This code segment does the trick ...
for /F "delims=" %%a in (someFile.txt) do (
set "lastButOne=!lastLine!"
set "lastLine=%%a"
)
echo %lastButOne%
echo %lastLine%
EDIT : added full TAIL.BAT
This method can be modified to get more lines that can be specified by the parameter. The following is the tail.bat file :
@echo off
setlocal EnableDelayedExpansion
rem Tail command in pure Batch: Tail.bat filename numOfLines
rem Antonio Perez Ayala
for /F "delims=" %%a in (%1) do (
set /A i=%2, j=%2-1
for /L %%j in (!j!,-1,1) do (
set "lastLine[!i!]=!lastLine[%%j]!
set /A i-=1
)
set "lastLine[1]=%%a"
)
for /L %%i in (%2,-1,1) do if defined lastLine[%%i] echo !lastLine[%%i]!
2ND EDIT: TAIL.BAT
:
@echo off
setlocal EnableDelayedExpansion
rem Tail command in pure Batch, version 2: Tail.bat filename numOfLines
rem Antonio Perez Ayala
set /A firstTail=1, lastTail=0
for /F "delims=" %%a in (%1) do (
set /A lastTail+=1, lines=lastTail-firstTail+1
set "lastLine[!lastTail!]=%%a"
if !lines! gtr %2 (
set "lastLine[!firstTail!]="
set /A firstTail+=1
)
)
for /L %%i in (%firstTail%,1,%lastTail%) do echo !lastLine[%%i]!