diff --git a/build.sh b/build.sh
index 5fc6524..fd1a5c1 100755
--- a/build.sh
+++ b/build.sh
@@ -347,6 +347,46 @@ policies_diff() {
 
 done_something=0
 
+
+
+# cross-compile actions...
+#
+#   linux_patches    - the 'do_patches' for linux->win crosscompile.
+#   linux_artifacts  - standard artifact zip file. perhaps a -setup.exe.
+#   setup_deb_root   - setup compile environment (root stuff)
+#   setup_deb_user   - setup compile environmnet (build user)
+#   setup_rpm_root   - setup compile environment (root stuff)
+#   setup_rpm_user   - setup compile environmnet (build user)
+
+. ./linux_xcompile.sh
+
+if [[ "$*" == *linux_patches* ]]; then
+    linux_patches
+    done_something=1
+fi
+if [[ "$*" == *linux_artifacts* ]]; then
+    linux_artifacts
+    done_something=1
+fi
+if [[ "$*" == *setup_deb_root* ]]; then
+    setup_deb_root
+    done_something=1
+fi
+if [[ "$*" == *setup_deb_user* ]]; then
+    setup_deb_user
+    done_something=1
+fi
+if [[ "$*" == *setup_rpm_root* ]]; then
+    setup_rpm_root
+    done_something=1
+fi
+if [[ "$*" == *setup_rpm_user* ]]; then
+    setup_rpm_user
+    done_something=1
+fi
+
+
+
 # various administrative actions...
 
 if [[ "$*" == *clean* ]]; then
@@ -509,6 +549,10 @@ Use: ./build.sh clean | all | [other stuff...]
 
    linux_patches    - the 'do_patches' for linux->win crosscompile.
    linux_artifacts  - standard artifact zip file. perhaps a -setup.exe.
+   setup_deb_root   - setup compile environment (root stuff)
+   setup_deb_user   - setup compile environmnet (build user)
+   setup_rpm_root   - setup compile environment (root stuff)
+   setup_rpm_user   - setup compile environmnet (build user)
    
 Documentation is in the build-howto.md. In a docker situation, we'd like
 to run something like: 
diff --git a/linux_xcompile.sh b/linux_xcompile.sh
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..b79843a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/linux_xcompile.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,61 @@
+# Crosscompile on linux (debian,fedora)
+
+proto() {
+    echo "proto: begin."
+
+    # (implementation...)
+    
+    echo "proto: done."
+}
+
+
+
+
+linux_patches() {
+    echo "linux_patches: begin."
+
+    # (implementation...)
+    
+    echo "linux_patches: done."
+}
+linux_artifacts() {
+    echo "linux_artifacts: begin."
+
+    # (implementation...)
+    
+    echo "linux_artifacts: done."
+}
+
+
+
+
+setup_deb_root() {
+    echo "setup_deb_root: begin."
+
+    # (implementation...)
+    
+    echo "setup_deb_root: done."
+}
+setup_deb_user() {
+    echo "setup_deb_user: begin."
+
+    # (implementation...)
+    
+    echo "setup_deb_user: done."
+}
+setup_rpm_root() {
+    echo "setup_rpm_root: begin."
+
+    # (implementation...)
+    
+    echo "setup_rpm_root: done."
+}
+setup_rpm_user() {
+    echo "setup_rpm_user: begin."
+
+    # (implementation...)
+    
+    echo "setup_rpm_user: done."
+}
+
+