.htaccess RewriteRule problem

[sensationmm]

Hi

I am trying to setup my URL rewrites to check for a certain template and if it doesnt exist use a default one

So if I have a URL:
http://www.mysite.co.uk/feed/

I want it to check if feed.php exists and use that if it does, but if it doesn't to use page.php?page=feed instead

This is what I currently have:

Options +FollowSymlinks
RewriteEngine On

RewriteRule ^([^/.]+)/$ $1.php [L]
RewriteRule ^([^/.]+)/$ page.php?page=$1 [L]


ErrorDocument 404 /404.php

It works fine if feed.php exists, but when it doesn't it defaults straight to my custom 404.php

I know I can specify RewriteRule ^feed/$ feed.php [L] and have a catchall for page.php, but I will have a lot of these and do not want to have to hard code them all

Any help would be much appreciated! =D

[dklynn]

sm,

You've got a GREAT start to coding mod_rewrite but simply didn't translate your words into code properly.

I want it to check if feed.php exists and use that if it does, but if it doesn't to use page.php?page=feed instead

RewriteEngine on

# Check if xyz/ exists as xyz.pdf and redirect
RewriteCond /$1.pdf -f
RewriteRule ([a-z]+)/ $1.php [L]
# Note, this changes the directory level so you'll have problems with relative links

# Otherwise redirect xyz to page.php as the value of page
RewriteCond /$1.pdf !-f
RewriteRule ([a-z]+)/ page.php?page=$1 [L]
# Same directory level change so same problem

# That's why I loathe trailing /'s on filenames

Alternatively, MultiViews will attempt the first redirection for you automatically. MultiViews is a horrid function which, because it hijacks a directory name and attempts to serve a file, it causes major problems for the unsuspecting. IMHO, do it properly with mod_rewrite so you know everything that's going on with your redirections.

Oh, for your code:

Options +FollowSymlinks
# That should already be in the httpd.conf so it's redundant (multiple times for EVERY request!)

RewriteEngine On

RewriteRule ^([^/.]+)/$ $1.php [L]
RewriteRule ^([^/.]+)/$ page.php?page=$1 [L]
# If the first RewriteRule matches and redirects, how will the second RewriteRule ever match?
# Clearly it won't so the check on the existence of the file (with/without the .php extension)
# will separate the two rules.

ErrorDocument 404 /404.php 
# Because mod_rewrite is not an Apache core module, it's always executed after all the core
# directives and modules (e.g., mod_alias) SO I group the core and core module directives
# at the top of my .htaccess file

Regards,

DK