Query to Recursively Identify Object Dependencies - sql-server

Question

I have a complex query with several tables, views and functions within it. The functions and views split off into more views and functions that potentially split off into more views and functions within them.
This query is having performance issues so I want to get a clear and concise list of all the objects that are being referenced within my query so I have a basis for my investigation. How do I get this list of objects?

Answer 1

DESCRIPTION
Wrote this Stored Procedure below which RECURSIVELY lists all the dependent child objects and child's dependent objects and child's child...etc. The input parameter can be Stored Proc, User Function, View.
Can easily be altered to get a Unique List of Column 5, regardless of what Level the Object was called and how deep and by which object.
COLUMNS
UsedByObjectId - The parent object that uses the dependent object
UsedByObjectName - The name of the parent object
UsedByObjectType - Type of the parent object (P,V,FN)
DependentObjectId - The child object the parent uses
DependentObjectName - Name of the child object
DependentObjectType - Type of the dependent child object (P,V,FN, U)
Level - How deep, the nested recursive level which the object is used
THE CODE
--=========================================================================
--=========================================================================
--== utlGetAllDependentObjectsRecursive - Uses recursive common table
--== expression to recursively get all the dependent objects as well
--== as the child objects and child's child objects of a
--== Stored Procedure or View or Function. can be easily modified to
--== include all other types of Objects
--=========================================================================
--=========================================================================
CREATE PROCEDURE utlGetAllDependentObjectsRecursive
(
-- Supports Stored Proc, View, User Function, User Table
#PARAM_OBJECT_NAME VARCHAR(500)
)
AS
BEGIN
WITH CTE_DependentObjects AS
(
SELECT DISTINCT
b.object_id AS UsedByObjectId,
b.name AS UsedByObjectName, b.type AS UsedByObjectType,
c.object_id AS DependentObjectId,
c.name AS DependentObjectName , c.type AS DependenObjectType
FROM sys.sysdepends a
INNER JOIN sys.objects b ON a.id = b.object_id
INNER JOIN sys.objects c ON a.depid = c.object_id
WHERE b.type IN ('P','V', 'FN') AND c.type IN ('U', 'P', 'V', 'FN')
),
CTE_DependentObjects2 AS
(
SELECT
UsedByObjectId, UsedByObjectName, UsedByObjectType,
DependentObjectId, DependentObjectName, DependenObjectType,
1 AS Level
FROM CTE_DependentObjects a
WHERE a.UsedByObjectName = #PARAM_OBJECT_NAME
UNION ALL
SELECT
a.UsedByObjectId, a.UsedByObjectName, a.UsedByObjectType,
a.DependentObjectId, a.DependentObjectName, a.DependenObjectType,
(b.Level + 1) AS Level
FROM CTE_DependentObjects a
INNER JOIN CTE_DependentObjects2 b
ON a.UsedByObjectName = b.DependentObjectName
)
SELECT DISTINCT * FROM CTE_DependentObjects2
ORDER BY Level, DependentObjectName
END

Answer 2

I saw this post to identify all the objects that reference a particular synonym and used the base logic in the answer in a recursive CTE to identify all the objects related to a comma-delimited list of the objects within the top level query being executed.
Declare #baseObjects Nvarchar(1000) = '[Schema].[Table],[Schema].[View],[Schema].[Function],[Schema].[StoredProc]',
#SQL Nvarchar(Max);
Declare #objects Table (SchemaName Varchar(512), TableName Varchar(512), ID Int, xtype Varchar(10));
Set #SQL = 'Select ss.name As SchemaName,
so.name As TableName,
so.id,
so.xtype
From sysobjects so
Join sys.schemas ss
On so.uid = ss.schema_id
Where so.id In (Object_ID(''' + Replace(#baseObjects,',','''),Object_ID(''') + '''))';
Insert #objects
Exec sp_executeSQL #SQL;
With test As
(
Select ss.name As SchemaName,
so.name As TableName,
so.id,
so.xtype
From sys.sql_expression_dependencies sed
Join #objects vo
On sed.referencing_id = vo.ID
Join sysobjects so
On sed.referenced_id = so.id
Join sys.schemas ss
On so.uid = ss.schema_id
Union All
Select ss.name As SchemaName,
so.name As TableName,
so.id,
so.xtype
From test
Join sys.sql_expression_dependencies sed
On sed.referencing_id = test.id
And sed.referencing_id <> sed.referenced_id
Join sysobjects so
On sed. referenced_id = so.id
Join sys.schemas ss
On so.uid = ss.schema_id
)
Select Distinct *
From test
Union
Select *
From #objects;

