Dynamo graph increase in size after run

Civil 3D
1

We have developed a dynamo graph in Civil 3D 2021 (because the project run that version) to create piles as solids.
The inputs for creation is a excel file with data (pattern, alignment name, surface names, type of pile) and a dwg file with surfaces and alignment.
In the graph we have several python nodes that create coordinates for the piles based on pattern, start station/end station, intervall and distance between the piles. we add payitems to some objects and property sets to solids.
Finally the graph export all objects to different dwg-files based on their object types using a python node

The issue is that the dynamo graph increase dramatically in size and the %temp% folder does the same.

For now we test to upgrade the graph to 2023 and use No Bindings and set as many nodes as possible to “No preview”. Is this the correct way to deal with it?

So my question is, is there any reasons that a graph might cause the %temp% folder and the graph to grow and how can we prevent this to happen?

2

Graph growing is almost certainly element binding. If you post the .dyn I can have a look to confirm. You can also do a document comparison yourself by doing the following:

  1. Make the file small, either by copy/pasting to a new file or otherwise clearing the data. Save once small as “myGraph.dyn”.
  2. Copy the file in windows explorer and name the copy “myGraphSmall.dyn”.
  3. Run the graph and save it to increase the file size.
  4. Copy the graph and rename it to “myGraphLarge.dyn”.
  5. Use Notepad++ or similar application to open both documents and do a document comparison, which will highlight what was added to the larger graph.

The %temp% folder is harder to dientify, but my gut says it’s due to how Civil 3D handles object creation, and likely how it handles move data between DWGs - hard to see without the source code thereof though, and we can’t go poking at the right repo until we have the .dyn as well. It would help to know what types of files are being added? dwg? dwl? bak? sat? Something else?

3

This is probably related to Element Binding, there is posts on this forum about this but you will want to see the Civil 3d version as it can work a little bit different to the revit version

4

Thanks for your reply @jacob.small, as always I appreciate it very much.
We can’t share the graph because it kind of company sensitive but we will try your solution and also try to run it in Civil 3D 2023 as well, with No Binding as default.

For the inputs and out it’s only dwg’s except a xslx as an input and a csv as an output
KR,
Patrick

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