Edit

Share via

View the Extended Events Equivalents to SQL Trace Event Classes

Applies to: SQL Server Azure SQL Database Azure SQL Managed Instance SQL database in Microsoft Fabric Preview

Learn how the SQL Trace events map to Extended Events events and actions. You can collect event data that is equivalent to SQL Trace event classes and columns.

You can use the following procedure to view the Extended Events events and actions that are equivalent to each SQL Trace event and its associated columns.

To run T-SQL commands, use SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS), the MSSQL extension for Visual Studio Code, sqlcmd, or your favorite T-SQL querying tool.

View the Extended Events equivalents to SQL Trace events using Query Editor

  • From a Query Editor in SQL Server Management Studio, run the following query:

    SELECT DISTINCT
    tb.trace_event_id,
    te.name            AS 'Event Class',
    em.package_name    AS 'Package',
    em.xe_event_name   AS 'XEvent Name',
    tb.trace_column_id,
    tc.name            AS 'SQL Trace Column',
    am.xe_action_name  AS 'Extended Events action'
FROM
              sys.trace_events         AS te
    LEFT JOIN sys.trace_xe_event_map   AS em ON te.trace_event_id  = em.trace_event_id
    LEFT JOIN sys.trace_event_bindings AS tb ON em.trace_event_id  = tb.trace_event_id
    LEFT JOIN sys.trace_columns        AS tc ON tb.trace_column_id = tc.trace_column_id
    LEFT JOIN sys.trace_xe_action_map  AS am ON tc.trace_column_id = am.trace_column_id
ORDER BY te.name, tc.name;

Note:

  • If all columns return NULL except for the Event Class column, the event class was not migrated from SQL Trace.

  • If only the value in the Extended Events action column is NULL, either of the following conditions is true:

    • The SQL Trace column maps to one of the data fields that is associated with the Extended Events event.

    • Each Extended Events event has a default set of data fields that are automatically included in the result set.

    • The action column does not have a meaningful Extended Events equivalent. An example is the EventClass column in SQL Trace. This column is not needed in Extended Events because the event name serves the same purpose.

  • Extended Events uses a single event to replace user configurable SQL Trace event classes (UserConfigurable:1 through UserConfigurable:9). The event is named user_event. This event is raised by using sp_trace_generateevent, which is the same stored procedure that is used by SQL Trace. The user_event event is returned regardless of which event ID is passed to the stored procedure. However, an event_id field is returned as part of the event data, which you can use to build a predicate based on the event ID. For example, if you use UserConfigurable:0 (event ID = 82) in the code, you can add the user_event event to the session, and specify a predicate of event_id = 82. Therefore, you do not have to change the code because the sp_trace_generateevent stored procedure generates the Extended Events user_event event, and the equivalent SQL Trace event class.

Related content