[Catalyst] A different approach to static content

[Wade.Stuart at fallon.com]

catalyst-bounces at lists.rawmode.org wrote on 08/16/2005 01:59:33 PM:

> Andy Grundman wrote:
> > Christopher H. Laco wrote:
> >
> >> I guess that's what bugs me. Today it's /static, tomorrow it's
> >> /images, and next week it's /downloads and maybe it needs to be under
> >> / and not /myapp.
> >
> >
> > I don't think it's too much to ask that your content guys be forced to
> > keep everything under a /static directory.  This keeps your Apache
> > config very simple.
>
> No, it's not to much to ask if you're writing a site from scratch. But
> situations get unlike textbook examples quickly. If I'm foisting a
> Catalyst app into an existing site with hundreds of megs or even gigs of
> static content, I'm not sure my boss, marketing, or the web design team
> would accept spending time/money moving every piece of existing static
> content into /static and changing all of the urls.
>

Or if you are adding the cat app to a previously setup structure that you
host it
one dir deeper off the root.  If it is a new addition there should be no
reason
why you are required to live on root.  I guess I try to KISS.

> Sure, most of it may be cured with various httpd.conf and mod_rewrite
> encantations. But it can be done better with NO encantations.
>
> I'm trying to achieve a utopia where the catalyst things go to catalyst
> and the rest just gets served [without going through catalyst] without
> doing anything more than:
>
>    PerlModule MyCatalystApp
>
> Again, I don't think anyone is right or wrong here. I just think there
> has to be a better way.
>
> If I want to serve static mycrap.somenewextension files it should just
> work without having to tell  the static plugin its a static file or
> hoping that the mime-types check thinks it's a static file. Past
> installing Apache, serving static content shouldn't involve any extra
> work on the part of the user, or the content creators.
>
> If I want to serve / and /cart from Catalyst and /feedback.htm as a
> static file, it should just work. I shouldn't have to even load the
> Static plugin, or even tweak httpd.conf to exempt .htm from the /
> set-handler used to load the Catalyst app.
>

Either way you have to config the locations or allow the Cat app to pass
over the request -- this will never be as fast as a purely static location.

> I know I'm being a pain the a**, and there are other ways to do it.
> I just think it could be even easier.
>
> -=Chris
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