How do you capture a view as an external file?

Question

I am trying to write an interface using C++.NET. So far, everything is working well. It connects the database to a pre-designed recordset and accepts SQL commands.
The next step is to input SQL commands to create Views. In order to use those Views in my interface, I believe they need to be stored in some external file that would be accessible to my interface application.
How can I capture and store Oracle 10g XE Views ?

Answer 1

I'm still not sure we're talking the same language here.
PL/SQL is the programming language.
SQL is the query language. PL/SQL can contain SQL statements.
Views are stored queries, not stored result sets. You might create a view as
SQL> CREATE OR REPLACE VIEW employee_departments AS
  2  SELECT e.empno, e.ename, d.dname AS department
  3  FROM   emp e
  4         JOIN dept d ON d.deptno = e.deptno;
View created.
SQL> desc employee_departments
Name                          Null?    Type
EMPNO                         NOT NULL NUMBER(4)
ENAME                                  VARCHAR2(10)
DEPARTMENT                             VARCHAR2(14)
SQL> SELECT * FROM employee_departments
  2  WHERE  department = 'SALES';
     EMPNO ENAME      DEPARTMENT
      7499 ALLEN      SALES
      7521 WARD       SALES
      7654 MARTIN     SALES
      7698 BLAKE      SALES
      7844 TURNER     SALES
      7900 JAMES      SALESHowever the base tables are read and the join repeated whenever the query is issued - the results are not stored anywhere and it does not make sense to talk of putting them in a file. What if the underlying data changes? Your users read from the file and get the old results. Oracle provides mechanisms for handling application cache structures but it's advanced stuff (I've only read about it, I'm not a 3GL programmer myself) and I would have thought not suitable for someone trying to put up a simple application quickly.
You said you can get your C++.Net application to connect to the database and get result sets. Just use that same approach when accessing the views you have created. You don't need a 'file'.
> Most users of consumer software dont really want to spend the time and effort to familiarize themselves with the workings of a sophisticated database. Ideally, for them, they don't even know a database exists in conjunction with their application.
I still don't see what this has to do with anything. No they will not be familiarising themselves with the workings of a database, they will be interacting with your fine application.