SMF 2.0 RC 2 - Need SEO Friendly URL's

[collegedegrees]

I see that really none of the SEO mods work for SMF 2.0 RC2...  Can anyone tell me what I need to alter in order to have SEO friendly URL's...  Also, the built-in rewriting that is supposed to work on apache is not even working on my linux/apache install (why is that?)

I am fairly familiar with mod_rewrites and .htaccess files so I would be happy to figure something out and then share it with everyone.

Ideally, I would have BASE_URL/Board/Title.html or something similar to that.

If PrettyURL's is about to be updated, I'll just give it a whirl but I don't seen any news on that either.

[Tyrsson]

built-in rewriting that is supposed to work on apache is not even working on my linux/apache install (why is that?)

Is your server running the rewrite module?

[Arantor]

So called pretty URLs have NO discernible impact on SEO, by the way.

[collegedegrees]

Tyrsson, yes the server is running the rewrite module and I am using it in .htaccess files on other domains hosted on that same shared server.

[collegedegrees]

Actually, I use hostmonster and mod_rewrite is enabled on all of their apache servers.

[collegedegrees]

Fair point on the SEO value of pretty URL's for whatever reason that is how these URL rewriting mods are classified.  I am not debating for the use of pretty URL's for SEO other than I think it is easier to get people to link to a simpler (non-cryptic) URL and it's easier to direct user's to a simpler URL, that's about all.

[collegedegrees]

I am pretty convinced now that this functionality is broken what is the best way for me to report a bug to the dev team to see if they can fix the SEO friendly features?

[Arantor]

Which functionality, exactly, is broken?

If you mean the 'search engine friendly' URLs, in the form of index.php/topic,1234.0.html instead of index.php?topic=1234.0, that may be down to your server's configuration. Note that it doesn't generate that style of link on every page, only for the board and topic pages. (And no, that isn't a bug, that's by design)

Pretty URLs may be updated as the author has time, not before.

[collegedegrees]

Actually... 

It is working, it is just not what I expected... False alarm.  I'll wait for the Pretty URL's mod unless someone can tell me where to start digging to implement the URL structure I am wanting.  So I thought that it would swap topic and board with the actual topic and board name instead the SEO Friendly URL's built-in feature does this...  index.php/board,1.0.html 

So it really is just turning the .php into a .html which is working but not what I was hoping for.  Again, sorry to waste anybody's time.  I do appreciate your answers.

[Arantor]

It's not even doing that. All it's doing is quietly changing the URL, it's not even creating .html files.

Most search engines do not even care any more about this sort of thing, to be honest.

[collegedegrees]

Agreed, I know that the search engines don't care anymore, but I do...  Plus, with old URL's out there and indexed we need to be able to keep them intact and/or rewrite them all.

[Kill Em All]

Is this issue solved or do you still require assistance?