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Notes / FAQ

• Currently, for 3.1.1+ and 3.2.0, to use any channel for updates requires that updates.spamassassin.org also be used. This is because once the update directory exists, the SpamAssassin modules expect to find all rules in that directory.
  Can plugins be distributed via updates/channels?
  

  indent
  \\ From a technical standpoint, updates can contain plugins. However, the default channel, updates.spamassassin.org, will not publish plugins using this method at this time since people are likely not ready to accept automatic code updates. \\

  
  After sa-update completes, do I have to move the files somewhere for them to be used?
  

  indent
  \\ No. By default, sa-update and the [SpamAssassin] modules use the same location for updates. This means that after a successful update run, the new rules are available for use. As usual, if using spamd, a restart is required for the new rules to be read in and enabled. \\ use. As usual, if using spamd, a restart is required for the new rules to be read in and enabled

  
  Should I use "--updatedir" to put updates in the default rules directory (ie: /usr/share/spamassassin), or the site rules directory (ie: /etc/mail/spamassassin)?
  

  indent
  \\ No! Those two directories have specific uses, and attempting to install updates to that directory will likely cripple your [SpamAssassin] installation. This is because when an update is installed, all previous files in the directory are removed first. \\

  
  If I use "--updatedir" to install an update in a subdirectory of my site rules directory (ie: /etc/mail/spamassassin), a number of my local settings (typically set via local.cf) no longer function. Why?
  

  indent
  \\ This can happen if the update channel creates a channel file with a name lexically after the local settings, such as "updates_spamassassin_org.cf". For more information, read the "Using sa-update" section below, and also refer to the man page for "spamassassin". \\

  
  What do I need to do with-respect-to sa-update after a SpamAssassin upgrade?
  

  indent
  \\ Whenever you upgrade the version of [SpamAssassin] that's installed, the directory where the updates are expected to be changes (it's based on the version). So whenever you upgrade, you will want to run sa-update for all of the channels that you want to have installed. \\

  
  After upgrading SpamAssassin several times, there are a number of directories .../3.001001, .../3.001002, .../3.001003, etc. What should I do with them?
  

  indent
  \\ You definitely want to keep the latest version that matches the version of [SpamAssassin] that you have installed. However, the older versions can be removed whenever you like. \\

  
  After sa-update was used, the report contact setting becomes @@.
  

  indent
  \\ _This was fixed in 3.1.4._ This is a knownThis issue beingwas tracked in \[http://issues.apache.org/SpamAssassin/show_bug.cgi?id=4862 bug 4862\]. \\

  
  

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Simply put, channels are locations where sa-update can download rule and configuration files. By default, sa-update will use the updates.spamassassin.org channel to receive official updates from the SpamAssassin project, but anyone can create a channel and publish updates. By default, sa-update (and spamassassin) expect to find updates in the /var/lib/spamassassin/<spamassassin version> directory, which will have each channel in its own directory underneath. Each channel will also have a channel cf file and (optionally) a channel pre file to load the update's configurations in the update's parent directory. For example:

/var/lib/spamassassin
`-- 3.001001001004
    |-- updates_spamassassin_org
    `-- updates_spamassassin_org.cf

Shows the channel updates.spamassassin.org available for SpamAssassin 3.1.14, underneath the /var/lib/spamassassin directory.

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/var/lib/spamassassin
`-- 3.001001001004
    |-- updates_spamassassin_org
    `-- updates_spamassassin_org.cf

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