activate apache mod_rewrite

[Michael Powell]

Ray wrote:

> On July 12, 2009 05:58:07 pm Gregory T Helton wrote:
>> On Sun, 12 Jul 2009 17:09:24 -0600
>>
>> Ray <ray at stilltech.net> wrote:
>> > Hello,
>> > I'm running FreeBSD  7.0-RELEASE-p3, amd64
>> > I have never used mod rewrite before, but I am about to be hosting a
>> > php website that does use it and I can't figure out how to turn it on.
>> > The website was working properly under other hosting.
>> >
>> > The server has been working properly for over a year with other php
>> > websites. I installed apache 2.2 along with php 5.2 from ports.
>> >
>> > google says that the following lines should appear in  httpd.conf
>> >
>> > LoadModule rewrite_module     libexec/apache/mod_rewrite.so
[snip]
>>
>> Try with just the LoadModule line. This is the only line I have for
>> mod_rewrite in my httpd.conf, and it is working properly.
>>
>> iirc, the "AddModule" linux is apache 1.x specific.
[snip]
> 
> Thanks for the response.
> The loadmodule line is  already there.
> Is there anything in the httpd-vhosts.conf or anywhere else needed to
> activate rewrites?
> thanks,
> Ray


http://httpd.apache.org/docs/2.2/mod/mod_rewrite.html

Various ways of utilizing it as it is very flexible, depending on your 
particular requirements. It usually involves at least a RewriteEngine On 
directive somewhere. Some can use it in an .htaccess but those who are 
running multiple vhosts may need something like this for each vhost:

RewriteEngine On
RewriteOptions Inherit

See the section in the docs. Usually there are two other directives used to 
configure functionality after activating it. You will usually have one, or 
more, RewriteCond conditions which when evaluated run through a RewriteRule 
of some kind. Brush up on your Apache regex handling! There are cheat sheets 
around the web, easily Googled up.

mod_rewrite is not easy and can have you pulling your hair out. If you are 
using a software that requires it the docs should have a cut and paste 
config that can get you started. Trying to figure it out from scratch 
without knowing what is needed will be next to impossible.

-Mike