• Tripped over this same issue myself, even wrote an article about it long ago;

    this is a much-improved-since-that-article version of a proc I've created this procedure named "sp_ScriptAnyTrace"

    which scripts out any trace to make it portable and also well documented by commenting Every event , every column captured, and every filter.

    I consider this a must have in the TSQL toolbox.

    --#################################################################################################

    --sp_ScriptAnyTrace

    -- a procedure to duplicate any trace on a given server, with the added benefit of

    --adding comments to make the output much more readable

    --and understandable to determine what a given trace was actually doing.

    --#################################################################################################

    --usage: for any given traceId on your server, pass the trace ID:

    --EXEC sp_ScriptAnyTrace 1

    --EXEC sp_ScriptAnyTrace 2

    --EXEC sp_ScriptAnyTrace 3

    --find the traces you have with this:

    --select * from sys.traces

    --drop procedure sp_ScriptAnyTrace

    --#################################################################################################

    CREATE PROCEDURE [dbo].[sp_ScriptAnyTrace](@traceid INT)

    AS

    BEGIN

    SET NOCOUNT ON

    DECLARE @Results TABLE(

    ResultsId INT IDENTITY(1, 1),

    ResultsText VARCHAR(MAX))

    IF NOT EXISTS(SELECT 1

    FROM sys.traces

    WHERE id = @traceid)

    BEGIN

    INSERT INTO @Results

    (ResultsText)

    SELECT 'No trace exists with ID = ' + CONVERT(VARCHAR, @traceid)

    SELECT *

    FROM @Results

    ORDER BY

    ResultsID

    RETURN

    END

    INSERT INTO @Results

    (ResultsText)

    SELECT '--#################################################################################################'

    UNION ALL

    SELECT '-- Scripting trace_id ' + convert(varchar,@traceid) + ' from server ' + @@servername

    UNION ALL

    SELECT '-- Trace Last Started/Restarted on ' + DATENAME(dw,start_time) + ' ' + CONVERT(VARCHAR,start_time,111) + ' - ' + CONVERT(VARCHAR,start_time,114) from sys.traces where id=@traceid

    UNION ALL

    SELECT '-- Scripted for Review/Analysis on ' + DATENAME(dw,getdate()) + ' ' + CONVERT(VARCHAR,GETDATE(),111) + ' - ' + CONVERT(VARCHAR,GETDATE(),114)

    UNION ALL

    SELECT '--#################################################################################################'

    INSERT INTO @Results

    (ResultsText)

    SELECT '--declare variables for parameterizing the command '

    UNION ALL

    SELECT ' declare @traceidout int '

    UNION ALL

    SELECT ' declare @myoptions int '

    UNION ALL

    SELECT ' declare @mypath nvarchar(256) '

    UNION ALL

    SELECT ' declare @mymaxfilesize bigint '

    UNION ALL

    SELECT ' declare @mymaxRolloverFiles int '

    UNION ALL

    SELECT ' declare @mystoptime datetime '

    UNION ALL

    SELECT ' declare @on bit '

    UNION ALL

    SELECT ' '

    UNION ALL

    SELECT ' set @on = 1 --for scripting purposes, I think its better Always setting a script to start the trace after creation.'

    --script the settings from sys.traces

    INSERT INTO @Results

    (ResultsText)

    SELECT ' set @mymaxfilesize = ' + CASE

    WHEN max_size IS NULL

    THEN '20'

    ELSE CONVERT(VARCHAR, max_size)

    END + ' --size in MB '

    FROM sys.traces

    WHERE id = @traceid

    INSERT INTO @Results

    (ResultsText)

    SELECT ' set @mymaxRolloverFiles = ' + CASE

    WHEN max_files IS NULL

    THEN ' 5 '

    ELSE CONVERT(VARCHAR, max_files)

    END + ' --number of files; ie if 5 files, start rewriting on rollover '

    FROM sys.traces

    WHERE id = @traceid

    INSERT INTO @Results

    (ResultsText)

    SELECT ' set @mystoptime = ' + CASE

    WHEN stop_time IS NULL

    THEN 'NULL'

    ELSE '''' + CONVERT(VARCHAR(40), stop_time, 121) + ''''

    END + ' -- null if never ends, else a specific date '

    FROM sys.traces

    WHERE id = @traceid

    INSERT INTO @Results

    (ResultsText)

    SELECT ' set @myoptions = ' + CONVERT(VARCHAR, (2 * is_rollover) + (4 * is_shutdown)) + ' -- TRACE_FILE_ROLLOVER = ' + CASE

    WHEN is_rollover = 1

    THEN 'TRUE'

    ELSE 'FALSE'

    END + ', SHUTDOWN_ON_ERROR = ' + CASE

    WHEN is_shutdown = 1

    THEN 'TRUE'

    ELSE 'FALSE'

    END

    FROM sys.traces

    WHERE id = @traceid

    INSERT INTO @Results

    (ResultsText)

