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title Profiler Utility
description The profiler utility launches the SQL Server Profiler tool. Optional arguments allow you to control how the application starts.
author rwestMSFT
ms.author randolphwest
ms.date 12/16/2025
ms.service sql
ms.subservice tools-other
ms.topic concept-article
ms.collection
data-tools
helpviewer_keywords
command prompt utilities [SQL Server], profiler90 utility
profiler90 utility
Profiler [SQL Server Profiler], starting
SQL Server Profiler, starting
starting SQL Server Profiler

Profiler Utility

[!INCLUDE sqlserver]

The profiler utility launches the [!INCLUDE ssSqlProfiler] tool. The optional arguments listed later in this topic allow you to control how the application starts.

Note

The profiler utility isn't intended for scripting traces. For more information, see SQL Server Profiler.

Syntax

profiler
    [ /? ] |
[
{
{ /U login_id [ /P password ] }
| /E
}
{ [ /S sql_server_name ] | [ /A analysis_services_server_name ] }
[ /D database ]
[ /T "template_name" ]
[ /B { "trace_table_name" } ]
{ [ /F "filename" ] | [ /O "filename" ] }
[ /L locale_ID ]
[ /M "MM-DD-YY hh:mm:ss" ]
[ /R ]
[ /Z file_size ]
]

Arguments

/?

Displays the syntax summary of profiler arguments.

/U login_id

The user login ID for [!INCLUDE ssNoVersion] Authentication. Login IDs are case sensitive.

Note

[!INCLUDE ssNoteWinAuthentication].

/P password

Specifies a user-specified password for [!INCLUDE ssNoVersion] Authentication.

/E

Specifies connecting with Windows Authentication with the current user's credentials.

/S sql_server_name

Specifies an instance of [!INCLUDE ssNoVersion]. Profiler automatically connects to the specified server using the authentication information specified in the /U and /P switches or the /E switch. To connect to a named instance of [!INCLUDE ssNoVersion], use /S <sql_server_name>\<instance_name>.

/A analysis_services_server_name

Specifies an instance of Analysis Services. Profiler automatically connects to the specified server using the authentication information specified in the /U and /P switches or the /E switch. To connect to a named instance of [!INCLUDE ssNoVersion] use /A <analysis_services_server_name>\<instance_name>.

/D database

Specifies the name of the database to be used with the connection. This option selects the default database for the specified user if no database is specified.

/B "trace_table_name"

Specifies a trace table to load when the profiler is launched. You must specify the database, the user or schema, and the table.

/T"template_name"

Specifies the template to be loaded to configure the trace. The template name must be in quotes. The template name must be in either the system template directory or the user template directory. If two templates with the same name exist in both directories, the template from the system directory is loaded. If no template with the specified name exists, the standard template is loaded. The file extension for the template (.tdf) shouldn't be specified as part of the template_name. For example:

/T "standard"

/F" filename "

Specifies the path and filename of a trace file to load when profiler is launched. The entire path and filename must be in quotes. This option can't be used with /O.

/O "filename"

Specifies the path and filename of a file to which trace results should be written. The entire path and filename must be in quotes. This option can't be used with /F.

/L locale_ID

Not available.

/M "MM-DD-YY hh:mm:ss"

Specifies the date and time for the trace to stop. The stop time must be in quotes. Specify the stop time according to the parameters in the table below:

Parameter Definition
MM Two-digit month
DD Two-digit day
YY Two-digit year
hh Two-digit hour on a 24-hour clock
mm Two-digit minute
ss Two-digit second

Note

The MM-DD-YY hh:mm:ss format can only be used if the Use regional settings to display date and time values option is enabled in [!INCLUDE ssSqlProfiler]. If this option isn't enabled, you must use the yyyy-MM-dd HH:mm:ss ISO 8601 date and time format.

/R

Enables trace file rollover.

/Z file_size

Specifies the size of the trace file in megabytes (MB). The default size is 5 MB. If rollover is enabled, all rollover files are limited to the value specified in this argument.

Remarks

To start a trace with a specific template, use the /S and /T options together. For example, to start a trace using the Standard template on MyServer\MyInstance, enter the following at the command prompt:

profiler /S MyServer\MyInstance /T "Standard"

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