And another one from Pseudo Scott (Justin),

I'm running a family of simple transient thermal conduction problems in a very simple model. The deliverable is average heat flux but it's handy to have other parameters for quality control and trouble shooting. However, I admit I've confused myself...

Initially I selected Calc Control Options/Savings/Full Results/Periodic/Physical time (s) and then exported Point Parameter data (for a point of interest) and Goal Plot data for a surface of interest. The simulations took a very long time (I know I know... Flow is Slow), and exporting the Point Parameter data in particular took a *very* long time, longer than running the simulation, and the resulting data files were quickly filling up 500 gig drives...  Which seemed kind of crazy just for exporting temp, density, and a couple other parameters. However exporting the Goal Plot data, also at all time steps, was very quick. Looking at the resulting data folders show a giant pile of *.fld files, probably at each time step. (Should I guess that these *.fld files contain all model state variables at each node point or something, for the life of the analysis?)

So, now I have selected Calc Control Options/Savings/Full Results/Tabular/Physical time (s).  The simulations are much faster with the same mesh, and exporting Point Parameter and Goal data to Excel is also very fast. I still have Goal data at all time steps, however I only have Point Parameter data at the beginning and end of the run. There are only couple *.fld files, and the disk space usage is very low.

So...   I guess I don't fully understand the different between Periodic and Tabular results, since they are both "Full Results" (I'm looking right at the "Saving Results and Backup Files" section in the Online User's Guide). Why can I get Goal data at each time step but not data at a point of interest?  I haven't specified anything in the "Savings Table" (which isn't super explicit either) so maybe it's just defaulting to beginning and end time snapshots?

Any thoughts on how I can capture results at each time step (or maybe even a subset of time steps) for a handful of parameters but not break the time and disk-space banks would be appreciated. Is it as simple as defining a Goal at the Point of interest?

Thanks very much for your time,

Justin Smith

Mechanical Engineering Consultant

307.431.4404 (cell)

Stone Aerospace

3511 Caldwell Lane

Del Valle, TX 78617