rewrite_wrapper.php

<?php

  /**
   * A wordpress rewrite wrapper
   *
   * @param  string $alias
   * @param  string $url
   * @return null
   */
  function connect( $alias, $url )
  {

    $this->routes[ $alias ] = $url;

    $temporary = array_filter(explode( '/', $url ));
    $pagename = reset( $temporary );

    $parameters = array();
    $arguments  = array();

    // the pattern for detecting parameters
    $pattern = '/[:]([a-zA-Z_]+)/';
    $replacement = '([^/]*)';

    // detect all the parameters
    preg_match_all( $pattern, $url, $parameters );
    $parameters = end( $parameters );

    $arguments = array_pad( $arguments, count($parameters), '([^/]+)' );

    // generate the rule
    $rule = "({$pagename})/" . implode( '/', $arguments ) . "/?$";

    // generate the full path
    $path = "index.php?pagename=\$matches[1]&";

    foreach( $parameters as $key => $parameter )
    {
      $id = $key + 2;

      $path .= "{$parameter}=\$matches[{$id}]&";
    }

    $path = rtrim( $path, '&' );

    // push the rewrite rules in
    add_filter( 'rewrite_rules_array', function( $rules ) use ( $rule, $path ) {
      $new_rules = array( $rule => $path );

      // push your rules first for priority
      return $new_rules + $rules;
    });


    // make sure that the parameters are set in `get_query_vars`
    add_filter( 'query_vars', function( $vars ) use ( $parameters ){
      foreach( $parameters as $parameter )
        array_push( $vars, $parameter );

      return $vars;
    });

    // flush the rules
    add_action( 'template_redirect', function() use ( $rule ) {

      $rules = get_option( 'rewrite_rules' );

      if(isset( $rules[ $rule ] ))
        return;

      global $wp_rewrite;
      $wp_rewrite->flush_rules();
    });

  }