htaccess for moving domain names
Apache uses .htaccess files as a way to make configuration changes on a per-directory (and subdirectories) basis. They are a powerful tool when it comes to moving folders of changed files or in my case domain name rewriting.
Currently I am using a short domain name (prsos.co.uk) as a redirect to a specific page on the full domain name petrescuesos.co.uk. In the past I've even used ColdFusion to do by putting something along the lines in my Application.cfm.
<cfif findNoCase('prsos', cgi.server_name)><cfheader statustext="Moved permanently" statuscode="301" /><cfheader value="http://www.petrescuesos.co.uk" name="Location"></cfif>This still gives the browser/spider the correct http header but why waste cpu styles on even doing this when the web-server can handle it natively. Below is the Apache .htaccess I've just put in place.
#Turn rewrite onRewriteEngine on#Look at the HTTP_HOST and regex search for old domain namerewritecond %{http_host} ^(.*)prsos.co.uk [nc]# The rule. Change the http_host to the new domain location. NC means NoCaserewriterule ^(.*)$ http://www.petrescuesos.co.uk/index.cfm?action=pets.found [r=301,nc]