SHOW SEMANTIC VIEWS¶

Lists the semantic views for which you have access privileges. You can list views for the current or specified schema.

The output returns view metadata and properties, ordered lexicographically by database, schema, and semantic view name. This is important to note if you want to filter the results using the provided filters.

See also:

CREATE SEMANTIC VIEW , ALTER SEMANTIC VIEW , DESCRIBE SEMANTIC VIEW , DROP SEMANTIC VIEW , SHOW SEMANTIC DIMENSIONS , SHOW SEMANTIC DIMENSIONS FOR METRIC , SHOW SEMANTIC FACTS , SHOW SEMANTIC METRICS

Syntax¶

SHOW [ TERSE ] SEMANTIC VIEWS [ LIKE '<pattern>' ]
  [ IN
       {
         ACCOUNT                                         |

         DATABASE                                        |
         DATABASE <database_name>                        |

         SCHEMA                                          |
         SCHEMA <schema_name>                            |
         <schema_name>
       }
  ]
  [ STARTS WITH '<name_string>' ]
  [ LIMIT <rows> [ FROM '<name_string>' ] ]
Copy

Parameters¶

TERSE

Returns only a subset of the output columns:

  • created_on

  • name

  • kind

    The kind column value is always SEMANTIC_VIEW.

  • database_name

  • schema_name

Default: No value (all columns are included in the output)

LIKE 'pattern'

Optionally filters the command output by object name. The filter uses case-insensitive pattern matching, with support for SQL wildcard characters (% and _).

For example, the following patterns return the same results:

... LIKE '%testing%' ...
... LIKE '%TESTING%' ...

. Default: No value (no filtering is applied to the output).

[ IN ... ]

Optionally specifies the scope of the command. Specify one of the following:

ACCOUNT

Returns records for the entire account.

DATABASE, . DATABASE db_name

Returns records for the current database in use or for a specified database (db_name).

If you specify DATABASE without db_name and no database is in use, the keyword has no effect on the output.

Note

Using SHOW commands without an IN clause in a database context can result in fewer than expected results.

Objects with the same name are only displayed once if no IN clause is used. For example, if you have table t1 in schema1 and table t1 in schema2, and they are both in scope of the database context you’ve specified (that is, the database you’ve selected is the parent of schema1 and schema2), then SHOW TABLES only displays one of the t1 tables.

SCHEMA, . SCHEMA schema_name

Returns records for the current schema in use or a specified schema (schema_name).

SCHEMA is optional if a database is in use or if you specify the fully qualified schema_name (for example, db.schema).

If no database is in use, specifying SCHEMA has no effect on the output.

If you omit IN ..., the scope of the command depends on whether the session currently has a database in use:

  • If a database is currently in use, the command returns the objects you have privileges to view in the database. This has the same effect as specifiying IN DATABASE.

  • If no database is currently in use, the command returns the objects you have privileges to view in your account. This has the same effect as specifiying IN ACCOUNT.

STARTS WITH 'name_string'

Optionally filters the command output based on the characters that appear at the beginning of the object name. The string must be enclosed in single quotes and is case sensitive.

For example, the following strings return different results:

... STARTS WITH 'B' ...
... STARTS WITH 'b' ...

. Default: No value (no filtering is applied to the output)

LIMIT rows [ FROM 'name_string' ]

Optionally limits the maximum number of rows returned, while also enabling “pagination” of the results. The actual number of rows returned might be less than the specified limit. For example, the number of existing objects is less than the specified limit.

The optional FROM 'name_string' subclause effectively serves as a “cursor” for the results. This enables fetching the specified number of rows following the first row whose object name matches the specified string:

  • The string must be enclosed in single quotes and is case sensitive.

  • The string does not have to include the full object name; partial names are supported.

Default: No value (no limit is applied to the output)

Note

For SHOW commands that support both the FROM 'name_string' and STARTS WITH 'name_string' clauses, you can combine both of these clauses in the same statement. However, both conditions must be met or they cancel out each other and no results are returned.

In addition, objects are returned in lexicographic order by name, so FROM 'name_string' only returns rows with a higher lexicographic value than the rows returned by STARTS WITH 'name_string'.

For example:

  • ... STARTS WITH 'A' LIMIT ... FROM 'B' would return no results.

  • ... STARTS WITH 'B' LIMIT ... FROM 'A' would return no results.

  • ... STARTS WITH 'A' LIMIT ... FROM 'AB' would return results (if any rows match the input strings).

Output¶

The command output provides semantic view properties and metadata in the following columns:

Column

Description

created_on

Date and time when the semantic view was created.

name

Name of the semantic view.

kind

View type. This is always SEMANTIC_VIEW.

This column only appears in the output if you specify TERSE.

database_name

Database in which the semantic view is stored.

schema_name

Schema in which the semantic view is stored.

comment

Comment about the semantic view.

owner

Role that owns the semantic view.

owner_role_type

The type of role that owns the object, for example ROLE. . If a Snowflake Native App owns the object, the value is APPLICATION. . Snowflake returns NULL if you delete the object because a deleted object does not have an owner role.

