How do I rename a file to .htaccess in Windows 7?

Question

I'm using XAMPP to test a PHP script. Now, in the root of the folder I want to place a .htaccess file according to the requirements of the script.

But Windows won't let me rename it to .htaccess. Is there any way to go around it?

I'm using Windows 7 RTM.

Answer 1

this link discusses the same problem on XP.

I'll let you read it and decide if it applies to Windows 7, but the solution involves using a command line.

EDIT:

It starts from the fact that Windows will let you create an htaccess.txt file
Then

Start Run > cmd

then type

rename c:\pathtoyourhtaccessfile\htaccess.txt .htaccess

will do the trick

Answer 2

Thanks to http://serverfault.com/questions/22626/rename-files-to-empty-filename-in-windows-vista I learned a new trick. Since this page shows up in Google higher for that error message, I thought I'd link it here too.

Essentially if you want to do it in explorer, name it .htaccess. with a trailing dot. The trailing dot tells Windows what the extension should be, and the initial dot and letters tell it what the filename (without extension) should be. It appears that file without an extension is permissable, but not one without a filename. Fortunately, a file without an extension requires no dot, so we get the deletion that creates the filename we wanted (which is just an extension - see the filetype that Windows reports?)

You can do this with any string, not just htaccess. It makes a little sense to me because files that start with a dot have special meaning.

Answer 3

Don't create the file in Windows Explorer. Create it in whatever program you are using (notepad, vim, eclipse whatever). Then select "Save As" and make sure "All Files" is selected. Type in .htaccess . It should work.

The All Files is to prevent the program automatically adding a file type extension (e.g. .htaccess.txt)

Answer 4

One thing you could do is use another file as the .htaccess file.

Open up the httpd.conf or whatever the XAMPP setup calls the Apache configuration file.

Look for the line that starts with AccessFileName and change the value at the end to something that Windows will allow you to save it as.

AccessFileName htaccess.txt

If you don't find that line, just add the above in.

Then restart your XAMPP.

You will have to remember to rename it when you upload to the live site though.

Answer 5

I think in the old Windows XP days it was sufficient to just quote the filename? Those quotes would then be removed by Windows. So, rename to save the file as:

".htaccess"

This surely only works when saving from, say, Notepad, and then also keeps the default .txt from being added. I am not 100% sure it also worked in Windows Explorer. In Windows XP, it does not work from Windows Explorer though, as one cannot even type quotes then. And without the quotes it would yield "You must type a file name." because it doesn't like the leading dot. The same errors when using the dialog as shown using right-click » Properties.)

Answer 6

There is a better, simpler way. At least in Win7 (and the Win8 dev preview), as I have not attempted it in other windows versions.

Simply name it .htaccess. The ending dot will be automatically removed, leaving it named .htaccess

No idea why windows works this way, but it is far simpler than CMD or notepad methods. Just type an extra dot at the end.