    SELECT '--This is the Actual Path on the scripted server.' UNION ALL

    SELECT ' SELECT @mypath = ''' + CASE

    WHEN PATH IS NULL

    THEN 'C:\Data\mytrace'

    ELSE LEFT(PATH, LEN(PATH) - 4)

    END + '''' + ' -- the trace adds ".trc" to the pathname, so avoid "name.trc.trc" by removing it for scripting '

    FROM sys.traces

    WHERE id = @traceid UNION ALL

    SELECT ' ' UNION ALL

    SELECT '--for Portability reasons, we change this in the script right after this actual path to get the path for the default trace, which we assume to exist on the server.' UNION ALL

    SELECT ' ' UNION ALL

    SELECT ' SELECT @mypath = REVERSE(SUBSTRING(REVERSE(path),CHARINDEX(''\'',REVERSE(path)),256)) FROM sys.traces WHERE is_default = 1'

    FROM sys.traces

    WHERE id = @traceid UNION ALL

    SELECT ' SELECT @mypath = @mypath + N''' + REPLACE(REVERSE(LEFT(REVERSE(ISNULL(path,'C:\Data\myprofilertrace')),CHARINDEX('\',REVERSE(ISNULL(path,'C:\Data\myprofilertrace'))) -1)),'.trc','') + ''' --system appends .trc automatically for the filename '

    FROM sys.traces

    WHERE id = @traceid

    INSERT INTO @Results

    (ResultsText)

    SELECT ''

    --sp_trace_create [ @traceid = ] trace_id OUTPUT

    --, [ @options = ] option_value

    --, [ @tracefile = ] 'trace_file'

    --[ , [ @maxfilesize = ] max_file_size ]

    --[ , [ @stoptime = ] 'stop_time' ]

    --[ , [ @filecount = ] 'max_rollover_files' ]

    INSERT INTO @Results

    (ResultsText)

    SELECT '--#################################################################################################'

    UNION ALL

    SELECT ' --create the trace '

    --if no rollover , do not include the @mymaxRolloverFiles

    IF EXISTS(SELECT 1 FROM sys.traces WHERE is_rollover = 1 AND id = @traceid)

    BEGIN

    INSERT INTO @Results

    (ResultsText)

    SELECT ' exec sp_trace_create @traceid = @traceidout output, ' UNION ALL

    SELECT ' @options = @myoptions, ' UNION ALL

    SELECT ' @tracefile = @mypath, ' UNION ALL

    SELECT ' @maxfilesize = @mymaxfilesize, ' UNION ALL

    SELECT ' @stoptime = @mystoptime '

    END

    ELSE

    BEGIN

    INSERT INTO @Results

    (ResultsText)

    SELECT ' exec sp_trace_create @traceid = @traceidout output, ' UNION ALL

    SELECT ' @options = @myoptions, ' UNION ALL

    SELECT ' @tracefile = @mypath, ' UNION ALL

    SELECT ' @maxfilesize = @mymaxfilesize, ' UNION ALL

    SELECT ' @stoptime = @mystoptime, ' UNION ALL

    SELECT ' @filecount = @mymaxRolloverFiles '

    END

    --details

    INSERT INTO @Results

    (ResultsText)

    SELECT ''

    INSERT INTO @Results

    (ResultsText)

    SELECT '--#################################################################################################'

    UNION ALL

    SELECT ' --Begin Event definitions '

    UNION ALL

    SELECT '--#################################################################################################'

    --exec sp_trace_setevent @traceidout, 12, 6, @on --SQL:BatchCompleted,NTUserName

    INSERT INTO @Results

    (ResultsText)

    SELECT ' exec sp_trace_setevent @traceidout,'

    + CONVERT(VARCHAR(MAX), X.eventid)

    + ','

    + CONVERT(VARCHAR(MAX), X.columnid)

    + ',@on '

    + SPACE(74 - LEN(' exec sp_trace_setevent @traceidout,'

    + CONVERT(VARCHAR(MAX), X.eventid)

    + ','

    + CONVERT(VARCHAR(MAX), X.columnid)

    + ',@on '))

    + '--' + ISNULL(E.Name, '') + ',' + ISNULL(V.name, '')

    FROM ::fn_trace_geteventinfo(@traceid) AS X

    INNER JOIN sys.trace_events E

    ON X.eventid = E.trace_event_id

    INNER JOIN sys.trace_columns V

    ON X.columnid = V.trace_column_id

    INSERT INTO @Results

    (ResultsText)

    SELECT ''

    INSERT INTO @Results

    (ResultsText)

    SELECT '--#################################################################################################'

    UNION ALL

    SELECT ' --End Event definitions '

    UNION ALL

    SELECT '--#################################################################################################'

    INSERT INTO @Results

    (ResultsText)

    SELECT ''

    INSERT INTO @Results

    (ResultsText)

    SELECT '--#################################################################################################'

    UNION ALL

    SELECT '--begin filter definitions'

    UNION ALL

    SELECT '--#################################################################################################'

    INSERT INTO @Results

    (ResultsText)

    SELECT ''

