View the Dependencies of a Table

You can view a table’s dependencies in SQL Server 2012 by using SQL Server Management Studio or Transact-SQL.

In This Topic

• Before you begin:

  Security

• To view a table’s dependencies, using:

  SQL Server Management Studio

  Transact-SQL

Before You Begin

Security

Permissions

Requires VIEW DEFINITION permission on the database and SELECT permission on sys.sql_expression_dependencies for the database. By default, SELECT permission is granted only to members of the db_owner fixed database role. When SELECT and VIEW DEFINITION permissions are granted to another user, the grantee can view all dependencies in the database.

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Using SQL Server Management Studio

To view the dependencies of a table

1. In Object Explorer, expand Databases, expand a database, and then expand Tables.

2. Right-click a table, and then click View Dependencies.

3. In the Object Dependencies <object name> dialog box, select either Objects that depend on <object name>, or Objects on which <object name> depends.

4. Select an object in the Dependencies grid. The type of object (such as "Trigger" or "Stored Procedure"), appears in the Type box.

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Using Transact-SQL

To view the objects that depend on a table

1. In Object Explorer, connect to an instance of Database Engine.

2. On the Standard bar, click New Query.

3. Copy and paste the following example into the query window and click Execute.

   USE AdventureWorks2012;
   GO
   SELECT * FROM sys.sql_expression_dependencies
   WHERE referencing_id = OBJECT_ID(N'Production.vProductAndDescription'); 
   GO
   

To view the objects on which a table depends

1. In Object Explorer, connect to an instance of Database Engine.

2. On the Standard bar, click New Query.

3. The following example returns the objects that depend on the table Production.Product. Copy and paste the following example into the query window and click Execute.

   USE AdventureWorks2012; 
   GO
   SELECT * FROM sys.sql_expression_dependencies
   WHERE referenced_id = OBJECT_ID(N'Production.Product'); 
   GO
   

For additional information, see sys.sql_expression_dependencies (Transact-SQL)

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