In SQL Server, the sys.dm_exec_describe_first_result_set_for_object dynamic management function returns the metadata of the first result set for a given module.
It takes an @object_id as a parameter and describes the first result metadata for the module with that ID.
It uses the same algorithm as the sp_describe_first_result_set system stored procedure and the sys.dm_exec_describe_first_result_set function, and does pretty much the same thing, except that it’s limited to just stored procedures and triggers.
If you pass the ID of a different object type (such as a view, function, table, etc) then it will return an error.
Syntax
The syntax goes like this:
sys.dm_exec_describe_first_result_set_for_object
( @object_id , @include_browse_information )Where @object_id is the ID of the stored procedure or trigger, and @include_browse_information allows you to use browse mode as if there’s a FOR BROWSE option on the query.
Example
Here’s an example to demonstrate.
In this example, I use the OBJECT_ID() function to return the ID of the stored procedure (which saves me from having to know the actual ID).
SELECT *
FROM sys.dm_exec_describe_first_result_set_for_object(
OBJECT_ID('spAlbumsFromArtist'),
0
);Result:
+-------------+------------------+-------------+---------------+------------------+--------------------+--------------+-------------+---------+------------------------------+----------------+----------------------+--------------------+------------------+--------------------------------+---------------------+---------------------------+-------------------------+-----------------------+-------------------+---------------------+----------------------------+-----------------+-------------------+-----------------+----------------+-----------------+----------------------+-------------------------+-----------------+----------------------+------------------------+----------------------------+--------------------------+------------------------+----------------+------------------+---------------+-----------------+--------------+-------------------+ | is_hidden | column_ordinal | name | is_nullable | system_type_id | system_type_name | max_length | precision | scale | collation_name | user_type_id | user_type_database | user_type_schema | user_type_name | assembly_qualified_type_name | xml_collection_id | xml_collection_database | xml_collection_schema | xml_collection_name | is_xml_document | is_case_sensitive | is_fixed_length_clr_type | source_server | source_database | source_schema | source_table | source_column | is_identity_column | is_part_of_unique_key | is_updateable | is_computed_column | is_sparse_column_set | ordinal_in_order_by_list | order_by_is_descending | order_by_list_length | error_number | error_severity | error_state | error_message | error_type | error_type_desc | |-------------+------------------+-------------+---------------+------------------+--------------------+--------------+-------------+---------+------------------------------+----------------+----------------------+--------------------+------------------+--------------------------------+---------------------+---------------------------+-------------------------+-----------------------+-------------------+---------------------+----------------------------+-----------------+-------------------+-----------------+----------------+-----------------+----------------------+-------------------------+-----------------+----------------------+------------------------+----------------------------+--------------------------+------------------------+----------------+------------------+---------------+-----------------+--------------+-------------------| | 0 | 1 | AlbumName | 0 | 231 | nvarchar(255) | 510 | 0 | 0 | SQL_Latin1_General_CP1_CI_AS | NULL | NULL | NULL | NULL | NULL | NULL | NULL | NULL | NULL | 0 | 0 | 0 | NULL | NULL | NULL | NULL | NULL | 0 | NULL | 1 | 0 | 0 | NULL | NULL | NULL | NULL | NULL | NULL | NULL | NULL | NULL | | 0 | 2 | ReleaseDate | 0 | 40 | date | 3 | 10 | 0 | NULL | NULL | NULL | NULL | NULL | NULL | NULL | NULL | NULL | NULL | 0 | 0 | 0 | NULL | NULL | NULL | NULL | NULL | 0 | NULL | 1 | 0 | 0 | NULL | NULL | NULL | NULL | NULL | NULL | NULL | NULL | NULL | +-------------+------------------+-------------+---------------+------------------+--------------------+--------------+-------------+---------+------------------------------+----------------+----------------------+--------------------+------------------+--------------------------------+---------------------+---------------------------+-------------------------+-----------------------+-------------------+---------------------+----------------------------+-----------------+-------------------+-----------------+----------------+-----------------+----------------------+-------------------------+-----------------+----------------------+------------------------+----------------------------+--------------------------+------------------------+----------------+------------------+---------------+-----------------+--------------+-------------------+
This function returns a lot of columns. See Microsoft’s documentation for a full run down of each column.
