rewritecond problem

["Coughlin, Michael J" <Michael.Coughlin@xxxxxxx>]

I have a RewriteCond issue:

 

I have a URI: /II/anydirectory/anyfile

 

I can get an exact match:

 

RewriteCond %{REQUEST_URI} ^/II/([^/]+)/(.+)$

 

So if I want the /II part to be optional in the match:

RewriteCond %{REQUEST_URI} ^(/II)?/([^/]+)/(.+)$

 

Now any thing can get through, since the /II part is optional, it seems to be taken out of the equation and I am left with the equivalent of:

 

^/([^/]+)/(.+)$

 

Of course /II/anyfile now matches, not the required /II/anydirectory/anyfile

 

So why is the fact that (/II)? IS in the URI, but not considered now as part of the overall match?  Is this just a rule of optional groupings that they will get ignored in the match?

 

Thanks