    INSERT INTO @Results

    (ResultsText)

    SELECT '-- WHERE 1 = 1'

    INSERT INTO @Results

    (ResultsText)

    SELECT

    '-- '

    + CASE

    WHEN logical_operator = 0

    THEN ' AND '

    ELSE ' OR '

    END

    + ISNULL(V.name, ' NULL')

    + CASE

    WHEN comparison_operator = 0

    THEN ' = '

    WHEN comparison_operator = 1

    THEN ' <> '

    WHEN comparison_operator = 2

    THEN ' > '

    WHEN comparison_operator = 3

    THEN ' < '

    WHEN comparison_operator = 4

    THEN ' >= '

    WHEN comparison_operator = 5

    THEN ' <= '

    WHEN comparison_operator = 6

    THEN ' LIKE '

    WHEN comparison_operator = 7

    THEN ' NOT LIKE '

    END

    + CASE

    WHEN VALUE IS NULL

    THEN ' NULL '

    --these are the(varchar) columns in the definition

    WHEN X.columnid IN ( 6, 7, 8, 10,

    11, 26, 34, 35,

    36, 37, 38, 39,

    40, 42, 45, 46,

    47, 59, 64 )

    THEN ' N''' + CONVERT(VARCHAR(8000), ISNULL(VALUE, ' NULL')) + ''' '

    --these are the int/bigint columns in the definition

    WHEN X.columnid IN ( 3, 4, 5, 9,

    12, 13, 16, 17,

    18, 19, 20, 21,

    22, 23, 24, 25,

    27, 28, 29, 30,

    31, 32, 33, 44,

    48, 49, 50, 51,

    52, 53, 55, 56,

    57, 58, 60, 61,

    62, 66 )

    THEN ' ' + CONVERT(VARCHAR(8000), ISNULL(VALUE, ' NULL')) + ' '

    --image/ntest/datetime/uniqueidentifier columns (1,2,14,15,41,43,54,63,65)

    ELSE ' N''' + CONVERT(VARCHAR(8000), ISNULL(VALUE, ' NULL')) + ''' '

    END

    FROM ::fn_trace_getfilterinfo(@traceid) X

    INNER JOIN sys.trace_columns V

    ON X.columnid = V.trace_column_id

    INSERT INTO @Results

    (ResultsText)

    SELECT ' exec sp_trace_setfilter @traceidout'

    + ','

    + CONVERT(VARCHAR, X.columnid)

    + ','

    + CONVERT(VARCHAR, logical_operator)

    + ','

    + CONVERT(VARCHAR, comparison_operator)

    + ','

    + CASE

    WHEN VALUE IS NULL

    THEN ' NULL '

    --these are the(varchar) columns in the definition

    WHEN X.columnid IN ( 6, 7, 8, 10,

    11, 26, 34, 35,

    36, 37, 38, 39,

    40, 42, 45, 46,

    47, 59, 64 )

    THEN ' N''' + CONVERT(VARCHAR(8000), ISNULL(VALUE, ' NULL')) + ''' '

    --these are the int/bigint columns in the definition

    WHEN X.columnid IN ( 3, 4, 5, 9,

    12, 13, 16, 17,

    18, 19, 20, 21,

    22, 23, 24, 25,

    27, 28, 29, 30,

    31, 32, 33, 44,

    48, 49, 50, 51,

    52, 53, 55, 56,

    57, 58, 60, 61,

    62, 66 )

    THEN CONVERT(VARCHAR(8000), ISNULL(VALUE, ' NULL')) + ' '

    --image/ntest/datetime/uniqueidentifier columns (1,2,14,15,41,43,54,63,65)

    ELSE ' N''' + CONVERT(VARCHAR(8000), ISNULL(VALUE, ' NULL')) + ''' '

    END

    FROM ::fn_trace_getfilterinfo(@traceid) X

    INNER JOIN sys.trace_columns V

    ON X.columnid = V.trace_column_id

    INSERT INTO @Results

    (ResultsText)

    SELECT '--#################################################################################################'

    UNION ALL

    SELECT '---end filter definitions'

    UNION ALL

    SELECT '--#################################################################################################'

    INSERT INTO @Results

    (ResultsText)

    SELECT ''

    INSERT INTO @Results

    (ResultsText)

    SELECT '---final step'

    INSERT INTO @Results

    (ResultsText)

    SELECT ''

    INSERT INTO @Results

    (ResultsText)

    SELECT '--turn on the trace '

    INSERT INTO @Results

    (ResultsText)

    SELECT ' exec sp_trace_setstatus @traceidout, 1 ---start trace '

    INSERT INTO @Results

    (ResultsText)

    SELECT ' --exec sp_trace_setstatus TRACEID, 0 ---stop trace, you must know the traceid to stop it '

    INSERT INTO @Results

    (ResultsText)

    SELECT ' --exec sp_trace_setstatus TRACEID, 2 ---close trace you must know the traceid to delete it '

    SELECT *

    FROM @Results

    ORDER BY

    ResultsID

    END

    Lowell


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