Generates an execution plan showing how RGSubset will process your subsetting operation without actually performing it.

Useful for previewing scope, troubleshooting unexpected results, and validating configurations before running the full subsetting operation.

rgsubset explain
  --database-engine SqlServer
  --source-connection-string "[source connection string]"
  --options-file "[options file path]"
  --output-file "[execution plan file]"

Option	Required?	Notes
--database-engine		The type of the database to classify. Must be one of: MySql  Oracle  PostgreSql  SqlServer
--source-connection-string		The connection string of the database to subset. Can also be set via a REDGATE_SUBSET_SOURCE_CONNECTION_STRING environment variable. Example formats
--options-file		The file path to an options file.
--output-file		The file path where the execution plan will be saved. The plan is generated in JSON format.
--log-level		The verbosity level to log at. Can be one of: Verbose Debug Information (Default) Warning Error Fatal
--log-file		The location of the log file, or none to disable logging.
-?, -h, --help		Show help and usage information.

When to Use

Generate an execution plan when you need to:

• Preview subsetting scope before running the operation on production data
• Troubleshoot unexpected results from previous subsetting operations
• Validate configuration before committing to a full subsetting process
• Analyze performance requirements for large or complex database schemas

Understanding the Output

The execution plan is saved as a structured file (JSON) containing detailed information about how RGSubset will process your subsetting request. This includes table processing order, and relationship mappings.

If you need help interpreting an execution plan, contact Redgate support and include the generated plan file with your request.