sys.dm_xe_objects (Transact-SQL)

Applies to: SQL Server Azure SQL Database Azure SQL Managed Instance

Returns a row for each object that is exposed by an event package. Objects can be one of the following:

  • Events. Events indicate points of interest in an execution path. All events contain information about a point of interest.

  • Actions. Actions are run synchronously when events fire. An action can append run time data to an event.

  • Targets. Targets consume events, either synchronously on the thread that fires the event or asynchronously on a system-provided thread.

  • Predicates. Predicate sources retrieve values from event sources for use in comparison operations. Predicate comparisons compare specific data types and return a Boolean value.

  • Types. Types encapsulate the length and characteristics of the byte collection, which is required in order to interpret the data.

Column name Data type Description
name nvarchar(60) The name of the object. name is unique within a package for a specific object type. Is not nullable.
object_type nvarchar(60) The type of the object. object_type is one of the following:

event

action

target

pred_source

pred_compare

type

Is not nullable.
package_guid uniqueidentifier The GUID for the package that exposes this action. There is a many-to-one relationship with sys.dm_xe_packages.package_id. Is not nullable.
description nvarchar(256) A description of the action. description is set by the package author. Is not nullable.
capabilities int A bitmap that describes the capabilities of the object. Is nullable.
capabilities_desc nvarchar(256) Lists all the capabilities of the object. Is nullable.

Capabilities that apply to all object types

-
Private. The only object available for internal use, and that cannot be accessed via the CREATE/ALTER EVENT SESSION DDL. Audit events and targets fall into this category in addition to a small number of objects used internally.

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Event Capabilities

-
No_block. The event is in a critical code path that cannot block for any reason. Events with this capability may not be added to any event session that specifies NO_EVENT_LOSS.

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Capabilities that apply to all object types

-
Process_whole_buffers. The target consumes buffers of events at a time, rather than event by event.

-
Singleton. Only one instance of the target can exist in a process. Although multiple event sessions can reference the same singleton target there is really only one instance, and that instance will see each unique event only once. This is important if the target is added to multiple sessions that all collect the same event.

-
Synchronous. The target is executed on the thread that is producing the event, before control is returned to the calling code line.
type_name nvarchar(60) The name for pred_source and pred_compare objects. Is nullable.
type_package_guid uniqueidentifier The GUID for the package that exposes the type that this object operates on. Is nullable.
type_size int The size, in bytes, of the data type. This is only for valid object types. Is nullable.

Permissions

Requires VIEW SERVER STATE permission on the server.

Permissions for SQL Server 2022 and later

Requires VIEW SERVER PERFORMANCE STATE permission on the server.

Relationship cardinalities

From To Relationship
sys.dm_xe_objects.package_guid sys.dm_xe_packages.guid Many-to-one

Next steps

Learn more about related concepts in the following articles: