Question

Current directory structure:

wwwpublic
|+ spanish(language)
|-- index.php
|-- contact.php
|
|- index.php
|- aboutus.php
|- products.php
|- contact.php

In the root of wwwpublic directory I have files in the English language. Since site have Spanish language too, I have created separate directory named ‘spanish’. Name of pages are exactly the same in both directories.

Now, some pages in spanish directory don’t exist and I need to redirect request to such pages to root folder and retain name of file requested.

Example:
Visitor go to Spanish version, open index.php there, then he clicks on aboutus.php page (dont exists) inside spanish directory and then .htaccess redirects him to the /root/aboutus.php

Answer 1

Try something like this in your wwwpublic directory, preferably before any routing rules you may have:

RewriteEngine On

# conditions to check that current request doesn't point to a valid resource
RewriteCond %{REQUEST_FILENAME} !-f
RewriteCond %{REQUEST_FILENAME} !-d

# condition to check that request is for the /spanish/ directory
RewriteCond %{REQUEST_URI} ^/spanish/(.+)$

# conditions to check if the /spanish/ is removed whether it would point to a valid resource
RewriteCond %{DOCUMENT_ROOT}/%1 -f [OR]
RewriteCond %{DOCUMENT_ROOT}/%1 -d

# all conditions match, rewrite
RewriteRule ^/?spanish/(.+)$ /$1 [L]