#2 Denu not performing?

[Jerome Potts]

Just installed x11-misc/denu-2.3.2 on Gentoo, followed the instructions of http://denu.sourceforge.net/run_down.html : clicked on "Update", got "Installed programs refreshed" msg in the "Denu Status" part at bottom of window; clicked "Sysupdate", nothing seems to happen, "Denu Status" msg remains the same. Tried the "Autofill" button, i get "Menu structure generated" status msg, but not much seems to have happened, contents of window are the same as when i first launched the program: top left box, "Installed", contains 3 entries (folders): "New", "World", and "Other". Bottom left box, "Specials", contains "Standard", and "Custom" folders. "Standard" folder is expandable as indicated by an arrow to the left of it. Right-side box, "Menu", is empty.
Could it be that my DISTDIR="/var/cache/portage/distfiles" in /etc/make.conf instead of the default "/usr/portage/distfiles"is throwing Denu off?