Here’s the first row again, but using vertical output:
is_hidden | 0 column_ordinal | 1 name | AlbumName is_nullable | 0 system_type_id | 231 system_type_name | nvarchar(255) max_length | 510 precision | 0 scale | 0 collation_name | SQL_Latin1_General_CP1_CI_AS user_type_id | NULL user_type_database | NULL user_type_schema | NULL user_type_name | NULL assembly_qualified_type_name | NULL xml_collection_id | NULL xml_collection_database | NULL xml_collection_schema | NULL xml_collection_name | NULL is_xml_document | 0 is_case_sensitive | 0 is_fixed_length_clr_type | 0 source_server | NULL source_database | NULL source_schema | NULL source_table | NULL source_column | NULL is_identity_column | 0 is_part_of_unique_key | NULL is_updateable | 1 is_computed_column | 0 is_sparse_column_set | 0 ordinal_in_order_by_list | NULL order_by_is_descending | NULL order_by_list_length | NULL error_number | NULL error_severity | NULL error_state | NULL error_message | NULL error_type | NULL error_type_desc | NULL
Take note that the the source_server, source_database, source_schema, source_table, and source_column columns are NULL. They won’t be NULL in the next two examples.
Browse Mode
In the previous example, I used 0 for the second argument. You can set this to 0, 1, or 2.
Here’s what each value means:
| Value | Result |
|---|---|
0 | No information is returned. |
1 | Each query is analysed as if it includes a FOR BROWSE option on the query. This will return base table names as the source column information. |
2 | Each query is analysed as if it would be used in preparing or executing a cursor. This will return view names as source column information. |
We’ve already see what happens when it’s set to 0. So in the next two examples, I’ll set it to 1 and 2 respectively.
I should point out that the Microsoft documentation states that this argument is type bit, and only refers to two possible values: 0 and 1. However, I checked this function in both SQL Server 2017 and SQL Server 2019, and it is actually a tinyint.
Further to this, the documentation for the sp_describe_first_result_set stored procedure explicitly specifies that this argument is tinyint, and that it accepts the three values mentioned above.
Also, the documentation for sys.dm_exec_describe_first_result_set_for_object states that it uses the same algorithm as sp_describe_first_result_set.
In any case, the examples in this article include all three values.
@include_browse_information = 1
In this example I set @include_browse_information to 1.
SELECT *
FROM sys.dm_exec_describe_first_result_set_for_object(
OBJECT_ID('spAlbumsFromArtist'),
1
);Result:
+-------------+------------------+-------------+---------------+------------------+--------------------+--------------+-------------+---------+------------------------------+----------------+----------------------+--------------------+------------------+--------------------------------+---------------------+---------------------------+-------------------------+-----------------------+-------------------+---------------------+----------------------------+-----------------+-------------------+-----------------+----------------+-----------------+----------------------+-------------------------+-----------------+----------------------+------------------------+----------------------------+--------------------------+------------------------+----------------+------------------+---------------+-----------------+--------------+-------------------+ | is_hidden | column_ordinal | name | is_nullable | system_type_id | system_type_name | max_length | precision | scale | collation_name | user_type_id | user_type_database | user_type_schema | user_type_name | assembly_qualified_type_name | xml_collection_id | xml_collection_database | xml_collection_schema | xml_collection_name | is_xml_document | is_case_sensitive | is_fixed_length_clr_type | source_server | source_database | source_schema | source_table | source_column | is_identity_column | is_part_of_unique_key | is_updateable | is_computed_column | is_sparse_column_set | ordinal_in_order_by_list | order_by_is_descending | order_by_list_length | error_number | error_severity | error_state | error_message | error_type | error_type_desc | |-------------+------------------+-------------+---------------+------------------+--------------------+--------------+-------------+---------+------------------------------+----------------+----------------------+--------------------+------------------+--------------------------------+---------------------+---------------------------+-------------------------+-----------------------+-------------------+---------------------+----------------------------+-----------------+-------------------+-----------------+----------------+-----------------+----------------------+-------------------------+-----------------+----------------------+------------------------+----------------------------+--------------------------+------------------------+----------------+------------------+---------------+-----------------+--------------+-------------------| | 0 | 1 | AlbumName | 0 | 231 | nvarchar(255) | 510 | 0 | 0 | SQL_Latin1_General_CP1_CI_AS | NULL | NULL | NULL | NULL | NULL | NULL | NULL | NULL | NULL | 0 | 0 | 0 | Homer | Music | dbo | Albums | AlbumName | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | NULL | NULL | NULL | NULL | NULL | NULL | NULL | NULL | NULL | | 0 | 2 | ReleaseDate | 0 | 40 | date | 3 | 10 | 0 | NULL | NULL | NULL | NULL | NULL | NULL | NULL | NULL | NULL | NULL | 0 | 0 | 0 | Homer | Music | dbo | Albums | ReleaseDate | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | NULL | NULL | NULL | NULL | NULL | NULL | NULL | NULL | NULL | | 1 | 3 | AlbumId | 0 | 56 | int | 4 | 10 | 0 | NULL | NULL | NULL | NULL | NULL | NULL | NULL | NULL | NULL | NULL | 0 | 0 | 0 | Homer | Music | dbo | Albums | AlbumId | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | NULL | NULL | NULL | NULL | NULL | NULL | NULL | NULL | NULL | | 1 | 4 | ArtistId | 0 | 56 | int | 4 | 10 | 0 | NULL | NULL | NULL | NULL | NULL | NULL | NULL | NULL | NULL | NULL | 0 | 0 | 0 | Homer | Music | dbo | Artists | ArtistId | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | NULL | NULL | NULL | NULL | NULL | NULL | NULL | NULL | NULL | +-------------+------------------+-------------+---------------+------------------+--------------------+--------------+-------------+---------+------------------------------+----------------+----------------------+--------------------+------------------+--------------------------------+---------------------+---------------------------+-------------------------+-----------------------+-------------------+---------------------+----------------------------+-----------------+-------------------+-----------------+----------------+-----------------+----------------------+-------------------------+-----------------+----------------------+------------------------+----------------------------+--------------------------+------------------------+----------------+------------------+---------------+-----------------+--------------+-------------------+
This time four rows are returned, representing four columns from the underlying tables.
Let’s single out the first column using vertical output again, like we did in the previous example:
is_hidden | 0 column_ordinal | 1 name | AlbumName is_nullable | 0 system_type_id | 231 system_type_name | nvarchar(255) max_length | 510 precision | 0 scale | 0 collation_name | SQL_Latin1_General_CP1_CI_AS user_type_id | NULL user_type_database | NULL user_type_schema | NULL user_type_name | NULL assembly_qualified_type_name | NULL xml_collection_id | NULL xml_collection_database | NULL xml_collection_schema | NULL xml_collection_name | NULL is_xml_document | 0 is_case_sensitive | 0 is_fixed_length_clr_type | 0 source_server | Homer source_database | Music source_schema | dbo source_table | Albums source_column | AlbumName is_identity_column | 0 is_part_of_unique_key | 0 is_updateable | 1 is_computed_column | 0 is_sparse_column_set | 0 ordinal_in_order_by_list | NULL order_by_is_descending | NULL order_by_list_length | NULL error_number | NULL error_severity | NULL error_state | NULL error_message | NULL error_type | NULL error_type_desc | NULL
This time the source_server, source_database, source_schema, source_table, and source_column columns are no longer NULL.
In this case, those columns reflect the underlying server, database, schema, table, and column of the query within the stored procedure.
