How to save ArcGIS process output to variable?

Question

I've created script in Python for ArcGIS that simplify Line, and make buffer from processed line.

input = "input.shp"
name = "bord"
buffer = "buffer.shp"
gp.SimplifyLine_management(name, input, "POINT_REMOVE", "2000 Meters", "FLAG_ERRORS", "NO_KEEP", "NO_CHECK")
gp.Buffer_analysis(input, buffer, "10 Meters", "FULL", "ROUND", "NONE", "")

but it this case, I have to create 2 shapefiles (one for intermediate results, and one for output). But is it possible to save for ex. intermediate results to variable, and then use it as parameter for buffer, and print out geometry of buffer(as array of vertexes) to the screen? I'm using ArcGIS 9.3

Answer 1

Perhaps this helps: You can write intermediate data to your computer's memory rather than to a shapefile on disk. Writing intermediate data to memory is extremely fast compared to writing to disk. Use the in_memory workspace:

in_memory

In this question you find some hints for the syntax and usage for in_memory workspace.

• Krystian: love this answer!! that is what I was looking for! thanks mate, 3days of searching.... :)