Problem: How do I make a sub directory (or sub folder) act as the public_html for your main domain?
Solution:
The main domain on the hosting account uses the public_html directory for all of its Web site files. Addon domains use sub directories inside the public_html directory. In order to also set up your main domain to use a subdirectory on your hosting account you will need to set up a redirect in the .htaccess file in the public_html folder so that the server knows that any request for your main domain will be redirected to a subdirectory on public_html.To setup the rewrite/redirect, edit the ~/public_html/.htaccess file. Insert the following code block and make modifications as noted in the (#) comments.
# .htaccess main domain to subdirectory redirect
# Copy and paste the following code into the .htaccess file
# in the public_html folder of your hosting account
# make the changes to the file according to the instructions.
# Do not change this line.
RewriteEngine on
# Change yourdomain.com to be your main domain.
RewriteCond %{HTTP_HOST} ^(www.)?yourmaindomain.com$
# Change 'subdirectory' to be the directory you will use for your main domain.
RewriteCond %{REQUEST_URI} !^/subdirectory/
# Don't change this line.
RewriteCond %{REQUEST_FILENAME} !-f
RewriteCond %{REQUEST_FILENAME} !-d
# Change 'subdirectory' to be the directory you will use for your main domain.
RewriteRule ^(.*)$ /subdirectory/$1
# Change yourdomain.com to be your main domain again.
# Change 'subdirectory' to be the directory you will use for your main domain
# followed by / then the main file for your site, index.php, index.html, etc.
RewriteCond %{HTTP_HOST} ^(www.)?yourmaindomain.com$
RewriteRule ^(/)?$ subdirectory/index.php [L]Visitors to your Web site will not be able to tell that your main domain is using a subdirectory, they will still see the Web site address as http://www.yourdomain.com/page.html.
Note: Using this method will set up a 302 redirect. For more information please look at the following links.
Domain name change of address. http://www.google.com/support/webmasters/83106
Moving website address. http://www.google.com/support/webmastersNote: To set the main domain to a subfolder as a 301 redirect do no use this method. cpNet suggests following the advice that google provides regarding 301 redirects.