Apache mod rewrite for multiple variables?

[musiq021]

I need a rewrite rule/rules for an .htaccess file that does the following...
if a second variable is supplied...
rewrites this... artistcat_VAR1_VAR2.htm --> artists.php?cat=VAR1&page=VAR2
if only the first variable is supplied...
rewrites this... artistcat_VAR1.htm --> artists.php?cat=VAR1

Thanks guys!

[mccloskey]

I would just just rewrite one main back-reference (variable)

RewriteRule ^(.*)$ index.php?q=$1 [L,QSA]

Then explode it on the backend to whatever amount of variables you please, depending on a chosen delimiter (in this case, / is the delimiter)

$query = strtolower($_GET['q']);
list($whateverID, $articletype) = explode('/', $query);

That way, if example.com/foo is rewritten, $whateverID would be 'foo' and $articletype would be nothing. If example.com/foo/steve is rewritten, $whateverID would be 'foo' and $articletype would be 'steve'

Hope this helps.

Ben

[Motoma]

This is a good tutorial on mod_rewrite. I believe it covers just the sort of thing you are trying to do, using regular expressions.