Write XML file on client

Question

I'm trying to generate XML files on a client machine. I'm using SQL*Plus Instant Client v 10.1.0.4.0 connected to DB version 10.1.0.3.0. I've created a view of XMLType and am able to select XML from this view. I've been unable to figure out a way to generate well-formed XML via a Spool command and Select statement as Sqlplus returns the XML as one row and has problems with line wrapping, embedded spaces, and also including the SQL command in the spooled output. I've tried many different permutations of Set commands to no avail.
Is there a way to generate a valid XML file from Sqlplus on a client machine using the Spool command? If not Sqlplus, any other suggestions?
Thanks,
Glenn

Answer 1

I would be inclined to write a pipelined function to take a clob, and break it up into pieces (perhaps after a '>').
Here's an example of a pipelined function, which you can modify to suit your needs, such as working with CLOBs. You may also want to add more intelligence to it, such as checking for when the chunk is longer than 2000 characters.
CREATE TYPE tvc2000 AS TABLE OF VARCHAR2(2000)
CREATE OR REPLACE
FUNCTION chopper
  p_string IN VARCHAR2
RETURN tvc2000
PIPELINED
IS
  l_len NUMBER := LENGTH(p_string);
  l_out NUMBER := 0;
  l_pos NUMBER;
BEGIN
  l_pos := INSTR(p_string, '>', l_out+1);
  WHILE l_pos > 0 LOOP
    PIPE ROW(SUBSTR(p_string, l_out+1, l_pos - l_out));
    l_out := l_pos;
    l_pos := INSTR(p_string, '>', l_out+1);
  END LOOP;
  IF l_out < l_len THEN
    PIPE ROW(SUBSTR(p_string, l_out+1, l_len - l_out));
  END IF;
  RETURN;
END;
SELECT *
FROM TABLE(chopper('abc>def>'))
COLUMN_VALUE
abc>
def>Tak