Can I use SQL to save a column of data to a text file?

[Mr Paul Jones]

Basically I don't want my msSQL database accessed directly through a website, mainly because I don't want it working any harder than it should be.

I want to show specific statistics on my website that will be pulled from the database say once per day and saved to a text file that will be CALLed by the website.

I was thinking I have two options, create an SQL script or create an application to do it. SQL seems the most appropriate way.

What I ask is, is this possible? And can someone point me in the right direction?

Thanks :P

[BetaWar]

Well, in theory it is possible, I am not sure why you would want to do it, but it is possible.

You will need to use your database anyway to make sure that the information has already been pulled for each day.

Basically you will need to create a table that has the date and when the information has been pulled. Then you have it set so that it checks if the database has been queried already tht day, if so it does nothing, otherwise it will need to pull out the information and save it the the correct file.

The reason I think you shouldn't worry about this is that it will have to access the database anyways to tell if the information has been accessed or not. It is far easier to just pull the information each time, as you will need to do the same thing anyways; just from a file instead.

I am not sure you know this, but MySQL uses the same bandwidth that the rest of your pages uses so you aren't really saving any work in this process.

Again, if you are set on doing it this way, you will still need to use a database.

[puppy]

not only it is possible (http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=select+into+file), but it is also favorite feature abused by various exploits.

[Mr Paul Jones]

Hmm sorry I guess this is important to say, but I would be terminating the SQL once a day via an automated batch file.
So instead of terminating the SQL each time a page loads, it would be limited to once a day.

Im not sure if this helps any of these exploits =/

Thanks

[puppy]

it only makes it an exploit, if it can be exploited to overwrite arbitrary file on your site/host.

edit: i just re-read your post. if you are going to do it from your own machine, i guess there's nothing wrong with it.

[foodpk]

You can do a cron job everyday and have it execute a PHP script which reads the SQL data, stores it as XML and then have a page that reads the XML. Or you could just store it delimited any way you want, depending on how complex your database is.

[puppy]

but foodpk, what about clowns?

[foodpk]

Well, no one really likes them actually, so they pretend to be happy while every one of them is a broken, empty shell of a man that he once was :)

[puppy]

do u think haxors can abuse that shell for... liek, runnin sum sploit, or... do bad things?

[Mr Paul Jones]

Will someone point me in the right direction here please lol
Been trying to work this out for ages now to no avail

Do I use something like EXPORT COLUMNS or INSERT INTO text file sorta thing
Thanks

[Mr Paul Jones]

sorry to bump this but still not managed to do it

[Mr Paul Jones]

:(