struggles with Require directives in .htaccess (Apache Users)

Experts:

apache 2.4.6

I am having trouble with the new Require directives when used in a .htaccess file. I will start with my simplest possible example:

Require all denied

-- has no effect

However, the old style directives work fine:

Order deny,allow

Deny from all

-- this is successful

As a test, I tried:

Order deny,allow

Deny from all

</IfModule>

-- this works as well, and tells me that that the newer version 2.4 directives SHOULD work, right?

As a further test I tried

Order deny,allow

Deny from all

</IfModule>

(note the bang!) -- this has no effect, reinforcing the conclusion I got from the earlier test (I think).

In the .conf file for my virtual host, I have AllowOverride All for the parent directory.

Can anybody explain what I am doing wrong / misunderstanding?? Why do the new directives have no effect?

Thanks in advance!

~~ Bill

Human wheels spin round and round
While the clock keeps the pace... -- John Mellencamp
________________________________________________________________
Bill Tantzen University of Minnesota Libraries
612-626-9949 (U of M) 612-325-1777 (cell)