HOW DOES ONE STOP an alert file from being Produced?

["Jacob, Raymond A Jr" <raymond.jacob () navy mil>]

I know this is an old question. However, I could not find the answer.
I am sending alerts a mysql database so I don't need the alert file.
What has been done in the past, was to periodically delete the alertfile.
I thought there was a switch or a config statement I could use.
I tried config alertfile: /dev/null. Stopped snort. Restarted snort.
The alertfile is still generated.

Thank you,
Raymond