start-a-trace.md

title	Start a Trace | Microsoft Docs
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ms.date	03/14/2017
ms.prod	sql-server-2016
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helpviewer_keywords	SQL Server Profiler, stopping traces pausing traces Profiler [SQL Server Profiler], stopping traces Profiler [SQL Server Profiler], starting traces traces [SQL Server], starting SQL Server Profiler, pausing traces traces [SQL Server], stopping Profiler [SQL Server Profiler], pausing traces traces [SQL Server], pausing SQL Server Profiler, starting traces stopping traces starting traces
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author	JennieHubbard
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Start a Trace

After you have defined a new trace or created a template by using [!INCLUDEssSqlProfiler], you can start, pause, or stop capturing data by using the new trace definition or template.

Starting a Trace

When you start a trace and the defined source is an instance of the [!INCLUDEssDEnoversion] or [!INCLUDEssASnoversion], [!INCLUDEssNoVersion] creates a queue that provides a temporary holding place for captured server events.

When you use [!INCLUDEssSqlProfiler] to access SQL Trace, a new trace window opens (if one is not already open) when a trace is started, and data is immediately captured.

When you use [!INCLUDEtsql] system stored procedures to access SQL Trace, you must start a trace every time an instance of [!INCLUDEssNoVersion] starts for data to be captured. When a trace has been started, you can modify only the name of the trace.

Note

When working with existing traces, you can view the properties, but you cannot modify the properties. To modify the properties, stop or pause the trace.

See Also

Start a Trace Automatically after Connecting to a Server (SQL Server Profiler)
Pause a Trace (SQL Server Profiler)
Stop a Trace (SQL Server Profiler)
Clear a Trace Window (SQL Server Profiler)
Run a Trace After It Has Been Paused or Stopped (SQL Server Profiler)