Why am I getting a 404 error with this routing? - .htaccess

Question

In my web root (var/www) I have the following in my .htaccess file:
RewriteCond %{REQUEST_URI} ^system.*
RewriteCond $1 !^(index\.php|vges|images|robots\.txt)
RewriteCond %{REQUEST_URI} ^application.*
RewriteRule ^(.*)$ /test/index.php?/$1 [L]
RewriteCond %{REQUEST_FILENAME} !-f
RewriteCond %{REQUEST_FILENAME} !-d
RewriteRule ^(.*)$ index.php?/$1 [L]
I then have a subdirectory (/var/www/test) with a codeigniter project. It also has a .htaccess file with the following:
RewriteEngine On
RewriteCond $1 !^(index\.php|quiz|vges|buddy|css|fonts|img|images|js|robots\.txt)
RewriteRule ^(.*)$ /index.php/$1 [L]
When I visit localhost I can view the test directory and when I go to the test directory I'm displayed with the default controller view. But when I visit localhost/test/controller I get a 404 not found error:
The requested URL /index.php/events was not found on this server.
Edit: I found the solution by changing the last line /var/www/vges.htaccess to:
RewriteRule ^(.*)$ test/index.php/$1 [L]
Although I suspect if I was to upload this test project to a server, where it is not a subdirectory then I may get an error. What's the best solution to this? What should
I change in my .htaccess file so
I can have subdirectories on my local machine
When I upload them as individual projects (such as the test project) to a server I don't have to modify the .htaccess file.
Thanks.

Answer 1

First, .htaccess files apply to the directory they're in, and every child directory. Your CodeIgniter-specific rules should be in the var/www/test/ CI directory -- usually wherever CI's index.php file is.
Second, your root .htaccess is kind of weird. RewriteCond conditions accumulate until there a RewriteRule rule fires, then they are reset. Your two %{REQUEST_URI} conditions conflict with each other, since the URI can't start with both. I'm not really sure what this .htaccess rule is doing, but if your URLs starting at the root have no bearing on your CI application, I don't think it's necessary to have it there in the first place. I can't say for sure without knowing your directory structure and how you want your website to function.
kjetilh is right - unless your environments share exactly the same settings, it's unlikely an .htaccess will be universally functional. Your best bet is to start them as simple as possible, and modify as necessary. A good starting .htaccess for CI 2.1.x is something like:
RewriteEngine on
RewriteCond %{REQUEST_FILENAME} !-f
RewriteCond %{REQUEST_FILENAME} !-d
RewriteCond $1 !^(favicon\.ico|robots\.txt)
RewriteRule ^(.*)$ index.php/$1 [L]
You can add your assets directories or any paths that you don't want redirected in the third RewriteCond (remember to properly escape regular expression characters such as periods). A RewriteBase rule definitely comes in handy if CI is in a subdirectory. You also don't need the system and application folder references with 2.1.x, since those folders have their own .htaccess files blocking access to them.