Requesting assistance with packaging a web app: wikindx

[Michael Cronenworth]

On 03/10/2013 11:14 PM, Ankur Sinha wrote:
> I've placed all the files in %{_datadir} as the guidelines specify[3]
> (and forbid the placement of files into /var/www). Now, how is a user
> supposed to use the package? Is he supposed to copy these files
> into /var/www and set his application up, or is there a way to make
> httpd use the files from %{_datadir}? The wikindx application makes use
> of the mysql database, and also needs directories where attachments etc.
> will be kept when uploaded. How are these to be managed if httpd is to
> use files from %{_datadir}? I've just observed that wikindx has a new
> version since I packaged it. How does one do updates with web packages?
> Do we just place the new files in %{_datadir} and let the admin copy
> them over to /var/www and then run the update scripts etc.?
>
> I haven't been able to find any detailed guidelines on the wiki on how
> it's supposed to work. I'd be most grateful if someone adept at
> packaging web apps would please assist me with these queries and the
> package in general.

You should take a look at mediawiki[1]. It stores its files in 
/usr/share/mediawiki and provides scripts for creating new wikis. The 
scripts reference a list of wikis in /etc/mediawiki. Instead of copies 
the new wikis are symbolic links so that package updates are seamless.

[1] http://pkgs.fedoraproject.org/cgit/mediawiki.git/tree/