### 24.3.5 Obtaining Information About Partitions

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 This section discusses obtaining information about existing partitions, which can be done in a number of ways. Methods of obtaining such information include the following:

* Using the [`SHOW CREATE TABLE`](show-create-table.html) statement to view the partitioning clauses used in creating a partitioned table.

* Using the [`SHOW TABLE STATUS`](show-table-status.html) statement to determine whether a table is partitioned.

* Querying the [`INFORMATION_SCHEMA.PARTITIONS`](information-schema-partitions-table.html) table.

* Using the statement [`EXPLAIN SELECT`](explain.html) to see which partitions are used by a given [`SELECT`](select.html).

 From MySQL 8.0.16, when insertions, deletions, or updates are made to partitioned tables, the binary log records information about the partition and (if any) the subpartition in which the row event took place. A new row event is created for a modification that takes place in a different partition or subpartition, even if the table involved is the same. So if a transaction involves three partitions or subpartitions, three row events are generated. For an update event, the partition information is recorded for both the “before” image and the “after” image. The partition information is displayed if you specify the `-v` or `--verbose` option when viewing the binary log using [**mysqlbinlog**](mysqlbinlog.html). Partition information is only recorded when row-based logging is in use ([`binlog_format=ROW`](replication-options-binary-log.html#sysvar_binlog_format)).

 As discussed elsewhere in this chapter, [`SHOW CREATE TABLE`](show-create-table.html) includes in its output the `PARTITION BY` clause used to create a partitioned table. For example:

```
mysql> SHOW CREATE TABLE trb3\G
*************************** 1. row ***************************
       Table: trb3
Create Table: CREATE TABLE `trb3` (
  `id` int(11) DEFAULT NULL,
  `name` varchar(50) DEFAULT NULL,
  `purchased` date DEFAULT NULL
) ENGINE=InnoDB DEFAULT CHARSET=utf8mb4
/*!50100 PARTITION BY RANGE (YEAR(purchased))
(PARTITION p0 VALUES LESS THAN (1990) ENGINE = InnoDB,
 PARTITION p1 VALUES LESS THAN (1995) ENGINE = InnoDB,
 PARTITION p2 VALUES LESS THAN (2000) ENGINE = InnoDB,
 PARTITION p3 VALUES LESS THAN (2005) ENGINE = InnoDB) */
0 row in set (0.00 sec)
```

 The output from [`SHOW TABLE STATUS`](show-table-status.html) for partitioned tables is the same as that for nonpartitioned tables, except that the `Create_options` column contains the string `partitioned`. The `Engine` column contains the name of the storage engine used by all partitions of the table. (See [Section 13.7.7.38, “SHOW TABLE STATUS Statement”](show-table-status.html), for more information about this statement.)

 You can also obtain information about partitions from `INFORMATION_SCHEMA`, which contains a [`PARTITIONS`](information-schema-partitions-table.html) table. See [Section 26.3.21, “The INFORMATION\_SCHEMA PARTITIONS Table”](information-schema-partitions-table.html).

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 It is possible to determine which partitions of a partitioned table are involved in a given [`SELECT`](select.html) query using [`EXPLAIN`](explain.html). The `partitions` column in the [`EXPLAIN`](explain.html) output lists the partitions from which records would be matched by the query.

 Suppose that a table `trb1` is created and populated as follows:

```
CREATE TABLE trb1 (id INT, name VARCHAR(50), purchased DATE)
    PARTITION BY RANGE(id)
    (
        PARTITION p0 VALUES LESS THAN (3),
        PARTITION p1 VALUES LESS THAN (7),
        PARTITION p2 VALUES LESS THAN (9),
        PARTITION p3 VALUES LESS THAN (11)
    );

INSERT INTO trb1 VALUES
    (1, 'desk organiser', '2003-10-15'),
    (2, 'CD player', '1993-11-05'),
    (3, 'TV set', '1996-03-10'),
    (4, 'bookcase', '1982-01-10'),
    (5, 'exercise bike', '2004-05-09'),
    (6, 'sofa', '1987-06-05'),
    (7, 'popcorn maker', '2001-11-22'),
    (8, 'aquarium', '1992-08-04'),
    (9, 'study desk', '1984-09-16'),
    (10, 'lava lamp', '1998-12-25');
```

 You can see which partitions are used in a query such as `SELECT * FROM trb1;`, as shown here:

```
mysql> EXPLAIN SELECT * FROM trb1\G
*************************** 1. row ***************************
           id: 1
  select_type: SIMPLE
        table: trb1
   partitions: p0,p1,p2,p3
         type: ALL
possible_keys: NULL
          key: NULL
      key_len: NULL
          ref: NULL
         rows: 10
        Extra: Using filesort
```

 In this case, all four partitions are searched. However, when a limiting condition making use of the partitioning key is added to the query, you can see that only those partitions containing matching values are scanned, as shown here:

```
mysql> EXPLAIN SELECT * FROM trb1 WHERE id < 5\G
*************************** 1. row ***************************
           id: 1
  select_type: SIMPLE
        table: trb1
   partitions: p0,p1
         type: ALL
possible_keys: NULL
          key: NULL
      key_len: NULL
          ref: NULL
         rows: 10
        Extra: Using where
```

[`EXPLAIN `](explain.html) also provides information about keys used and possible keys:

```
mysql> ALTER TABLE trb1 ADD PRIMARY KEY (id);
Query OK, 10 rows affected (0.03 sec)
Records: 10  Duplicates: 0  Warnings: 0

mysql> EXPLAIN SELECT * FROM trb1 WHERE id < 5\G
*************************** 1. row ***************************
           id: 1
  select_type: SIMPLE
        table: trb1
   partitions: p0,p1
         type: range
possible_keys: PRIMARY
          key: PRIMARY
      key_len: 4
          ref: NULL
         rows: 7
        Extra: Using where
```

 If [`EXPLAIN`](explain.html) is used to examine a query against a nonpartitioned table, no error is produced, but the value of the `partitions` column is always `NULL`.

 The `rows` column of [`EXPLAIN`](explain.html) output displays the total number of rows in the table.

 See also [Section 13.8.2, “EXPLAIN Statement”](explain.html).

