How to: Save Showplan XML Statistics Profile Events Separately (SQL Server Profiler)

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This topic describes how to save Showplan XML Statistics Profile events that are captured in traces into separate .SQLPlan files by using SQL Server Profiler. You can open the Showplan XML Statistics Profile event files in SQL Server Management Studio, which enables you to view the graphical execution plan for each event.

To save Showplan XML statistics events separately

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

    The Trace Properties dialog box appears.

    Note

    If Start tracing immediately after making connection is selected, the Trace Properties dialog box does not appear and the trace begins instead. To turn off this setting, on the Tools menu, click Options, and clear the Start tracing immediately after making connection check box.

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

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

  4. Do one of the following:

    • Click Save to file to capture the trace to a file. Specify a value for Set maximum file size.
      Optionally select Enable file rollover and Server processes trace data.
    • Click Save to table to capture the trace to a database table.
      Optionally click Set maximum rows, and specify a value.

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

  6. Click the Events Selection tab.

  7. In the Events data column, expand the Performance event category, and then select the Showplan XML Statistics Profile check box. If the Performance event category is not available, check Show all events to display it.

    The Events Extraction Settings tab is added to the Trace Properties dialog.

  8. On the Events Extraction Settings tab, click Save XML Showplan events separately.

  9. In the Save As dialog box, enter the file name to store the Showplan XML Statistics Profile events.

  10. Click All batches in a single file to save all Showplan XML Statistics Profile events in a single XML file, or click Each XML Showplan batch in a distinct file to create a new XML file for each Showplan XML Statistics Profile event.

  11. To view the Showplan XML Statistics Profile event file in SQL Server Management Studio, on the File menu, point to Open, and click File. Navigate to the directory where you saved the Showplan XML Statistics Profile event file or files to select one and open it. Showplan XML Statistics Profile event files have a .SQLPlan file extension.

See Also

Concepts

Analyzing Queries with SHOWPLAN Results in SQL Server Profiler

Help and Information

Getting SQL Server 2005 Assistance