The master.sysmessages table contains one row for each system error or warning that can be returned by SQL Server. These are the columns in the sysmessages table.
| Column name | Data type | Description |
|---|---|---|
| error | int | Unique error number |
| severity | smallint | Severity level of the error |
| dlevel | smallint | Reserved. For internal use only |
| description | nvarchar(255) | Explanation of the error with placeholders for parameters |
| mslangid | smallint | System message group ID |
These variables appear in the error message text provided with the system error message descriptions.
| Symbol | Meaning |
|---|---|
| %d, %ld, or %D | Decimal integer |
| %x | Hexadecimal number |
| %ls or %.*ls | Character string |
| %S_type | SQL Server -defined structure |
| %c | Single character |
| %lf | Double floating-point number |