.htaccess weird problem

[Fed]

here's my simple .htaccess file

Options +FollowSymLinks
RewriteEngine On
RewriteCond %{REQUEST_FILENAME} !-f
RewriteCond %{REQUEST_FILENAME} !-d
RewriteRule ^/?([a-zA-Z-_]+)/([a-zA-Z-_]+)/([0-9a-zA-Z-_]+)/?$ view.php?state=$1&city=$2&discussion=$3 [L]
RewriteRule ^/?([a-zA-Z-_]+)/([a-zA-Z-_]+)/?$ discussions.php?state=$1&city=$2 [L]
RewriteRule ^/?([a-zA-Z-_]+)/?$ bystate.php?state=$1 [L]

it works in windows (XAMPP environment) but gives a 500 error on the server (linux hostgator shared server with other sites using mod_rewrite with no problems at all)

any idea? do you see somethin wrong? I tried with a different editor, different encoding...everything...

[trib4lmaniac]

What was the error? Check your Apache logs.

[Fed]

RewriteRule: cannot compile regular expression '^/?([a-zA-Z-_]+)/([a-zA-Z-_]+)/([0-9a-zA-Z-_]+)/?$'\n

the same if I remove that line, but with the following one

might it be that trailing "\n"?
I tried to write the htaccess with another editor, another encoding, another transfer type....I've been on this HOURS and I can't get it to work...

[dklynn]

Fed,

Kudos to the maniac for making you show the error!

When you use a metacharacter within a range definition, it must be used correctly. Your use of the hyphen (dash) after the Z implies the start of a new range (from Z to _) which is not possible. I've repeatedly said that sources require the hyphen to be the first character but some allow it as the last character - it works - so it is not mistaken as part of a range definition.

Regards,

DK