get the value in field before the last value

[sal21]

I need to get all value before the last items in field, how to?

Example:
.....
AAAAA BBBBBAA VVVVVV < I need to get all from this row
FFFFFFF OOOO SSSSS

[HansV]

Is there a field on which the records are sorted?

[sal21]

Is there a field on which the records are sorted?

no....

[HansV]

Then it's impossible.

[Rudi]

I'm not disputing your reply, but can't it be extracted based on record count? (Just querying out of interest)
If there are 20 records, count 20-1 and extract?
Or offset one up from last record in record set?

[HansV]

The order of records in a recordset is unpredictable if the sort order is not specified. If the underlying table has a primary key, the records will probably be sorted on that, but you can't depend on it. In particular, if records have repeatedly been inserted and deleted, 'new' records could be listed before 'old' records.
So you really need to specify how records should be sorted if you want to retrieve the 'last' record or the 'next to last' record.

Similarly, if you use First or Last as Total option in a totals query, or if you use the DFirst / DLast function, the result is basically random - you get the value from the first or last record that Access happens to encounter, but that may not be what you expect/want.

[Rudi]

TX for the explanation.
My mind was set on the scenario that one might want to extract the second last record irrespective of that record content... a positional extract as opposed to a record content extract.

Cheers

[HansV]

My point was that a "positional extract" returns a meaningless result if you don't specify how the records are sorted.