Create a Trace (SQL Server Profiler)

  • Article

This topic describes how to use SQL Server Profiler to create a trace.

To create a trace

  1. On the File menu, click New Trace, and connect to an instance of SQL Server.

    The Trace Properties dialog box appears.

    Note

    The Trace Properties dialog box fails to appear, and the trace begins instead, if Start tracing immediately after making connection is selected. To turn off this setting, on the Toolsmenu, click Options, and clear the Start tracing immediately after making connection check box.

  2. In the Trace name box, type a name for the trace.

  3. In the Use the template list, select a trace template on which to base the trace, or select Blank if you do not want to use a template.

  4. To save the trace results, do one of the following:

    • Click Save to fileto capture the trace to a file. Specify a value for Set maximum file size. The default value is 5 megabytes (MB).

      Optionally, select Enable file rollover to automatically create new files when the maximum file size is reached. You can also optionally select Server processes trace data, which causes the service that is running the trace to process trace data instead of the client application. When the server processes trace data, no events are skipped even under stress conditions, but server performance may be affected.

    • Click Save to table to capture the trace to a database table.

      Optionally, click Set maximum rows, and specify a value.

    Warning

    When you do not save the trace results to a file or table, you can view the trace while SQL Server Profiler is open. However, you lose the trace results after you stop the trace and close SQL Server Profiler. To avoid losing the trace results in this way, click Save on the File menu to save the results before you close SQL Server Profiler.

  5. Optionally, select the Enable trace stop time check box, and specify a stop date and time.

  6. To add or remove events, data columns or filters, click the Events Selectiontab. For more information, see: Specify Events and Data Columns for a Trace File (SQL Server Profiler)

  7. Click Run to start the trace.

See Also

Tasks

Correlate a Trace with Windows Performance Log Data (SQL Server Profiler)

Concepts

Permissions Required to Run SQL Server Profiler

SQL Server Profiler

Other Resources

SQL Server Profiler Templates and Permissions