Convert LONG to VARCHAR2 in an SQL Statement

"Why are you still using Long column types, they've been extinct for ages?"
I'm not but the data dictionary is...

Anyway, I struggled for ages to find a solution to quickly convert Long column types to Varchar2 on the fly in an SQL statement without creating some kind of PLSQL function to do the job, which I didn't want to do. So I came up with converting it to XML then querying the XML. Still not ideal but got the job done without me having to create PLSQL.

WITH xml AS ( SELECT DBMS_XMLGEN.GETXMLTYPE( 'SELECT * FROM dba_triggers where trigger_name like ''%MODTRG''' ) AS xml FROM DUAL ), dbaTriggersData AS ( SELECT xs.trigger_name, xs.trigger_body FROM xml x, XMLTABLE('/ROWSET/ROW' PASSING x.xml COLUMNS trigger_name VARCHAR2(30) PATH 'TRIGGER_NAME', trigger_body VARCHAR2(4000) PATH 'TRIGGER_BODY') xs ) SELECT * FROM dbaTriggersData WHERE trigger_body LIKE '%USER%' AND trigger_body NOT LIKE '%APP_USER%' ;

This particular query was to check my triggers were ok for Apex. Referencing APP_USER if they referenced USER