Generating an Execution Plan

View a statement execution (query) plan, which enables you to optimize the database and SQL code. Viewing an execution plan is useful during troubleshooting and performance tuning.

1. Open the SQL file, or the procedural object in its corresponding editor in the Source page.
2. Include all statements or indicate a subset to include in the execution plan.

   If you want to include a subset of statements, highlight the ones you want to include. If you do not highlight any statements, all statements are included.

3. Right-click and select Get Execution Plan.
4. View the results in Execution Plan view.
   
   

   • The left pane displays a graphical or text representation of the SQL statements you have selected.

   • For graphics plans, the right pane displays other useful statistics. Select a node in the graphic to see details for that node.

5. (Optional) Perform any of the following actions in Execution Plan view.

   Table 1. Execution Plan view options

   To	Do this
   Remove the current plan from the view	Select Remove.
   Remove all plans from the view	Select Remove All.
   Save the plan to a file	Select Save Plans to File, and indicate where to save the file and the file name.
   Load a previously saved plan	Select Load Plans from File and select a plan to load.
   Show a previously generated plan	Select Show Plan History and select a plan from the list.
   Switch to a different plan type	Select Switch Plan Type and select a plan type from the list.
   Change execution plan preferences	Click the view menu button and select Preferences.
   Change execution plan orientation	Click the view menu button, and select Vertical View Orientation or Horizontal View Orientation.

• Execution Plan View
  The Execution Plan view displays execution plans for a specified SQL statement.