Relation between --create-prefs and --nouser-config in spamd

[William Abel <da...@abelonline.de>]

I don't understand the relation between the spamd arguments --create-prefs and 
--nouser-config.  They seem to be disparate but I see them being used together 
in many configuration guides that set OPTIONS for spamd. User preferences files 
and user config files sound to me like they are the same.

Why are they not incompatible and what exactly happens if both options are 
provided?

Regards
William

Re: Relation between --create-prefs and --nouser-config in spamd

[Kris Deugau <kd...@vianet.ca>]

William Abel wrote:
> I don't understand the relation between the spamd arguments --create-prefs and 
> --nouser-config.  They seem to be disparate but I see them being used together 
> in many configuration guides that set OPTIONS for spamd. User preferences files 
> and user config files sound to me like they are the same.
> 
> Why are they not incompatible and what exactly happens if both options are 
> provided?

Re-reading the spamd man page again, I'd guess that if used together you
will end up creating per-user preferences files (--create-prefs), and
then ignoring them (--nouser-config).  It's strange and rather pointless
to recommend them together, but they're not actively opposing actions.

IMO, the more inconsistent set of options is this:

--virtual-config-dir=dir          Enable pattern based Virtual configs
                                          (needs -x)

vs:

-x, --nouser-config               Disable user config files

What if I want to put per-user configuration in some arbitrary place
that is not in their system home directory?  You're forced into using
one of:

    -q, --sql-config                  Enable SQL config (needs -x)
    -Q, --setuid-with-sql             Enable SQL config (needs -x,
                                      enables use of -H)
    --ldap-config                     Enable LDAP config (needs -x)
    --setuid-with-ldap                Enable LDAP config (needs -x,
                                      enables use of -H)

since you can no longer use filesystem-based per-user preferences.

-kgd

Re: Relation between --create-prefs and --nouser-config in spamd

[RW <rw...@googlemail.com>]

On Mon, 09 May 2016 15:24:16 +0200
William Abel wrote:

> I don't understand the relation between the spamd arguments
> --create-prefs and --nouser-config.  They seem to be disparate but I
> see them being used together in many configuration guides that set
> OPTIONS for spamd. User preferences files and user config files sound
> to me like they are the same.


--nouser-config is a misnomer, IIRC it means don't use files under
${HOME}/.spamassassin/. You need to set it if you set
--virtual-config-dir, otherwise spamd still looks in the home directory
of the user it's running as.