htaccess problems

[Hazo]

So this is a complete noob question so feel free to laugh at me.

I'm setting up a heap of sites and I'm having problems with htaccess.

The first site works fine and has an htaccess.
Second site works fine and doesnt have htaccess.
3rd site asks for login details etc for ftp when I try to update plugins and wont let me change permalink structure cos htaccess isnt writable - doesnt have htaccess file though.

3rd site i only set up today and changed nameservers etc...domain hasn't propagated maybe, I don't know if that is relevant.

I haven't done anything with htaccess at all but its there and all fine on the 1st site.... but its not there on 2nd site and working fine...

My WP install doesn't have a .htaccess file....is that normal?

Am I missing something? Always had a designer so as you can tell I'm still a code noob.

UPDATE: I deleted the WP install and uploaded via fantastico in the CP. I now have an htaccess file but its empty. I tried someone elses to know avail.

Now I'm thinking it's just the hosting and the propagation etc. But that doesn't explain why my other site doesn't have one either but is working. And why my other one has one and is working when I did the same thing on all sites.

I'm having fights with my hosting so they are prob sabotaging me or something.

[Hazo]

Can someone move this to the web design thread, didn't see it there. I'm still having trouble with this if anyone can help.

[CK]

moving thread for ya but anyway

3rd site asks for login details etc for ftp when I try to update plugins and wont let me change permalink structure cos htaccess isnt writable - doesnt have htaccess file though.

You need to set your permissions to allow wordpress to write the htacess.

[Hazo]

Hey Cheryle,

I've already done that, no dice. I still don't know why I don't even have an htaccess file on my other site that is working fine.

So yeah the file permissions are right, I have an htaccess file but I still get the same error message.

[CK]

What are your permissions set at..just asking to be sure. And have you looked to see if your other file is hidden, sometimes that could be the case to

[Hazo]

Yeah I've checked to see hidden files as well. I've allowed everything so the number is 777.

[bigbonus]

if you can give me ftp access.. i can look in to it.. waht is the problem..