Is the htaccess a txt (notepad) or a php file?
The manual says to create this file but it does not specify what type of file it is.
Any other tips on creating FURLs would be appreciated.

Once the .htaccess file has been created the manual also states:
 
"After that please restart the apache. Your friendly URL option should be active now."
 
Q. If I am using cpanel how do I restart the apache or is this really necessary?

.htaccess files don't have a file extension like .txt so simply create the file in a text editor like notepad or gedit and save it as .htaccess with no extension.
 
Apache suggest that .htaccess files should be really be used if you don't have access to the root server where they prefer re-configuration. It follows therefore that restarting the server is not required (as you wouldn't have access to start/stop it anyway).

Hi Ned, Thanks for the reply.
 
I have created the file in notepad & saved as .htaccess without a file extension although when I look at the file in cpanel after uploading it does have a .txt file extension, so could this be the problem??
 
I have reverted back to without fURLs as I keep getting 404's when I enable it.
 
I am near the point of creating a ticket now but I know I will be kicking myself if it is something simple I have overlooked.

If you can get rid of the extension it should work. If cpanel wont let you do this use a file transfer program to upload it to the webspace root.

Hi Ned,
 
I was able to remove the txt.extension in cpanel but it made no difference unfortunately.
 
Thanks for trying to help, I had already raised a ticket & was hoping I could have cancelled it after trying your idea, but alas it was not to be

Just to inform the forum that Viarts support team have fixed this problem & the fURLS's all work ok now.
 
My mistake was to use both rewrite rules in the .htaccess file whereas you can only use one or the other.
 
We live & learn, so thanks to the Viart support team for sorting this problem out.