How to create files .htaccess and .htpasswd

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Level 1

145 points

How to create files .htaccess and .htpasswd

It seems Mac OS X 10.5.x does not allow you to either see or create files that begin with . such as .htaccess or .htpasswd, two files that are commonly uploaded to web servers for websites.

With all the gazillion web designers in the world who do their design on Macs, I cannot believe that there is no way to edit or save files of this kind on a Mac, and that all these designers have to keep a Windows machine around just for this purpose.

Can someone tell me what the trick is?

iMac, MacBook Pro, Mac OS X (10.5.5)

Posted on Nov 11, 2008 2:13 PM

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Answer 1

CT

Level 7

24,239 points

Nov 11, 2008 2:16 PM in response to RandB__

I am sure that those in the know will provide you with some third paryt, GUI-based solutions. But the few times I have needed to manipulate files such as .htaccess or .htpasswd I have used the Terminal application (in the Utilities folder) and it was fine.

charlie

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Answer 2

baltwo

Level 9

62,386 points

Nov 11, 2008 2:18 PM in response to RandB__

You can create any file you want with a leading period in its name. However, it will become hidden in the GUI. I really don't understand your problem.

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Answer 3

orangekay

Level 5

4,085 points

Nov 11, 2008 2:24 PM in response to RandB__

Try using a decent text editor.

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Answer 4

RandB__ Author

Level 1

145 points

Nov 11, 2008 2:29 PM in response to orangekay

A decent text editor?

Such as?

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Answer 5

RandB__ Author

Level 1

145 points

Nov 11, 2008 2:32 PM in response to baltwo

Interestingly, I can see the .htaccess and .htpasswd files that I have within the website folders when I have those folders open in Dreamweaver (I created the files back when I was working on a Windows machine...data now migrated over to my Mac).

But I use the .htaccess files as a template to create new ones. If I can't open them in OS X using my text editor (Text Wrangler), then I can't very well modify them to adapt to a new directory on the server.

This is very strange.

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