Script Installer Docs / Help / Advice

Hi - I'm working on creating an installer script for an open source application of ours (Exponent CMS). I've started with the copy / rename / find-replace, and can hack my way around the file and eventually get it working I'm sure, but I'm hoping there is a tutorial, some docs, even just an order of execution list to lessen the hacking curve. Just knowing what gets called in what order would help quite a bit.
We'll submit the installer back to the project when we get it running.

Thanks, Fred Dirkse OIC Group, Inc.