Using the ring_buffer for viewing Azure SQL Database extended events is pretty challenging.
Below is my attempt to automate the process.
Simply add the extended event session name you are wanting to view.
Make sure the extended event session is using the ring_buffer output, and is running, and then run the generated sql_command shown.
If you have any comments on improvements i.e. showing deadlock xml, feel free to comment.
/* extended event session name */
DECLARE @session_name nvarchar(128);
/*only update this line with the name of the session to view*/
SET @session_name = 'your extended event session name';
/* temporary table variable */
DECLARE @sqlcmd_table TABLE (row_order int IDENTITY(1,1), row_text varchar(MAX));
/* select start */
INSERT INTO @sqlcmd_table (row_text) SELECT 'DECLARE @t1 TABLE (target_data xml);';
INSERT INTO @sqlcmd_table (row_text) SELECT 'INSERT INTO @t1 (target_data)';
INSERT INTO @sqlcmd_table (row_text) SELECT 'SELECT CAST(target_data AS xml) AS target_data';
INSERT INTO @sqlcmd_table (row_text) SELECT 'FROM sys.dm_xe_database_sessions a, sys.dm_xe_database_session_targets b';
INSERT INTO @sqlcmd_table (row_text) SELECT 'WHERE 1=1';
INSERT INTO @sqlcmd_table (row_text) SELECT 'AND a.[address] = b.event_session_address';
INSERT INTO @sqlcmd_table (row_text) SELECT 'AND b.target_name = ''ring_buffer''';
INSERT INTO @sqlcmd_table (row_text) SELECT 'AND a.[name]= '''+@session_name+''';';
INSERT INTO @sqlcmd_table (row_text) SELECT '';
INSERT INTO @sqlcmd_table (row_text) SELECT 'SELECT'
INSERT INTO @sqlcmd_table (row_text) SELECT ' c.value(''(@timestamp)[1]'',''datetime2'') AT TIME ZONE ''UTC'' AT TIME ZONE ''New Zealand Standard Time'' AS timestamp_nz';
INSERT INTO @sqlcmd_table (row_text) SELECT ',c.value(''(@name)[1]'',''nvarchar(128)'') AS event_name';
INSERT INTO @sqlcmd_table (row_text) SELECT ',c.value(''(@package)[1]'',''nvarchar(128)'') AS package_name';
/* action columns */
INSERT INTO @sqlcmd_table (row_text)
SELECT
',c.value(''(action[@name='''''+c.action_name+''''']/value)[1]'','''+ CASE WHEN d.[type_name] = 'activity_id' THEN ''
WHEN d.[type_name] = 'activity_id_xfer' THEN ''
WHEN d.[type_name] = 'ansi_string' THEN 'varchar(MAX)'
WHEN d.[type_name] = 'ansi_string_ptr' THEN 'varchar(MAX)'
WHEN d.[type_name] = 'binary_data' THEN 'varbinary(MAX)'
WHEN d.[type_name] = 'boolean' THEN 'bit'
WHEN d.[type_name] = 'callstack' THEN 'nvarchar(MAX)'
WHEN d.[type_name] = 'char' THEN 'char(1)'
WHEN d.[type_name] = 'cpu_cycle' THEN 'bigint'
WHEN d.[type_name] = 'filetime' THEN 'datetime'
WHEN d.[type_name] = 'float32' THEN 'float(24)'
WHEN d.[type_name] = 'float64' THEN 'float(53)'
WHEN d.[type_name] = 'guid' THEN 'nvarchar(MAX)'
WHEN d.[type_name] = 'guid_ptr' THEN 'bigint'
WHEN d.[type_name] = 'int16' THEN 'smallint'
WHEN d.[type_name] = 'int32' THEN 'int'
WHEN d.[type_name] = 'int64' THEN 'bigint'
WHEN d.[type_name] = 'int8' THEN 'tinyint'
WHEN d.[type_name] = 'null' THEN 'null'
WHEN d.[type_name] = 'ptr' THEN 'bigint'
WHEN d.[type_name] = 'uint16' THEN 'smallint'
WHEN d.[type_name] = 'uint32' THEN 'int'
WHEN d.[type_name] = 'uint64' THEN 'bigint'
WHEN d.[type_name] = 'uint8' THEN 'tinyint'
WHEN d.[type_name] = 'unicode_string' THEN 'nvarchar(MAX)'
WHEN d.[type_name] = 'unicode_string_ptr' THEN 'nvarchar(MAX)'
WHEN d.[type_name] = 'wchar' THEN 'nchar(2)'
WHEN d.[type_name] = 'xml' THEN 'xml'
ELSE 'nvarchar(MAX)' END + ''') AS ' + c.action_name
FROM
sys.dm_xe_database_session_events b
,sys.dm_xe_database_session_event_actions c
,sys.dm_xe_objects d
WHERE 1=1
AND b.event_session_address = c.event_session_address
AND b.event_name = c.event_name
AND b.event_package_guid = d.package_guid
AND c.action_name = d.[name]
AND d.object_type = 'action'
ORDER BY b.event_name, c.action_name
/* event columns */
INSERT INTO @sqlcmd_table (row_text)
SELECT
',c.value(''(data[@name='''''+a.[name]+''''']/value)[1]'',''nvarchar(MAX)'') AS '+a.[name]
FROM
sys.dm_xe_object_columns a JOIN sys.dm_xe_database_session_events b
ON a.object_package_guid = b.event_package_guid
AND a.[object_name] = b.[event_name]
LEFT OUTER JOIN sys.dm_xe_database_session_object_columns c
ON c.object_package_guid = a.object_package_guid
AND c.event_session_address = b.event_session_address
AND c.[object_name] = a.[object_name]
AND c.column_name = a.[name]
WHERE 1=1
AND a.column_type <> 'readonly'
AND (c.column_value IS NULL OR c.column_value = 'true') /* remove not selected */
ORDER BY b.event_name, a.column_id;
/* select end */
INSERT INTO @sqlcmd_table (row_text) SELECT 'FROM @t1 a' + CHAR(13) + CHAR(10) ;
INSERT INTO @sqlcmd_table (row_text) SELECT 'CROSS APPLY target_data.nodes(''RingBufferTarget/event'') AS b(c)'
INSERT INTO @sqlcmd_table (row_text) SELECT 'ORDER BY c.value(''(@timestamp)[1]'',''datetime2'') DESC;';
/* view sql command */
SELECT row_text AS sql_command
FROM @sqlcmd_table
ORDER BY row_order;
/* Make sure the extended event session is running and you run the the generated sql_command in the Azure SQL Database */