This has not been answered for my purposes. I'm trying to replace/hide filenames completely, with /someotherfolder that may NOT match the base filename. For example: mysite.com/contact should display the contents of mysite.com/assets/contact-us.php Similarly, and ideally, if someone browses to mysite.com/assets/contact-us.php, I would like a redirect to mysite.com/contact. This will require a new rule for each specific file, I realize. But I haven't got anything to work.
Whilst you state "Essentially, hiding filenames", your example is not doing that; it is simply hiding the file extension. Please give an example of "hiding filenames".
Please update your question with your example of "hiding filenames" as this completely changes your original question. Also include the directives you have tried (in fact, your complete .htaccess file) and what happens exactly... do you get an error, undesired result, nothing? What you are trying to do requires a single rule, again something which has been answered many times - so why do these answers not work? Have you confirmed that .htaccess overrides are enabled etc.?
.htaccessfile) and what happens exactly... do you get an error, undesired result, nothing? What you are trying to do requires a single rule, again something which has been answered many times - so why do these answers not work? Have you confirmed that.htaccessoverrides are enabled etc.?