select random records from access

Here is a very simple way of selecting random records from an Access database:

SELECT TOP 5 * FROM [tableName] ORDER BY rnd(INT(NOW*id)-NOW*id)

The only prerequisite is that you have an AutoNumber Id column. It should also be noted that although this generates a random set of records, they are not truely random in a mathematical sense, but should be sufficiently random for most uses.

This method of selecting records also works in sql server, but you have to change rnd to rand.