So I have a directory that is access protected via .htaccess like so:

AuthType Basic
AuthName "downloadables"
AuthUserFile "/home2/myaccount/.htpasswds/public_html/music/downloadables/passwd"
require valid-user

but under my "/downloadables" directory there is also an "downloadables/images" directory
that I want UNPROTECTED so I
can render images on the page.
It's a Drupal thing.

Anyway, is there a way with .htaccess to permit the subdirectory to all
users while keeping the parent directory password protected.
I'm guessing that I just need to add an additional .htaccess file
in the subdirectory, but what would the code be?

Any help?

Use:

Satisfy any

In the .htaccess file of the subdirectory.

Originally Posted by andrei155

Use:

Satisfy any

In the .htaccess file of the subdirectory.

So you mean the full content of the file would be?:

Satisfy Any
Allow from all

Would this also work in the Parent directory alone?

AuthType Basic
AuthName "downloadables" 
AuthUserFile "/home2/myaccount/.htpasswds/public_html/music/downloadables/passwd" 
require valid-user
<FilesMatch "\.(gif|jpe?g|png)$">
Satisfy Any
Allow from all
<FilesMatch>

That's correct. Your second bit of code however:

<FilesMatch "\.(gif|jpe?g|png)$">
Satisfy Any
Allow from all
<FilesMatch>

also needs to be applied in the subdirectory

You can choose either or. The first opens up the whole directory, while the second just allows specific filetpyes within the directory.

Thanks for that.
Why does the file type info have to to be added in two places?
Doesnt anything in the the .htaccess of a parent directory inherit down to
any child directories?

It only needs to be added in the subdirectory. You're correct but you have to remember that you want to allow access from "this directory" on. So in this case, your parent directory is the subdirectory.

So what I did in the end was leave the .htaccess file for
the top level directory "as is".

And just added a simple, two line .htaccess file to the directory
immediately below it that I want to unprotect.
Like this:

Satisfy Any
Allow from all