Is there a way to combine XML pages that control top right and left?

[damiende]

I am having an issue setting the order of which blocks go where for left and right reference.

As I add modules and add new features, these things create their own XML page usually and then it places it in left/right sidebars on its own, and theres no way for me to reference before/after to change the order.

For example:

I have in my local xml;  the following code:

<reference name="right">
    <block type="cms/block" name="cms_right_info_block" before="-">
        <action method="setBlockId">
            <block_id>right_info_block</block_id>
        </action>
    </block>
</reference>

 Now when I was usng basic magento, it displayed correctly, this block was at the top on right hand side,  but now I have other modules, and this is now 3rd on the list, how can I make it first again?

The newly added modules are not referenced in the local.xml file, and they show up before the above block.  In fact, when looking over their module.xml page, there is no reference to right or left, so how are they showing up there?

Whats controlling the order of the modules if they're not referenced in any xml page for layout?

[Ben Marks]

"As I add modules and add new features, these things create their own XML page usually and then it places it in left/right sidebars on its own, and theres no way for me to reference before/after to change the order."

What do you mean by "these things create their own XML page"? Are you installing modules which come with their own layout XML files? Or are these layout directives being specified in the database?

[damiende]

The modules come with their own XML.

Like usually, 

If I want to create a new block, and put it in the right side-bar, i'd created the static block, and do the reference "right" in the local.xml 

Such as:  

  <reference name="right">
            <block type="cms/block" name="cms_right_info_block" before="-">
                <action method="setBlockId">
                    <block_id>right_info_block</block_id>
                </action>
            </block>

 However, all the new modules I'm adding are appearing in the left/right side-bar but has no <reference name= " "> code in their own XML, so I dont know whats controlling it to put it there.

Like I have a points & rewards module I put on, and its showing the points and rewards at the top (first shown) on the right-sidebar,   this points and rewards is not referenced in any newly added XML, and has not been added to any existing XML so I dont know how to chance its position.