how to find "bottom" of table in a group query

Consider table region_log:

 Name                            Null?    Type
 ------------------------------- -------- ----
 AREA_CDE                        NOT NULL CHAR(4)
 TIMESTAMP                       NOT NULL DATE
 MODULE                          NOT NULL VARCHAR2(48)
 STAFF_ID_NO                              CHAR(13)
 ACTION                                   VARCHAR2(48)
 REMARKS                                  VARCHAR2(256)

This is a log file.
I use a select statement to see what is going on today by saying...   select *
  from region_log
  where timestamp > sysdate-1
  order by area_cde, staff_id_no, timestamp

But I would very much like to only see the last 10 transactions done by each staff_if_no.

I thought there should be some easy way to do this. Bust everytime I attempt
it the SQL statement grow so big that I give up on it.

I was hoping for something like:
select *
  from region_log r1
 where r1.timestamp = (Select max(timestamp)

                         from region_log r2
                        where timestamp > sysdate-1
                        group by staff_id_no)

But this cause error 1427:Single row subquery returns more than one row..
Which I can understand.
Is there an easy way of finding the last entry for each staff_id_no?

And after finding the last entry , finding the 9 before that ?

Thanks
Werner

PS:Sorry aboyt the subject heading : couldn't think of anything better. Received on Wed Mar 03 1999 - 06:10:17 CST