Enable mod_rewrite on openSUSE Linux

 

Description of the problem: By default, openSUSE doesn’t enable the mod_rewrite rewrite module. It’s however installed, but not enabled.

 Follow these steps to install it:

 

Step 1: Enable mod_rewrite on SuSE linux 

  • a.: Edit the file /etc/sysconfig/apache2 (as root!): and search for APACHE_MODULES, you should find a line like this:
    APACHE_MODULES="suexec access actions alias auth auth_dbm autoindex cgi dir env expires include log_config mime negotiation setenvif userdir ssl php4"

  • b.: Add rewrite to the content in the list between the “ It should now look like:
    APACHE_MODULES="suexec access actions alias auth auth_dbm autoindex cgi dir env expires include log_config mime negotiation setenvif userdir ssl php4 rewrite"

  • c.: Save the changes and quit

 

run /etc/init.d/apache2 restart to restart the Apache server

Now, the mod_rewrite is enabled and integrated.

 

Step 2: Check if mod_rewrite is installed and integrated in Apache

You can check this e.g. with the following php file. Create a file by the name of testphp.php in your document root of your webserver (default on SuSE: /srv/www/htdocs) and copy the following content into this file:

 

<?php phpinfo(); ?>

 

When you view this file with your browser by entering localhost/testphp.php in the address window, search for rewrite – you should find one entry as showed in the picture below:

If not – check if you did all steps a to c.

 

Step 3: Test .htaccess rewrite rule on SuSE linux Apache

The next step is to create an initial .htaccess rewrite rule to test if it’s working now. Create a file .htaccess in your document root (default on SuSE: /srv/www/htdocs) with the following content:

 

Options +FollowSymlinks

<IfModule mod_rewrite.c>

RewriteEngine on

RewriteBase /

</IfModule>

 

This is a simple rule that redirects all urls with the format user/something to the script /user.php with the something as parameter user. The IfModule prevents Apache errors when mod_rewrite should disappear.

 

Step 4: Sometimes (especially the combination Drupal 8 and openSuse 15.x/PHP 7) this doesn't work so let's Enable custom Apache .htaccess in an other way.


If the above listed steps 1 to 3 don’t work – there could be another pitfall of the default SuSE Apache installation: you’re not allowed to create custom .htaccess files! So – lets enable them!

  • Edit the file /etc/apache2/default-server.conf with your prefered editor and the proper rights.

  • Search for Options None – it should be below the line <Directory "/srv/www/htdocs">
  • Change this into Options Indexes FollowSymLinks MultiViews
  • Add a line: Require all granted

  • Search for AllowOverride – it should be below the line <Directory "/srv/www/htdocs">

  • Change AllowOverride None to AllowOverride All – this will allow custom .htaccess rewrite rules.

  • The changed text should now be:

    <Directory /srv/www/htdocs>
        Options Indexes FollowSymLinks MultiViews
        Require all granted
        AllowOverride All
    </Directory>

  • Save your changes and exit the editor.

  • run 'sudo /etc/init.d/apache2 restart' or 'sudo service restart' to restart the Apache server

 That’s all, now you can test the .htaccess rewrite rule again and it will work.

Step 5: '403 access denied' error after enabling mod_rewrite.

Recently I encountered another problem when adding a custom subfolder to a standard Drupal 8 installation:

If however for some reason you still get the '403 access denied' error when trying to access that directory then add the following lines to your .htaccess:

<IfModule mod_rewrite.c>
  RewriteEngine on
  # stuff to let through (ignore)
  RewriteCond %{REQUEST_URI} "/<name of your subfolder>/"
  RewriteRule (.*) $1 [L]
</IfModule>

This worked for me on an installation of Drupal 8