Display html as website's first page

[mtkya]

I am trying to setup a welcome page prior to my main index.php.
I tried to add a .htaccess in the root folder with code :

<Files *.php>
Order Deny,Allow
Deny from all
DirectoryIndex index.htm index.php
</Files>

It does make my index.htm the first page of website, but when i try to go to the link i created in the html, it says access denied. It doesnt give me permission to link to the index.php.

Do i have to add anything else to my .htaccess or do anything else?

IF someone can help me out ill be appreciated.

Thanks,
Mack

[stevesh]

Far as I know, you shouldn't have to fiddle with htaccess at all. If your root contains an index.html file, it'll load that first, then you can call index.php from there.

[mtkya]

My problem is not displaying the html. It is when i am trying to link from the html to the index.php, it says access denied. That's why i thought it probably have something to do with the htaccess.