Merge Action

The merge action merges a sequence of layers, determined by a critera, into a single layer.

This is not the merge action you are looking for… Note

If you want to periodically merge older layers to reclaim archive space, you probably want to use the rolling merge action, instead of this one.

Merge Rules

The merge action uses two rules to choose two layers in the archive, called the "From" layer and the "Through" layer. Those two layers, and all layers in between, will be merged into a single layer when the action is run.

Each layer is chosen by specifying a starting point, a unit, and a count. The layer chosen by each rule will be the layer that is count number of units from the starting point.

Starting point

A starting point can be either a specific layer:

After First Layer: The starting layer is the first (oldest) layer in the archive.
Before Last Layer: The starting layer is the last (most recent) layer in the archive.

a time:

Before Today: The starting time is the beginning (12:00 midnight or 00:00) of the day the action is run.
Before Now: The starting time will be the exact time the action is run.

or the layer selected by the other rule:

Before Through: Layer: The starting layer for the From rule will be the layer chosen by the Through rule.
After From: Layer: The starting layer for the Through rule will be the layer chosen by the From rule.

When the starting point is a time, the layer selected is the first later captured at, or after, that time.

Count

Counting is done forward in time for starting points that begin with the word "After," and backwards in time for starting points the begin with the word "Before."

Unit

A unit can be:

Layers: The count is a number of layers from the starting layer. To choose the starting layer itself, use a count of 0 (zero). Layer counting requires a starting layer; it can't be used with a starting time.
Hours, Days, Weeks, Months, or Years: The count is a number of time units from a starting time or the time of the starting layer. The chosen layer will be the one farthest from the starting layer that is within the time interval.

Rule bounds Note

If a rule would choose a layer before the first layer, or after the last layer, the first or last layer is chosen (respectively).

If both rules choose the same layer, or if the "From" layer is after (more recent than) the "Through" layer, the merge action does nothing.

Examples:

2 Layers After First Layer: This rule will always choose layer 3.
0 Layers Before Last Layer: This rule will always choose the last layer.
3 Days Before Today: This rule will choose the first layer who's date is on or after midnight three days ago. If today is May 15, it would choose the first layer dated on or after May 12, 00:00.
7 Days After From: Layer: This Through rule would choose the last layer that was no more than 7 days (168 hours) after the date of the layer chosen by the From rule.