Access control requirements¶

A role used to execute this SQL command must have at least one of the following privileges at a minimum:

Privilege

Object

Notes

REFERENCES

Semantic view

OWNERSHIP

Semantic view

OWNERSHIP is a special privilege on an object that is automatically granted to the role that created the object, but can also be transferred using the GRANT OWNERSHIP command to a different role by the owning role (or any role with the MANAGE GRANTS privilege).

The USAGE privilege on the parent database and schema are required to perform operations on any object in a schema. Note that a role granted any privilege on a schema allows that role to resolve the schema. For example, a role granted CREATE privilege on a schema can create objects on that schema without also having USAGE granted on that schema.

For instructions on creating a custom role with a specified set of privileges, see Creating custom roles.

For general information about roles and privilege grants for performing SQL actions on securable objects, see Overview of Access Control.

Usage notes¶

  • The command returns a maximum of ten thousand records for the specified object type, as dictated by the access privileges for the role used to execute the command. Any records above the ten thousand records limit aren’t returned, even with a filter applied.

    To view results for which more than ten thousand records exist, query the corresponding view (if one exists) in the Snowflake Information Schema.

Examples¶

The following example lists the semantic views in the database that is currently in use:

SHOW SEMANTIC VIEWS;
Copy
+-------------------------------+----------------------+---------------+-------------+---------+---------+-----------------+-----------+
| created_on                    | name                 | database_name | schema_name | comment | owner   | owner_role_type | extension |
|-------------------------------+----------------------+---------------+-------------+---------+---------+-----------------+-----------+
| 2025-04-10 08:29:02.732 -0700 | MY_SEMANTIC_VIEW_1   | MY_DB         | MY_SCHEMA   |         | MY_ROLE | ROLE            | NULL      |
| 2025-04-10 08:29:21.117 -0700 | MY_SEMANTIC_VIEW_2   | MY_DB         | MY_SCHEMA   |         | MY_ROLE | ROLE            | NULL      |
| 2025-04-10 08:29:38.040 -0700 | MY_SEMANTIC_VIEW_3   | MY_DB         | MY_SCHEMA   |         | MY_ROLE | ROLE            | NULL      |
| 2025-04-10 08:47:33.161 -0700 | MY_SEMANTIC_VIEW_4   | MY_DB         | MY_SCHEMA   |         | MY_ROLE | ROLE            | NULL      |
| 2025-04-10 08:47:46.294 -0700 | MY_SEMANTIC_VIEW_5   | MY_DB         | MY_SCHEMA   |         | MY_ROLE | ROLE            | NULL      |
| 2025-04-10 08:47:58.480 -0700 | MY_SEMANTIC_VIEW_6   | MY_DB         | MY_SCHEMA   |         | MY_ROLE | ROLE            | NULL      |
| 2025-02-28 16:16:04.002 -0800 | O_TPCH_SEMANTIC_VIEW | MY_DB         | MY_SCHEMA   |         | MY_ROLE | ROLE            | NULL      |
| 2025-03-21 07:03:54.120 -0700 | TPCH_REV_ANALYSIS    | MY_DB         | MY_SCHEMA   |         | MY_ROLE | ROLE            | NULL      |
+-------------------------------+----------------------+---------------+-------------+---------+---------+-----------------+-----------+

The following example includes only a subset of the output columns:

SHOW TERSE SEMANTIC VIEWS;
Copy
+-------------------------------+-----------------------+---------------+---------------+-------------------+
| created_on                    | name                  | kind          | database_name | schema_name       |
|-------------------------------+-----------------------+---------------+---------------+-------------------|
| 2025-04-10 08:29:02.732 -0700 | MY_SEMANTIC_VIEW_1    | SEMANTIC_VIEW | MY_DB         | MY_SCHEMA         |
| 2025-04-10 08:29:21.117 -0700 | MY_SEMANTIC_VIEW_2    | SEMANTIC_VIEW | MY_DB         | MY_SCHEMA         |
| 2025-04-10 08:29:38.040 -0700 | MY_SEMANTIC_VIEW_3    | SEMANTIC_VIEW | MY_DB         | MY_SCHEMA         |
| 2025-04-10 08:47:33.161 -0700 | MY_SEMANTIC_VIEW_4    | SEMANTIC_VIEW | MY_DB         | MY_SCHEMA         |
| 2025-04-10 08:47:46.294 -0700 | MY_SEMANTIC_VIEW_5    | SEMANTIC_VIEW | MY_DB         | MY_SCHEMA         |
| 2025-04-10 08:47:58.480 -0700 | MY_SEMANTIC_VIEW_6    | SEMANTIC_VIEW | MY_DB         | MY_SCHEMA         |
| 2025-02-28 16:16:04.002 -0800 | O_TPCH_SEMANTIC_VIEW  | SEMANTIC_VIEW | MY_DB         | MY_SCHEMA         |
| 2025-03-21 07:03:54.120 -0700 | TPCH_REV_ANALYSIS     | SEMANTIC_VIEW | MY_DB         | MY_SCHEMA         |
+-------------------------------+-----------------------+---------------+---------------+-------------------+

The following example displays the semantic views with names that have the string tpch:

