WP site won’t generate .htaccess file

Our WP site recently changed domain names. I got the site working again (by editing the database) The srticles I read on this topic recommend making changes to the .htaccess file. I am unable to get the wordpress site to generate a .htaccess file (despite taking the recommended steps in the permalinks section). The server is not hiding the files, and the webhost has verified no file is being created.

In response, the webhost created a blank file named .htaccess. Can someone please advise me what to do here? I’m not sure that I should be editing a blank .htaccess file.