sed -f - $f > $tmp
 		chmod $mode $tmp
 		chown $owner $tmp
-		chgrp $owner $tmp
+		chgrp $group $tmp
 		mv $tmp $to
 	done
 }
@@ -213,6 +220,13 @@ cmd_built_today()
 	cmd_build_date | grep $today | cut -d' ' -f3
 }
 
+# ----- here we go
+
+myname=`basename $0`
+longname=$0
+opts="v"
+template_exts=".jw-tmpl"
+
 cmd="$1"
 shift
 get_opts $*
@@ -281,6 +295,9 @@ rpmnew)
 compile-templates)
 	cmd_compile_templates "$@"
 	;;
+list-templates)
+	cmd_list_templates "$@"
+	;;
 diff)
 	cmd_diff "$@"
 	;;