How to use a RELATIVE path with AuthUserFile in htaccess?

I have a .htaccess that uses basic authentication. It seems the path to the .htpasswd file isn't relative to the htaccess file, but instead to the server config.

So even though I have the .htaccess and .htpasswd files in the same directory, this doesn't work:

AuthType Basic
AuthName "Private Login"
AuthUserFile .htpasswd
Require valid-user

However, it does work if I change the AuthUserFile to use the absolute path:

AuthType Basic
AuthName "Private Login"
AuthUserFile "/home/user/public_html/mydir/.htpasswd"
Require valid-user

But I would prefer something more mobile as I use this on multiple sites in different areas. I've searched the web but haven't had any resolution. Is it possible to use relative path or variables like %{DOCUMENT_ROOT}?

It is not possible to use relative paths for AuthUserFile:

File-path is the path to the user file. If it is not absolute (i.e., if it doesn't begin with a slash), it is treated as relative to the ServerRoot.

You have to accept and work around that limitation.

We're using IfDefine together with an apache2 command line parameter:

.htaccess (suitable for both development and live systems):

<IfDefine !development>
  AuthType Basic
  AuthName "Say the secret word"
  AuthUserFile /var/www/hostname/.htpasswd
  Require valid-user
</IfDefine>

Development server configuration (Debian)

Append the following to /etc/apache2/envvars:

export APACHE_ARGUMENTS=-Ddevelopment

Restart your apache afterwards and you'll get a password prompt only when you're not on the development server.

You can of course add another IfDefine for the development server, just copy the block and remove the !.

For just in case people are looking for solution for this:

<If "req('Host') = 'www.example.com'">
    Authtype Basic
    AuthName "user and password"
    AuthUserFile /var/www/www.example.com/.htpasswd
    Require valid-user
</If>