picking "last" item

sometimes the 'last' entity is whatever the last one in the current view is (the entities you can see on the screen), but sometimes the 'last' item is the very last item created, whether you can see it in the view or not. what is the command to use to switch between these two options? thanks.

It looks to me like there is no way to adjust this prompt, based on this image from the SYSVDLG. Seems to be read only, without variable options. If you have just created an object it will be selected, as you are well aware.

Having just done a simple test, my guess is that the software stores a creation time stamp of each item in the DWG, and will default to the one with the latest stamp, even if it was from some time ago, and regardless of whether or not it is currently displayed in your view. The command references entities in the DWG, not only those in the view. There does seem to be a distinction made between modelspace and layout however. If the last item created in the drawing was an annotation in your paperspace, and you are in modelspace, the LAST prompt will disregard the paperspace object, and instead choose the newest modelspace entity.

thanks for the response, dadgad. i am currently using autocad lt 2012. this used to work when i was using autocad 2008. if i wanted to pick a certain item as 'last' in autocad 2008 i would just zoom in on it and do whatever it was i wanted to do: copy last, erase last, change last, whatever. does anyone know if this is an option in autocad 2012 lt? maybe it's just not available since it's "LT", i don't know. thanks again.

Im not sure if this is what you mean:

i.e. you have selected a line and trimmed it down and then deselected the command and then select another command such as Rotate to perform the next part of your update on the same line you previously Trimmed?

if this is what you mean then after the Trim command is deselected and the Rotate is selected you can type P or PR to select the previous part you were working on

the LAST item used to be the very last item created. I don't know when but I know it has changed (probably this millenium) to the last item visible. This has caught out several of my scripts to the extent I now add a ZOOM EXTENTS to ensure I get it.

We changed to 2011 relatively recently and until now I haven't even checked. I just did and it has reverted back to last created item rather than last visible! Oh don't you love these little changes.....

but in answer to your question, I don't think there is a toggle, you just have to put up with how the programmers left it.

those autocad designers...they drive me nuts. thanks for the response, dbroada.