As the final release of WordPress 2.5 fast approaches, I've been having a lot of fun playing around with 2.4-bleeding which has since become WP 2.5 Beta. Since the changes have been coming fast and furious these last few weeks I'm sure glad I use a Subversion client to connect to the WordPress Subversion Repository - it provides for a much simpler and faster method for keeping up to date. Running WordPress in a local environment I prefer to use Xampp, a robust open-source application that will install Apache webserver and MySQL database on your PC with complete access via phpMyAdmin.
Although Xampp is my favourite method of running WordPress locally, there was always a minor little detail that irritated me to no end. In order to use fancy permalinks you of course need mod_rewrite (an Apache module that rewrites permalinks on the fly) enabled otherwise you end up with index.php in all of your permalinks. I hated this. Naturally mod_rewrite is disabled by default. Despite my best efforts in trying to figure out how to enable mod_rewrite in Xampp I failed miserably. I searched the Apache Friends web site with no success. I searched the Xampp Forums, half of which is in German, but came up with nothing. Undaunted I decided to take matters into my own hands and go through the installation files rather meticulously. My labours were rewarded.
For those of you running Xampp 1.6.6a on Windows and unable to figure out how to enable mod_rewrite the fix is simple. Assuming you have installed Xampp in root (which you should) navigate to,
C:\xampp\apache\conf\httpd.conf
Open up httpd.conf in notepad and look for this line.
#LoadModule rewrite_module modules/mod_rewrite.so
Uncomment it so that it reads,
LoadModule rewrite_module modules/mod_rewrite.so
Next, search for AllowOverride None and change it to AllowOverride All. Once you restart Apache you will be able to enable fancy permalinks without the index.php appendage.
About Len Kutchma
Thank you. It worked just as you described.
You're welcome Ted.
Thank you for your tip!
You're welcome Neekey.
I did as you instructed in the page. But when I restarted the apache, I got a syntax error and is below:
Syntax error on line 186 of C://xampp/apache/conf/http.conf:
directive requires additional arguments
apache could not be started..
Please help me to fix this.
#
# Options FollowSymLinks
# AllowOverride None
# Order deny,allow
# Deny from all
#
Hi Joseph
The only lines you need to change are:
Uncomment this line -->
#LoadModule rewrite_module modules/mod_rewrite.so
so that it reads -->
LoadModule rewrite_module modules/mod_rewrite.so
Next, search for all instances of -->
AllowOverride None
and change it to -->
AllowOverride All
If I remember correctly there are 2 or 3 instances of the latter that need to be changed. You may or may not also have to uncomment those lines as well. I have since switched from XAMPP to WAMP so my memory may not be up to snuff.
If you have any difficulty let me know and I'll reinstall XAMPP and have a look.
Thank you!
You're most welcome.
i have same problem like Joseph. . .
i have an idea,,just upload the file httpd.conf and i'll paste the file to my directory,,
Hi Yose,
I uploaded the file to the WordPress Pastebin. Just click the "download" link to get it.
thanks very much brother. . .
nice to visit ur site
You're welcome Yose.
Really helpful. Nice post.
Any idea about enabling mod_rewrite to work with mod_userdir user directories????
The above information doesn't work for user's public_html on linux
Regards
The information is intended for use in a Windows environment. I have absolutely no experience setting this up on a 'nix box. I would suggest visiting the XAMPP forums. They have a section dealing exclusively with Linux.
http://www.apachefriends.org/f/viewforum.php?f=17