SHOW SEMANTIC VIEWS LIKE '%tpch%';
Copy
+-------------------------------+----------------------+---------------+-------------+---------+---------+-----------------+-----------+
| created_on                    | name                 | database_name | schema_name | comment | owner   | owner_role_type | extension |
|-------------------------------+----------------------+---------------+-------------+---------+---------+-----------------+-----------|
| 2025-02-28 16:16:04.002 -0800 | O_TPCH_SEMANTIC_VIEW | MY_DB         | MY_SCHEMA   |         | MY_ROLE | ROLE            | NULL      |
| 2025-03-21 07:03:54.120 -0700 | TPCH_REV_ANALYSIS    | MY_DB         | MY_SCHEMA   |         | MY_ROLE | ROLE            | NULL      |
+-------------------------------+----------------------+---------------+-------------+---------+---------+-----------------+-----------+

The following example displays the semantic views with names that start with MY_SEMANTIC_VIEW:

SHOW SEMANTIC VIEWS STARTS WITH 'MY_SEMANTIC_VIEW';
Copy
+-------------------------------+--------------------+---------------+-------------+---------+---------+-----------------+-----------+
| created_on                    | name               | database_name | schema_name | comment | owner   | owner_role_type | extension |
|-------------------------------+--------------------+---------------+-------------+---------+---------+-----------------+-----------|
| 2025-04-10 08:29:02.732 -0700 | MY_SEMANTIC_VIEW_1 | MY_DB         | MY_SCHEMA   |         | MY_ROLE | ROLE            | NULL      |
| 2025-04-10 08:29:21.117 -0700 | MY_SEMANTIC_VIEW_2 | MY_DB         | MY_SCHEMA   |         | MY_ROLE | ROLE            | NULL      |
| 2025-04-10 08:29:38.040 -0700 | MY_SEMANTIC_VIEW_3 | MY_DB         | MY_SCHEMA   |         | MY_ROLE | ROLE            | NULL      |
| 2025-04-10 08:47:33.161 -0700 | MY_SEMANTIC_VIEW_4 | MY_DB         | MY_SCHEMA   |         | MY_ROLE | ROLE            | NULL      |
| 2025-04-10 08:47:46.294 -0700 | MY_SEMANTIC_VIEW_5 | MY_DB         | MY_SCHEMA   |         | MY_ROLE | ROLE            | NULL      |
| 2025-04-10 08:47:58.480 -0700 | MY_SEMANTIC_VIEW_6 | MY_DB         | MY_SCHEMA   |         | MY_ROLE | ROLE            | NULL      |
+-------------------------------+--------------------+---------------+-------------+---------+---------+-----------------+-----------+

The following example displays the first three semantic views with names that start with MY_SEMANTIC_VIEW:

SHOW SEMANTIC VIEWS STARTS WITH 'MY_SEMANTIC_VIEW' LIMIT 3;
Copy
+-------------------------------+--------------------+---------------+-------------+---------+---------+-----------------+-----------+
| created_on                    | name               | database_name | schema_name | comment | owner   | owner_role_type | extension |
|-------------------------------+--------------------+---------------+-------------+---------+---------+-----------------+-----------|
| 2025-04-10 08:29:02.732 -0700 | MY_SEMANTIC_VIEW_1 | MY_DB         | MY_SCHEMA   |         | MY_ROLE | ROLE            | NULL      |
| 2025-04-10 08:29:21.117 -0700 | MY_SEMANTIC_VIEW_2 | MY_DB         | MY_SCHEMA   |         | MY_ROLE | ROLE            | NULL      |
| 2025-04-10 08:29:38.040 -0700 | MY_SEMANTIC_VIEW_3 | MY_DB         | MY_SCHEMA   |         | MY_ROLE | ROLE            | NULL      |
+-------------------------------+--------------------+---------------+-------------+---------+---------+-----------------+-----------+

The following example displays the three semantic views with names that start with MY_SEMANTIC_VIEW after the view named MY_SEMANTIC_VIEW_3:

SHOW SEMANTIC VIEWS STARTS WITH 'MY_SEMANTIC_VIEW' LIMIT 3 FROM 'MY_SEMANTIC_VIEW_3';
Copy
+-------------------------------+--------------------+---------------+-------------+---------+---------+-----------------+-----------+
| created_on                    | name               | database_name | schema_name | comment | owner   | owner_role_type | extension |
|-------------------------------+--------------------+---------------+-------------+---------+---------+-----------------+-----------|
| 2025-04-10 08:47:33.161 -0700 | MY_SEMANTIC_VIEW_4 | MY_DB         | MY_SCHEMA   |         | MY_ROLE | ROLE            | NULL      |
| 2025-04-10 08:47:46.294 -0700 | MY_SEMANTIC_VIEW_5 | MY_DB         | MY_SCHEMA   |         | MY_ROLE | ROLE            | NULL      |
| 2025-04-10 08:47:58.480 -0700 | MY_SEMANTIC_VIEW_6 | MY_DB         | MY_SCHEMA   |         | MY_ROLE | ROLE            | NULL      |
+-------------------------------+--------------------+---------------+-------------+---------+---------+-----------------+-----------+
Language: English