Component registration?

Is there a xpinstall mechanism for causing compreg.dat (and xpti.dat) to 
be regenerated?  I'm trying to install a component.  The file gets 
copied properly, but it isn't visible to javascript even after 
restarting Mozilla and I'm assuming it is because one or more 'index' 
files aren't getting updated.

I found a perl script (mozilla-rebuild-databases.pl) that deletes about 
five files including components/compreg.dat and components/xpti.dat. 
Also component.reg, which doesn't exist on my machine.  Presumably the 
run of Mozilla by the installing user would recreate these files.

Seems like there should be an Install call that would support this.  Or 
is there some other way to install components?

mma