Create Rewrite rule in htaccess for a user profile - php

Question

So I have a dilemma..
Can't figure out how to rewrite this URL to THIS URL:
URL=www.EXAMPLE.com/users/USERNAME
THIS URL= www.EXAMPLE.com/USERNAME
This isn't my first time using Stack Overflow, but this is my first time actually needing an account to find my answer. I will Thank accordingly.
Thanks,
Nick
EDIT:
RewriteRule ^user/(.*)$ /$1 [R=301,L]
But I get a 404 page, weird I say.
The page redirects successfully, but with a 404 instead.
HTACCESS as follows:
## Mod_rewrite in use.
RewriteEngine On
RewriteRule ^user/(.*)$ /$1 [R=301,L]
## Begin - Rewrite rules to block out some common exploits.
# If you experience problems on your site block out the operations listed below
# This attempts to block the most common type of exploit `attempts` to Joomla!
#
# Block out any script trying to base64_encode data within the URL.
RewriteCond %{QUERY_STRING} base64_encode[^(]*\([^)]*\) [OR]
# Block out any script that includes a <script> tag in URL.
RewriteCond %{QUERY_STRING} (<|%3C)([^s]*s)+cript.*(>|%3E) [NC,OR]
# Block out any script trying to set a PHP GLOBALS variable via URL.
RewriteCond %{QUERY_STRING} GLOBALS(=|\[|\%[0-9A-Z]{0,2}) [OR]
# Block out any script trying to modify a _REQUEST variable via URL.
RewriteCond %{QUERY_STRING} _REQUEST(=|\[|\%[0-9A-Z]{0,2})
# Return 403 Forbidden header and show the content of the root homepage
RewriteRule .* index.php [F]
#
## End - Rewrite rules to block out some common exploits.
## Begin - Custom redirects
#
# If you need to redirect some pages, or set a canonical non-www to
# www redirect (or vice versa), place that code here. Ensure those
# redirects use the correct RewriteRule syntax and the [R=301,L] flags.
#
## End - Custom redirects
##
# Uncomment following line if your webserver's URL
# is not directly related to physical file paths.
# Update Your Joomla! Directory (just / for root).
##
# RewriteBase /
## Begin - Joomla! core SEF Section.
#
RewriteRule .* - [E=HTTP_AUTHORIZATION:%{HTTP:Authorization}]
#
# If the requested path and file is not /index.php and the request
# has not already been internally rewritten to the index.php script
RewriteCond %{REQUEST_URI} !^/index\.php
# and the request is for something within the component folder,
# or for the site root, or for an extensionless URL, or the
# requested URL ends with one of the listed extensions
RewriteCond %{REQUEST_URI} /component/|(/[^.]*|\.(php|html?|feed|pdf|vcf|raw))$ [NC]
# and the requested path and file doesn't directly match a physical file
RewriteCond %{REQUEST_FILENAME} !-f
# and the requested path and file doesn't directly match a physical folder
RewriteCond %{REQUEST_FILENAME} !-d
# internally rewrite the request to the index.php script
RewriteRule .* index.php [L]
#
## End - Joomla! core SEF Section.
[UPDATE 4/08/13]
So after a while I have figured out that the only way an extension I am using works alongside Joomla! You need to use a separate extension called sh404sef to make this work. So in a nut shell, no use editing the HTACCESS file like I thought. Ended up spending the 40 bucks and it worked instantly. HAHA

Answer 1

This should answer your question
RewriteRule ^users/(.*)$ $1
Source: .htaccess rewrite from subdirectory to root

Answer 2

A site i find useful with .htaccess url rewriting is:
http://roshanbh.com.np/2008/03/url-rewriting-examples-htaccess.html
The example:
Rewriting yoursite.com/user.php?username=xyz to yoursite.com/xyz
Have you checked zorpia.com.If you type http://zorpia.com/roshanbh233
in browser you can see my profile over there. If you want to do the
same kind of redirection i.e http://yoursite.com/xyz to
http://yoursite.com/user.php?username=xyz then you can add the
following code to the .htaccess file.
RewriteEngine On
RewriteRule ^([a-zA-Z0-9_-]+)$ user.php?username=$1
RewriteRule ^([a-zA-Z0-9_-]+)/$ user.php?username=$1
So in your case you could go for:
RewriteRule ^users/([a-zA-Z0-9_-]+)$ user.php?username=$1
RewriteRule ^users/([a-zA-Z0-9_-]+)/$ user.php?username=$1

Answer 3

see https://stackoverflow.com/questions/20610980/mod-rewrite-redirect-except-parked-domain
All www.primary.com go to www.primary.com/webtrees
Options -Indexes +SymLinksIfOwnerMatch
RewriteEngine on
RewriteBase /
RewriteCond $1 !^parked.com/
RewriteCond $1 !^piwik/
RewriteCond $1 !^wordpress/
RewriteCond $1 !^marker.htm
RewriteCond %{REQUEST_URI} !^/webtrees/
RewriteRule ^(.*)$ /webtrees/$1 [L]