# MailScanner Installation Guide — Minimum Code Status

You have probably been sent to this web page by an error message that is put in your mail log when you first try to run MailScanner.

## The 'Minimum Code Status' option

- Do not edit the source code.
- At the very end of the `mailscanner.conf` file, you will find an option setting called "`Minimum Code Status`". This is what you need to edit.
- This option is intended to make sure that you do not accidentally run code that is not yet fully tested and supported. The various possible settings are noted in the `mailscanner.conf` file itself, and also here.
- Various sections of MailScanner code are marked as being in a particular state. As MailScanner runs, it checks that each of these sections of code is marked as being at least as good as the "`Minimum Code Status`" option in your `mailscanner.conf`.
- The 'best' status is "`supported`", followed by "`beta`", "`alpha`" and "`none`". So, if for example you set "`Minimum Code Status`" to "`beta`" then code marked "`alpha`" or "`none`" will cause an error, and code marked "`beta`" or "`supported`" will be run as normal.
- The default setting is "`supported`". This means that any code marked as "`alpha`" or "`beta`" or "`none`" will cause MailScanner to stop and log an error message referring you to this page.

## Definitions

Code Status | Meaning
`supported` | The code should be reliable and has been tested by the author and other users.
`beta` | The code has been tested by a small number of people and is believed to work, but still needs further testing.
`alpha` | The code has not been adequately tested, but the author has tried it and expects it is close to working. You should not assume that it works. If you are to assume anything, assume that it is broken.
`unsupported` | The code may not even have been tested by us at all, and you should assume that it is broken. We probably don't have access to all that would be required to test it, or to keep it up-to-date. Risky.
`none` | The code might be known to be broken, incomplete, missing or otherwise undesirable. Very risky.

## Virus Scanner Support

At the time of writing (2003/05/01), the status of the MailScanner code to support the various anti-virus scanners is as listed below. If you successfully use one that is listed as less than "`supported`" for a period of time, please let us know so that we can eventually upgrade its status to "`supported`".

Virus Scanner | `Minimum Code Status` Required
AntiVir | supported
Bitdefender | beta
ClamAV | supported
CommandAV | supported
eTrust | supported
F-Prot | supported
F-Secure | supported
Inoculan | supported
InoculateIT | supported
Kaspersky | supported
KavDaemon | supported
McAfee | supported
Nod32 | supported
Panda | supported
RAV | supported
SophosSAVI | supported
Sophos | supported
Trend | alpha
None | none (special case)

## Notes

The virus scanner "None" is there so that MailScanner can be run as a complete filename-extension blocking and spam identification package without the need for any virus scanner at all.

Note that although the "None" scanner is listed at the worst possible status -- "none" -- you do not need to set your "`Minimum Code Status`" to anything other than "`supported`" to use it, as MailScanner should never get as far as trying to run a scanner when configured in this way. If it did, it would be a bug, and this setting would catch it.

As mentioned above, we would be very grateful if anyone successfully using the scanners that are not listed as "`supported`" (Bitdefender and Trend at present) would let us know. That way we can get them up to the full "supported" level. At the moment we are just being cautious.

Julian Field