> But using views or select sql cursors still opens the affected tables!

local cTempAlias
cTempAlias = "temp" + sys(2015)
use (m.cSomeTable) shared noupdate again alias (m.cTempAlias) in 0

select * ;
   from (m.cTempAlias) ;
   where ... 

use in (m.cTempAlias)

Note: if the source table is part of a DBC then the DBC will remain open even after the table has been closed. With free tables there is no such problem.