WordPress 3.0 comes with a new filter that lets us customize what is used for each permalink structure tag, other than WordPress default.
One of these permalink structure tags is <code>%category%</code>. By default, WordPress always use the category with lowest ID, making <code>%category%</code> impractical for SEO optimization.
Hikari Category Permalink allows post authors to choose among each post’s categories, which of them is used in that post permalink, giving much more flexibility and power to permalinks.
This plugin is a fork of <a href="https://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/scategory-permalink/" rel="ugc">Dmytro’s sCategory Permalink</a>. It has all original features and is compatible with original options, while being more stable and simple, and also fixes 2 recurring bugs.
<h4>Features</h4>
<ul>
<li>You can choose for each post separately, which category is used in its <code>%category%</code> permalink.</li>
<li>Posts without a category set to be used in permalink behave as WordPress default, (which currently is) the one with lowest ID is used</li>
<li>Posts with a category set have it used</li>
<li>In post edit page, where you set the post’s categories, there’s a new feature allowing you to choose which category will be used in permalink</li>
<li>No rewrite rules tweaks are done, making the plugin much simpler and bug free</li>
<li>If you already used sCategory Permalink, you can safely deactivate it and replace by Hikari Category Permalink, all your category permalinks will be used</li>
</ul>

Hikari Category Permalink

For each post, author can choose which category is used in permalink.

antonioandra.de

WP htaccess Control should now really be called WP htaccess and Rewrite Control. It provides an interface to customize the htaccess file generated by WordPress but also its permalinks (author, category, archives, pagination and custom taxonomies). Have a look at the screenshot for a clearer idea of the available options.
Features:
<ul>
<li>Customizing the htaccess file generated by WordPress;</li>
<li>Removing any custom taxonomy’s slug base from permalinks;</li>
<li>Removing the category base from permalinks;</li>
<li>Removing the author base from permalinks;</li>
<li>Customizing the Author Permalink Base;</li>
<li>Customizing Paginated Permalinks (translate the “page” word on permalinks to your own language);</li>
<li>Customization (and canonization) of the Search Permalink Base;</li>
<li>Creation of Category, Author, Tag and Custom Taxonomy based archives (ex: “http://your-site.com/category/stories/2010/12”, “http://your-site.com/author/admin/2010/12/page/2” and “http://your-site.com/tag/wordpress/2010/12”), this will also work if you’ve removed the base slug;</li>
<li>Maintenance mode.</li>
</ul>
Easy to use “Suggested htaccess” rules:
<ul>
<li>Jim Morgan’s htaccess;</li>
<li>Disable directory browsing;</li>
<li>Disable and redirect image hotlinking;</li>
<li>Disable and redirect file hotlinking;</li>
<li>Force canonical url (WWW or non-WWW);</li>
<li>Limit maximum file upload size;</li>
<li>Protect wp-config.php file from access;</li>
<li>Protect .htaccess file from access;</li>
<li>Protect comments.php from spam bots coming from nowhere;</li>
<li>Set 500 error page;</li>
<li>Set 403 error page;</li>
<li>Use mod_gzip if available;</li>
<li>Use mod_deflate if available;</li>
<li>Set admin email on server generated error pages;</li>
<li>Disable ServerSignature on server generated error pages.</li>
</ul>
POT file is included, translations are welcome.
<h3>Known Issues</h3>
I still haven’t tested this under WordPress multisite, issues have however been reported.
<h3>Additional Credit</h3>
Removal of the category base is based on iDope’s WP No Category Base but extended so that it works with category archives (ie.: “http://example.com/my-category/2010/12”).
Search redirection is based on Mark Jaquith’s Nice Search but extended so that it works with custom search base (ie.: “http://example.com/search-base/search-term”).
<h3>Stable Versions</h3>
For WordPress versions above 3.9 use the plugin version 3.4.
For WordPress versions above 3.4 use the plugin version 3.3.
For WordPress versions prior to 3.4 use the plugin version 2.7.2.1.

WP htaccess Control

Interface to customize the permalinks (author, category, archives and pagination) and htaccess file generated by WordPress.

Hikari Category Permalink vs WP htaccess Control