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title: "CONTEXT_INFO  (Transact-SQL) | Microsoft Docs"
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ms.date: "07/24/2017"
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  - "CONTEXT_INFO function"
  - "Multiple Active Result Sets"
  - "context information [SQL Server]"
  - "MARS [SQL Server]"
  - "session context information [SQL Server]"
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---
# CONTEXT_INFO  (Transact-SQL)
[!INCLUDE[tsql-appliesto-ss2008-asdb-xxxx-xxx_md](../../includes/tsql-appliesto-ss2008-asdb-xxxx-xxx-md.md)]

Returns the **context_info** value that was set for the current session or batch by using the [SET CONTEXT_INFO](../../t-sql/statements/set-context-info-transact-sql.md) statement.
  
![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  
  
```sql
CONTEXT_INFO()  
```  
  
## Return value
The value of **context_info**.
  
If **context_info** was not set:
-   In [!INCLUDE[ssNoVersion](../../includes/ssnoversion-md.md)] returns NULL.  
-   In [!INCLUDE[ssSDS](../../includes/sssds-md.md)] returns a unique session-specific GUID.  
  
## Remarks  
Multiple active result sets (MARS) enables applications to run multiple batches, or requests, at the same time on the same connection. When one of the batches on a MARS connection runs SET CONTEXT_INFO, the new context value is returned by the CONTEXT_INFO function when it is run in the same batch as the SET statement. The new value is not returned by the CONTEXT_INFO function run in one or more of the other batches on the connection, unless they started after the batch that ran the SET statement completed.
  
## Permissions  
Requires no special permissions. The context information is also stored in the **sys.dm_exec_requests**, **sys.dm_exec_sessions**, and **sys.sysprocesses** system views, but querying the views directly requires SELECT and VIEW SERVER STATE permissions.
  
## Examples  
The following simple example sets the **context_info** value to `0x1256698456`, and then uses the `CONTEXT_INFO` function to retrieve the value.
  
```sql
SET CONTEXT_INFO 0x1256698456;  
GO  
SELECT CONTEXT_INFO();  
GO  
```  
  
## See also
[SET CONTEXT_INFO (Transact-SQL)](../../t-sql/statements/set-context-info-transact-sql.md)