How to enable .htaccess in httpd.conf on XP?

Question

I would like to use mod_rewrite() on my apache setup on a windows machine. As you probably know, Windows doesn't use Unix-style hidden filenames like ".htaccess."

So should I change AccessFileName .htaccess to AccessFileName xyz.htaccess ?

or there is something else I need to do?

Answer 1

Open up your httpd.conf. Change this line in to the following:

AccessFileName ht.acl .htaccess

Answer 2

Apache on Windows should use it, it just won't be hidden.

Answer 3

It's only Windows Explorer that won't let you create dot-filenames. Create the file with any name you like, then use a Command Prompt to rename it:

ren pog.htaccess .htaccess

You can then edit it using Notepad or whatever to your heart's content, and you'll still be using the same filename as everyone else.

Windows Explorer will happily let you move the file around and so on even with a dot-filename - it's just naming or renaming such files that fails.