# Can multiple inter-cycle triggers be simplified?

**URL:** <https://cylc.discourse.group/t/can-multiple-inter-cycle-triggers-be-simplified/404>\
**Category:** Cylc Support\
**Created:** [November 26, 2021, 10:19pm UTC](https://cylc.discourse.group/t/can-multiple-inter-cycle-triggers-be-simplified/404 "2021-11-26T22:19:36Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![blaylockbk](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/free1/user_avatar/cylc.discourse.group/blaylockbk/32/157_2.png) [@blaylockbk](https://cylc.discourse.group/u/blaylockbk)\
**Post date:** [November 26, 2021, 10:19pm UTC](https://cylc.discourse.group/t/can-multiple-inter-cycle-triggers-be-simplified/404/1 "2021-11-26T22:19:36Z")

</div>

I have a workflow that generates hourly output, then a task that compiles results every 24 hours with a graph like the one below. Is there syntax that might make this graph more simple? Like specifying a range of previous cycles that a task depends.

```auto
[[[PT1H]]] 
 graph = """
    make_data
"""
[[[T23!^]]]
graph = """
    make_data => join_all

    # But only do `join_all` if all the previous hours have completed
    make_data[-PT1H] => join_all
    make_data[-PT2H] => join_all
    make_data[-PT3H] => join_all
    make_data[-PT4H] => join_all
    make_data[-PT5H] => join_all
    make_data[-PT6H] => join_all
    make_data[-PT7H] => join_all
    make_data[-PT8H] => join_all
    make_data[-PT9H] => join_all
    make_data[-PT10H] => join_all
    make_data[-PT11H] => join_all
    make_data[-PT12H] => join_all
    make_data[-PT13H] => join_all
    make_data[-PT14H] => join_all
    make_data[-PT15H] => join_all
    make_data[-PT16H] => join_all
    make_data[-PT17H] => join_all
    make_data[-PT18H] => join_all
    make_data[-PT19H] => join_all
    make_data[-PT20H] => join_all
    make_data[-PT21H] => join_all
    make_data[-PT22H] => join_all
    make_data[-PT23H] => join_all
"""

```

Thanks for your ideas and pointing out anything I have missed in the docs.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![oliver.sanders](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/free1/user_avatar/cylc.discourse.group/oliver.sanders/32/110_2.png) [@oliver.sanders](https://cylc.discourse.group/u/oliver.sanders)\
**Post date:** [November 29, 2021, 11:18am UTC](https://cylc.discourse.group/t/can-multiple-inter-cycle-triggers-be-simplified/404/2 "2021-11-29T11:18:26Z")

</div>

Hello,

This sort of dependency is a little tricky to express in the raw config at present. The best solution I can offer is to use Jinja2 to automate the dependency writing:

```ini
#!Jinja2
                                                                                                         
[scheduling]    
    initial cycle point = previous(T00)    
    [[dependencies]]    
        [[[PT1H]]]    
            graph = """    
                make_data    
            """    
        [[[T23!^]]]    
            graph = """    
{% for offset in range(24) %}    
                make_data[-PT{{ offset }}H] => join_all    
{% endfor %}    
            """

```

Which expands to this:

```ini
[scheduling]
    initial cycle point = previous(T00)
    [[dependencies]]
        [[[PT1H]]]
            graph = make_data
        [[[T23!^]]]
            graph = """
                make_data[-PT0H] => join_all
                make_data[-PT1H] => join_all
                make_data[-PT2H] => join_all
                make_data[-PT3H] => join_all
                make_data[-PT4H] => join_all
                make_data[-PT5H] => join_all
                make_data[-PT6H] => join_all
                make_data[-PT7H] => join_all
                make_data[-PT8H] => join_all
                make_data[-PT9H] => join_all
                make_data[-PT10H] => join_all
                make_data[-PT11H] => join_all
                make_data[-PT12H] => join_all
                make_data[-PT13H] => join_all
                make_data[-PT14H] => join_all
                make_data[-PT15H] => join_all
                make_data[-PT16H] => join_all
                make_data[-PT17H] => join_all
                make_data[-PT18H] => join_all
                make_data[-PT19H] => join_all
                make_data[-PT20H] => join_all
                make_data[-PT21H] => join_all
                make_data[-PT22H] => join_all
                make_data[-PT23H] => join_all
            """

```

To make it prettier you can put the Jinja2 logic into a macro or a [custom filter](https://cylc.github.io/cylc-doc/stable/html/suite-config.html?highlight=custom%20filter#custom-jinja2-filters-tests-and-globals).

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![blaylockbk](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/free1/user_avatar/cylc.discourse.group/blaylockbk/32/157_2.png) [@blaylockbk](https://cylc.discourse.group/u/blaylockbk)\
**Post date:** [December 1, 2021, 10:25pm UTC](https://cylc.discourse.group/t/can-multiple-inter-cycle-triggers-be-simplified/404/3 "2021-12-01T22:25:34Z")

</div>

Thanks for the tip! Yes, Jinja is what I needed.