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Trace Properties (General Tab)

Use the General tab of the Trace Properties dialog box to view or specify properties of a trace.

Options

  • Trace name
    Specify the name of the trace.

  • Trace provider name
    Shows the name of the instance of SQL Server that will be traced. This field is populated automatically with the name of the server that you specified when you connected. To change the name of the trace provider, click Cancel to close the dialog box, and start a new trace.

  • Trace provider type
    Shows the server type that is providing the trace. The trace definition file populates the Trace provider type field automatically. You cannot modify this field.

  • version
    Shows the version of the server that is providing the trace. The trace definition file populates the Version field automatically. You cannot modify this field.

  • Use the template
    Select a template from the template directory. The directory is populated with the default templates and any user-defined templates created for the current trace provider type.

  • Save to file
    Capture the trace data to a .trc file. Saving trace data is useful for later review and analysis.

  • Set maximum file size (MB)
    If you choose to save the trace data to a file, you must specify the maximum size of the trace file. The default is 5 megabytes (MB). The maximum size is limited only by the file system (NTFS, FAT) where the file is saved.

  • <Graphic> Save As
    After you have selected to save, you can select this icon to change the file name.

  • Enable file rollover
    Select to enable the creation of additional files to accept the trace data when the maximum file size is reached. Each new file name consists of the original .trc file name, numbered sequentially. For example, once it reaches maximum file size, NewTrace.trc closes, and a new file, NewTrace_1.trc, opens, followed by NewTrace_2.trc, and so on. File rollover is enabled by default when you save a trace to a file.

  • Server processes trace data
    Specify that the server running the trace should process the trace data. Using this option reduces the performance overhead incurred by tracing. If selected, no events are skipped even under stress conditions. If this check box is cleared, processing is performed by SQL Server Profiler, and there is a possibility that some events are not traced under stress conditions.

  • Save to table
    Capture the trace data to a database table. Saving trace data is useful for later review and analysis. However, saving trace data to a table can incur significant overhead on the server where the trace is being saved. If possible, do not save the trace table on the same server that is being traced.

  • <Graphic> Destination Table
    After you have selected to save the trace data to a database table, you can select this icon to change the table name.

  • Set maximum rows (in thousands)
    Specify the largest number of rows in which to save data. The default is 1000 rows.

  • Enable trace stop time
    Set the date and time for the trace to end and close itself.