<Directory> Directive breaks when used in .htaccess

[thedust2010]

The subject line says it all... what do I have to do to issue the <Directory> directive from .htaccess? Whenever I place this directive in my .htaccess file I get a 500 error.

[g1smd]

What is inside the <Directory> directive?

I had this problem with <Filesmatch> the other day, but the problem wasn't with <Filesmatch> itself.

[webmasterworld.com...]

[thedust2010]

It doesn't matter what's inside... I can just place the following and it still won't work:

<Directory>

</Directory>

[encyclo]

[httpd.apache.org...]

Context: server config, virtual host

You can't use

<Directory ...></Directory>

in .htaccess.

[thedust2010]

Thanks for the clarification. I'm a bit of an Apache n00bie. :)