---
title: "sp_replcmds (Transact-SQL)"
description: sp_replcmds returns the commands for transactions marked for replication.
author: markingmyname
ms.author: maghan
ms.reviewer: randolphwest
ms.date: 03/07/2025
ms.service: sql
ms.subservice: replication
ms.topic: "reference"
f1_keywords:
  - "sp_replcmds_TSQL"
  - "sp_replcmds"
helpviewer_keywords:
  - "sp_replcmds"
dev_langs:
  - "TSQL"
---
# sp_replcmds (Transact-SQL)

[!INCLUDE [SQL Server SQL MI](../../includes/applies-to-version/sql-asdbmi.md)]

Returns the commands for transactions marked for replication. This stored procedure is executed at the Publisher on the publication database.

> [!IMPORTANT]  
> The `sp_replcmds` procedure should be run only to troubleshoot problems with replication.

:::image type="icon" source="../../includes/media/topic-link-icon.svg" border="false"::: [Transact-SQL syntax conventions](../../t-sql/language-elements/transact-sql-syntax-conventions-transact-sql.md)

## Syntax

```syntaxsql
sp_replcmds [ @maxtrans = ] maxtrans
[ ; ]
```

## Arguments

[!INCLUDE [extended-stored-procedures](includes/extended-stored-procedures.md)]

#### [ @maxtrans = ] *maxtrans*

The number of transactions to return information about. *@maxtrans* is **int**, with a default of `1`, which specifies the next transaction waiting for distribution.

## Result set

| Column name | Data type | Description |
| --- | --- | --- |
| `article id` | **int** | The ID of the article. |
| `partial_command` | **bit** | Indicates whether this command is a partial command. |
| `command` | **varbinary(1024)** | The command value. |
| `xactid` | **binary(10)** | Transaction ID. |
| `xact_seqno` | **varbinary(16)** | The transaction sequence number. |
| `publication_id` | **int** | The ID of the publication. |
| `command_id` | **int** | ID of the command in [MSrepl_commands](../system-tables/msrepl-commands-transact-sql.md). |
| `command_type` | **int** | Type of command. |
| `originator_srvname` | **sysname** | Server where the transaction originated. |
| `originator_db` | **sysname** | Database where the transaction originated. |
| `pkHash` | **int** | Internal use only. |
| `originator_publication_id` | **int** | ID of the publication where the transaction originated. |
| `originator_db_version` | **int** | Version of the database where the transaction originated. |
| `originator_lsn` | **varbinary(16)** | Identifies the log sequence number (LSN) for the command in the originating publication. |

## Remarks

`sp_replcmds` is used by the log reader process in transactional replication.

Replication treats the first client that runs `sp_replcmds` within a given database as the log reader.

This procedure can generate commands for owner-qualified tables or not qualify the table name (the default). Adding qualified table names allows replication of data from tables owned by a specific user in one database to tables owned by the same user in another database.

Because the table name in the source database is qualified by the owner name, the owner of the table in the target database must be the same owner name.

Clients who attempt to run `sp_replcmds` within the same database receive error 18752 until the first client disconnects. After the first client disconnects, another client can run `sp_replcmds`, and becomes the new log reader.

A warning message number 18759 is added to both the [!INCLUDE [ssNoVersion](../../includes/ssnoversion-md.md)] error log and the [!INCLUDE [msCoName](../../includes/msconame-md.md)] Windows application log, if `sp_replcmds` is unable to replicate a text command because the text pointer wasn't retrieved in the same transaction.

## Permissions

Only members of the **sysadmin** fixed server role or the **db_owner** fixed database role can execute `sp_replcmds`.

## Related content

- [Error Messages](../native-client-odbc-error-messages/error-messages.md)
- [sp_repldone (Transact-SQL)](sp-repldone-transact-sql.md)
- [sp_replflush (Transact-SQL)](sp-replflush-transact-sql.md)
- [sp_repltrans (Transact-SQL)](sp-repltrans-transact-sql.md)
- [System stored procedures (Transact-SQL)](system-stored-procedures-transact-sql.md)