Copy Features slowing down Model after many iterations

Question

I would like to make catchments for many thousands of points using Network Analyst. The number of points is too big for one "Solve," so I am iterating through each point, solving and exporting the shapefile

I used Model Builder to start:

It works, but after a few thousand catchments it begins to slow down. Watching the geoprocessing window, I see "Copy Features" is the culprit: after each iteration it seems to hang on it longer and longer. The add location/solve seem to operate at the same speed. I tried adding a delete "in_memory" to the model but it didn't help. I would like to know what could be causing the "Copy Features" to drag, and if it is possible to fix it.

With model builder it is hard to figure out what is going on. I would like to switch to python but am stymied there as well (see this question)

Answer 1

I've come across similar issues with mass automation generating thousands of files.

An issue is that you are filling a folder with thousands of datasets which all have one feature, this would have an impact.

I would consider either writing them to a file geodatabase or combine them in some manner.

• You could turn your model into a sub-model and pass out a collection of files to a master model with a merge tool. This approach works if you process your data in batches.
• You could try to append the output of the network solve into a single featureclass.

I think it would be smarter and far more efficient to collect your output into a single dataset rather than generate thousands of individual datasets.