⟩ How To Get the Definition of a View Out of the SQL Server?
If you want get the definition of an existing view back from the SQL Server, you can use the system view called sys.sql_modules, which stores definitions of views and procedures.
The sys.sql_modules holds view definitions identifiable by the object id of each view. The tutorial exercise below shows you how to retrieve the definition of view, "ggl_link_view" by joining sys.sql_modules and sys.views:
USE GlobalGuideLineDatabase;
GO
SELECT m.definitionFROM sys.sql_modules m, sys.views v
WHERE m.object_id = v.object_id
AND v.name = 'ggl_links_top';
GO
definition
-------------------------------------------
CREATE VIEW ggl_links_top (LinkText) AS
SELECT CONVERT(VARCHAR(20),id)
+ ' - ' + CONVERT(VARCHAR(20),counts)
+ ' - ' + url
FROM ggl_links WHERE counts > 1000
(1 row(s) affected)
