How can I use mod_rewrite on Apache to make SEO URLs?

All kind of tutorials on the net suggest that can be done. I tried this one: http://www.webreference.com/programming/Mod_Rewrite02 which explains how to "translate" URLs:

http://www.example.com/library/bookinfo.php?section=biology&bookid=4856

Code (markup):

to

http://www.example.com/library/biology/4856

Code (markup):

I need to do the same thing:

http://localhost/index.php?news=7

Code (markup):

to

http://localhost/news/7

Code (markup):

thanks

 

I tried this code for htaccess but didn't do anything to URLs: Options +FollowSymLinks
RewriteEngine on
RewriteRule test(.*)\.htm$ /index.php?news=$1

 

Is the apache configured to allow override from .htaccess... also... note your .* is doing a greedy match.. you be better off with lazy match... test(.*?)\.htm$

 

Yes, it's enabled.

this code RewriteRule test(.*?)\.htm$ /index.php?news=$1 didn't do anything either

 

What format of URL you want? http://localhost/news/7 or http://localhost/test7.htm?

 

the first one.

 

Use the following code

RewriteEngine on
RewriteRule ^news/([0-9]+)/?$ /index.php?news=$1

 

it doesn't do anything. no change in the url

 

There is correction (no need of / before index.php)
RewriteRule ^news/([0-9]+)/?$ index.php?news=$1

This will not change the URL in your code (were you expecting this?). After using this code in .htaccess you can access this URL e.g.

http://localhost/news/7

 

yes I'm expecting a new URL - more friendly for SEOs

 

Then you must change your application where you are generating URLs.

 

You may also need to 301 the old URLs to the new mod rewrites.