To demonstrate what I mean, here’s the actual stored procedure definition:
CREATE PROCEDURE [dbo].[spAlbumsFromArtist]
@ArtistName varchar(255)
AS
SELECT AlbumName, ReleaseDate
FROM Homer.Music.dbo.Albums al
INNER JOIN Homer.Music.dbo.Artists ar
ON al.ArtistId = ar.ArtistId
WHERE ar.ArtistName = @ArtistName;
GOThe stored procedure uses four part naming to reference a linked server called “Homer”, as well as the database, schema, tables and columns from the remote server. This matches with the data returned by the sys.dm_exec_describe_first_result_set_for_object function.
@include_browse_information = 2
In this example I set @include_browse_information to 2.
SELECT *
FROM sys.dm_exec_describe_first_result_set_for_object(
OBJECT_ID('spAlbumsFromArtist'),
2
);Result:
+-------------+------------------+-------------+---------------+------------------+--------------------+--------------+-------------+---------+------------------------------+----------------+----------------------+--------------------+------------------+--------------------------------+---------------------+---------------------------+-------------------------+-----------------------+-------------------+---------------------+----------------------------+-----------------+-------------------+-----------------+----------------+-----------------+----------------------+-------------------------+-----------------+----------------------+------------------------+----------------------------+--------------------------+------------------------+----------------+------------------+---------------+-----------------+--------------+-------------------+ | is_hidden | column_ordinal | name | is_nullable | system_type_id | system_type_name | max_length | precision | scale | collation_name | user_type_id | user_type_database | user_type_schema | user_type_name | assembly_qualified_type_name | xml_collection_id | xml_collection_database | xml_collection_schema | xml_collection_name | is_xml_document | is_case_sensitive | is_fixed_length_clr_type | source_server | source_database | source_schema | source_table | source_column | is_identity_column | is_part_of_unique_key | is_updateable | is_computed_column | is_sparse_column_set | ordinal_in_order_by_list | order_by_is_descending | order_by_list_length | error_number | error_severity | error_state | error_message | error_type | error_type_desc | |-------------+------------------+-------------+---------------+------------------+--------------------+--------------+-------------+---------+------------------------------+----------------+----------------------+--------------------+------------------+--------------------------------+---------------------+---------------------------+-------------------------+-----------------------+-------------------+---------------------+----------------------------+-----------------+-------------------+-----------------+----------------+-----------------+----------------------+-------------------------+-----------------+----------------------+------------------------+----------------------------+--------------------------+------------------------+----------------+------------------+---------------+-----------------+--------------+-------------------| | 0 | 1 | AlbumName | 0 | 231 | nvarchar(255) | 510 | 0 | 0 | SQL_Latin1_General_CP1_CI_AS | NULL | NULL | NULL | NULL | NULL | NULL | NULL | NULL | NULL | 0 | 0 | 0 | Homer | Music | dbo | Albums | AlbumName | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | NULL | NULL | NULL | NULL | NULL | NULL | NULL | NULL | NULL | | 0 | 2 | ReleaseDate | 0 | 40 | date | 3 | 10 | 0 | NULL | NULL | NULL | NULL | NULL | NULL | NULL | NULL | NULL | NULL | 0 | 0 | 0 | Homer | Music | dbo | Albums | ReleaseDate | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | NULL | NULL | NULL | NULL | NULL | NULL | NULL | NULL | NULL | | 1 | 3 | ROWSTAT | 0 | 56 | int | 4 | 10 | 0 | NULL | NULL | NULL | NULL | NULL | NULL | NULL | NULL | NULL | NULL | 0 | 0 | 0 | NULL | NULL | NULL | NULL | NULL | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | NULL | NULL | NULL | NULL | NULL | NULL | NULL | NULL | NULL | +-------------+------------------+-------------+---------------+------------------+--------------------+--------------+-------------+---------+------------------------------+----------------+----------------------+--------------------+------------------+--------------------------------+---------------------+---------------------------+-------------------------+-----------------------+-------------------+---------------------+----------------------------+-----------------+-------------------+-----------------+----------------+-----------------+----------------------+-------------------------+-----------------+----------------------+------------------------+----------------------------+--------------------------+------------------------+----------------+------------------+---------------+-----------------+--------------+-------------------+
This time only three rows are returned, representing three columns, including a ROWSTAT column.