---
description: "sp_helpconstraint (Transact-SQL)"
title: "sp_helpconstraint (Transact-SQL) | Microsoft Docs"
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ms.date: "03/14/2017"
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---
# sp_helpconstraint (Transact-SQL)
[!INCLUDE [SQL Server SQL MI](../../includes/applies-to-version/sql-asdbmi.md)]

  Returns a list of all constraint types, their user-defined or system-supplied name, the columns on which they have been defined, and the expression that defines the constraint (for DEFAULT and CHECK constraints only).  
  
 ![Topic link icon](../../database-engine/configure-windows/media/topic-link.gif "Topic link icon") [Transact-SQL Syntax Conventions](../../t-sql/language-elements/transact-sql-syntax-conventions-transact-sql.md)  
  
## Syntax  
  
```  
  
sp_helpconstraint [ @objname = ] 'table'   
     [ , [ @nomsg = ] 'no_message' ]   
```  
  
## Arguments  
`[ @objname = ] 'table'`
 Is the table about which constraint information is returned. The table specified must be local to the current database. *table* is **nvarchar(776)**, with no default.  
  
`[ @nomsg = ] 'no_message'`
 Is an optional parameter that prints the table name. *no_message* is **varchar(5)**, with a default of **msg**. **nomsg** suppresses the printing.  
  
## Return Code Values  
 0 (success) or 1 (failure)  
  
## Result Sets  
 **sp_helpconstraint** displays a descending indexed column if it participated in primary keys. The descending indexed column will be listed in the result set with a minus sign (-) following its name. The default, an ascending indexed column, will be listed by its name alone.  
  
## Remarks  
 Executing **sp_help**_table_ reports all information about the specified table. To see only the constraint information, use **sp_helpconstraint**.  
  
## Permissions  
 Requires membership in the **public** role.  
  
## Examples  
 The following example shows all constraints for the `Product` table.  
  
```  
USE AdventureWorks2012;  
GO  
EXEC sp_helpconstraint 'Production.Product';  
```  
  
## See Also  
 [Database Engine Stored Procedures (Transact-SQL)](../../relational-databases/system-stored-procedures/database-engine-stored-procedures-transact-sql.md)   
 [ALTER TABLE (Transact-SQL)](../../t-sql/statements/alter-table-transact-sql.md)   
 [CREATE TABLE (Transact-SQL)](../../t-sql/statements/create-table-transact-sql.md)   
 [sp_help (Transact-SQL)](../../relational-databases/system-stored-procedures/sp-help-transact-sql.md)   
 [System Stored Procedures (Transact-SQL)](../../relational-databases/system-stored-procedures/system-stored-procedures-transact-sql.md)   
 [sys.key_constraints (Transact-SQL)](../../relational-databases/system-catalog-views/sys-key-constraints-transact-sql.md)   
 [sys.check_constraints (Transact-SQL)](../../relational-databases/system-catalog-views/sys-check-constraints-transact-sql.md)   
 [sys.default_constraints (Transact-SQL)](../../relational-databases/system-catalog-views/sys-default-constraints-transact-sql.md)