Why does my RewriteCond match even though the pattern clearly doesn't match?

Question

Take a look at my rewrite log:

(2) init rewrite engine with requested uri /bundles/astrupsspectacle/spectacle.css
(3) applying pattern '^(.*)$' to uri '/bundles/astrupsspectacle/spectacle.css'
(4) RewriteCond: input='${REQUEST_URI}' pattern='!^/app\.php' => matched
(4) RewriteCond: input='${REQUEST_URI}' pattern='!^/bundles/' => matched
(2) rewrite '/bundles/astrupsspectacle/spectacle.css' -> '/app.php/bundles/astrupsspectacle/spectacle.css'
(2) local path result: /app.php/bundles/astrupsspectacle/spectacle.css
(2) prefixed with document_root to /srv/spectacle/web/app.php/bundles/astrupsspectacle/spectacle.css
(1) go-ahead with /srv/spectacle/web/app.php/bundles/astrupsspectacle/spectacle.css [OK]

It says pattern='!^/bundles/' => matched even though it clearly doesn't. My pattern is:

RewriteCond ${REQUEST_URI} !^/bundles/

But I have also tried:

RewriteCond ${REQUEST_URI} !^bundles/

and even:

RewriteCond ${REQUEST_URI} !^bundles

And they all say "matched". What the hell!?

Answer 1

You're using the wrong symbol for the environment variable. It should be % instead of $. So the condition should be

RewriteCond %{REQUEST_URI} !^/bundles/