Redirecting subfolder to other URL

[megahurtz]

Is there any way using either Apache or some other method that I can redirect requests to a specific subfolder to another URL?

For example, when somebody types in http://www.mydomain.com/email they get redirected automagically to http://www.mydomain.com/?p=email, or something like that.

I'm sure this is a simple question but I am fairly new to web hosting so I'm not sure how to accomplish this. Thanks in advance to whomever helps.

[Edan]

Definitely.
You can use mod_rewrite.

First, you must enable mod_rewrite in httpd.conf. Find the following line and uncomment it (If you have no access to this file, just ask your host company to enable mod_rewrite).

#LoadModule rewrite_module modules/mod_rewrite.so

Now create a file named ".htaccess" in your main www directory (or modify an existing one), and write the following:

RewriteEngine on
RewriteRule ^email/?$ /?p=email [L]

You can add more rewrite rules like this:

RewriteEngine on
RewriteRule ^email/?$ /?p=email [L]
RewriteRule ^home/?$ /?p=home [L]
RewriteRule ^something/?$ /page.php?q=whatever [L]

I believe it should work.
Anyway, that's very specific and mod_rewrite is capable of more.
If you want to learn more about mod rewrite --
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=mod+rewrite+guide&btnG=Google+Searc h


Edan

[Markus]

Or you could just do this through htaccess

redirect email/ /?p=email
 

The difference between mine and edans method is that mine will actually redirect the user from that folder to the directory you specify; with edan's the user will believe (s)he is still at the yoursite.com/email directory as with the rule he wrote the [L] forces the url tp remain the same but the properties to change.

That's how places like myspace have their user pages

i.e. www.myspace.com/userprofile
is changed (through htaccess) to something like:
www.myspace.com/?userID=userprofile

Ofcourse, edan's rule wont do that for you, you'd have to expand it slightly, but that's the gist.

Sorry about the rant - haha.

-markus