Mod Rewrite question to prevent duplicate content

[kat2]

Hi,

I'm having problems with a mod rewrite issue and duplicate content

On my website I have

1. Website.com

2. Website.com/directory

3. Website.com/directory/Sub_directory_more_stuff_here

Both #1 and #2 are the same page (I can't change this).  #3 is different pages.

How can I use mod rewrite to to make #2 redirect to #1 so I don't have duplicate content WHILE #3 still works?

[ShaMenz]

Hi kat2,

Hmmm...clearly, I should have slept before answering this , as I completely overlooked the fact that your second URL is actually a directory, so please ignore the first part of my original response (now removed), which would only work if you have a specific file to edit.

Now to mod rewrite. I'm getting a sense that something else might be in play here, as your question suggests you have already tried to create a redirect and had problems.

A couple of questions we need answered in order to get this answer right for you:

• Is your site built on a CMS such as Joomla? Some CMS use their own redirect rules to rewrite URL's and these will overwrite the rules you write in .htaccess

• Are you using a 301 Redirect rule, or just URL rewriting?

  • To create a 301 Redirect, your rewrite rule must end with [R=301] or [R=301,L] if it is the last.

If you can answer these questions we will be better able to help sort the problem for you.

Hope that helps,

Sha

[kat2]

Hello,

My site is not built on a CMS but uses cakephp extensively

I am not using 301 redirect.

Regards

[ShaMenz]

Hi again,

I think the line of code below will create the 301 Redirect that you need:

RewriteRule ^/dir$ / [R=301,L]

Let me know if you come across any more problems with it.

Hope that helps,

Sha

[kat2]

Unfortunately, I'm not an expert on rewriterule.

Would it be:  RewriteRule ^/directory$ / http://www.website.com [R=301,L]