RESTORE FILELISTONLY (T-SQL)

Returns a result set with a list of the database and log files contained in the backup set.

Syntax

RESTORE FILELISTONLY
FROM <backup_device>
[WITH
    [FILE = file_number]
    [[, ] {NOUNLOAD | UNLOAD}]
]

<backup_device> ::=
    {
        {'backup_device_name' | @backup_device_namevar}
        | {DISK | TAPE | PIPE} =
            {'temp_backup_device' | @temp_backup_device_var}
    }

Arguments

<backup_device>

Specifies the permanent or temporary backup device(s) to use for the restore. Can be one or more of the following:

{'backup_device_name' | @backup_device_namevar}

Is the logical name, which must follow the rules for identifiers, of the backup device created by sp_addumpdevice from which the database is restored. If supplied as a variable (@backup_device_name_var), the backup device name can be specified either as a string constant (@backup_device_name_var = 'backup_device_name') or as a variable of character string data type, except for the ntext or text data types.

{DISK | TAPE | PIPE} =

'temp_backup_device' | @temp_backup_device_var

Allows backups to be restored from the named disk, tape, or pipe device. The device types of disk and tape should be specified with the actual name (for example, complete path and file name) of the device: DISK = ‘C:\Mssql7\Backup\Mybackup.dat’ or TAPE = \\.\TAPE0. A device type of pipe should specify the name of the named pipe that is used by the client application. If specified as a variable (@temp_backup_device_var), the device name can be specified either as a string constant (@temp_backup_device_var = 'temp_backup_device') or as a variable of character string data type, except for the ntext or text data types.

Pipe devices have been added to allow third-party vendors a flexible way to connect their own software. The pipe device is not used for typical Transact-SQL use.

If you are using either a network server with a UNC name or a redirected drive letter, specify a device type of disk.

FILE = file_number

Identifies the backup set to be processed. For example, a file_number of 1 indicates the first backup set and a file_number of 2 indicates the second backup set. If no file_number is supplied, the first backup set on the specified <backup_device> is assumed.

NOUNLOAD

Specifies that the tape is not unloaded automatically from the tape drive after a restore. NOUNLOAD remains set until UNLOAD is specified. This option is used only for tape devices.

UNLOAD

Specifies that the tape is automatically rewound and unloaded when the restore is finished. UNLOAD is set by default when a new user session is started. It remains set until NOUNLOAD is specified. This option is used only for tape devices.

Permissions

RESTORE permissions default to members of the sysadmin fixed server role and the db_owner fixed database role, and are not transferable.

Remarks

A client can use RESTORE FILELISTONLY to obtain a list of the files contained in a backup set. This information is returned as a result set containing one row for each file.

See Also