Answer 3

Check This one, You will get all recursive objects.
WITH Refobjects
(referencing_object_name,referencing_object_type_desc)
AS
(
SELECT
o.name AS referencing_object_name,
o.type_desc AS referencing_object_type_desc
FROM
sys.sql_expression_dependencies sed
INNER JOIN
sys.objects o ON sed.referencing_id = o.[object_id]
WHERE
sed.referenced_entity_name = 'Your Object Name'
UNION ALL
SELECT
o.name AS referencing_object_name,
o.type_desc AS referencing_object_type_desc
FROM
sys.sql_expression_dependencies sed
INNER JOIN
sys.objects o ON sed.referencing_id = o.[object_id]
INNER JOIN Refobjects ON sed.referenced_entity_name = Refobjects.referencing_object_name
)
SELECT distinct * FROM Refobjects
Order by 2 desc,1 ;

Answer 4

In SQL Server 2008 there are two new Dynamic Management Functions introduced to keep track of object dependencies: sys.dm_sql_referenced_entities and sys.dm_sql_referencing_entities:
1/ Returning the entities that refer to a given entity:
SELECT
referencing_schema_name, referencing_entity_name,
referencing_class_desc, is_caller_dependent
FROM sys.dm_sql_referencing_entities ('<TableName>', 'OBJECT')
2/ Returning entities that are referenced by an object:
SELECT
referenced_schema_name, referenced_entity_name, referenced_minor_name,
referenced_class_desc, is_caller_dependent, is_ambiguous
FROM sys.dm_sql_referenced_entities ('<StoredProcedureName>', 'OBJECT');
Another option is to use a pretty useful tool called SQL Dependency Tracker from Red Gate.

Answer 5

Based on #Raju Chavan's answer above, which works great. However...
I've added support for schemas, as well as returning (and ordering by) the recursion level, so one can easily turn it into a script to refresh referencing objects in the correct order, using sp_refreshsqlmodule (see point 3 below).
WITH
cRefobjects AS (
SELECT o.name, s.name AS sch, o.type_desc, 1 AS level
FROM sys.sql_expression_dependencies sed
INNER JOIN sys.objects o ON o.object_id = sed.referencing_id
INNER JOIN sys.schemas AS s ON s.schema_id = o.schema_id
WHERE (sed.referenced_schema_name = '<your schema>' OR sed.referenced_schema_name IS NULL)
AND sed.referenced_entity_name = '<your object name>'
UNION ALL
SELECT o.name, s.name AS sch, o.type_desc, cRefobjects.level + 1 AS level
FROM
sys.sql_expression_dependencies AS sed
INNER JOIN sys.objects o ON o.object_id = sed.referencing_id
INNER JOIN sys.schemas AS s ON s.schema_id = o.schema_id
INNER JOIN cRefobjects ON sed.referenced_entity_name = cRefobjects.name
AND sed.referenced_schema_name = cRefobjects.sch
)
SELECT DISTINCT name, sch, type_desc, level
FROM cRefobjects
ORDER BY level, type_desc DESC, name;
A few things to consider:
Replace <your schema> and <your object> with with what you require.
When the referenced object does not have a schema prefix in the referencing object, the schema is actually unknown, hence the predicate above OR sed.referenced_schema_name IS NULL. This may get the wrong referencing object if you're not following best practices in your database objects.
My goal in seeking and finding this answer was to write a script to refresh referenced objects in the database automatically after editing a view, using sp_refreshsqlmodule. To do this, just wrap the CTE shown above as follows. This prints the required SQL for refreshing the referencing objects in the correct order:
DECLARE #SQL NVARCHAR(4000); SET #SQL = '';
WITH
cRefobjects AS (
...
)
--SELECT DISTINCT name, sch, type_desc, level
SELECT #SQL = #SQL + 'EXEC sys.sp_refreshsqlmodule ''' + sch + '.' + name + '''' + CHAR(13)+CHAR(10)
FROM cRefobjects
ORDER BY level, type_desc DESC, name;
PRINT #SQL

Answer 6

I have improved above answers as none was working for me.
I needed a way to refresh complex nested objects by type sp_refreshsqlmodule.
You need to update and <TYPE_NAME> to your own.
Following method work for me:
WITH cRefobjects AS (
SELECT o.name, s.name AS sch, o.type, 1 AS level
FROM sys.sql_expression_dependencies sed
INNER JOIN sys.objects o ON o.object_id = sed.referencing_id
INNER JOIN sys.schemas AS s ON s.schema_id = o.schema_id
WHERE (sed.referenced_schema_name = '<SCHEMA>' OR sed.referenced_schema_name IS NULL)
AND sed.referenced_entity_name = '<TYPE_NAME>'
UNION ALL
SELECT o.name, s.name AS sch, o.type, cRefobjects.level + 1 AS level
FROM
sys.sql_expression_dependencies AS sed
INNER JOIN sys.objects o ON o.object_id = sed.referencing_id
INNER JOIN sys.schemas AS s ON s.schema_id = o.schema_id
INNER JOIN cRefobjects ON sed.referenced_entity_name = cRefobjects.name
AND sed.referenced_schema_name = cRefobjects.sch
)
SELECT name, MAX(level) as level, 'EXEC sys.sp_refreshsqlmodule #name = ''' + sch + '.' + name + '''', type
FROM cRefobjects
GROUP BY name, sch, type
ORDER BY level, type, name;