nargin

Syntax

R = nargin('functionname')

R = nargin(@functionname)

R = nargin()

Inputs

'functionname'

Text of the function name.

Type: char | string

@functionname

A handle to the function name.

Type: char | string

Outputs

R

The number of arguments required (Case 1) or provided (Case 2).

Case 1

When nargin is called with a function handle or function name, it returns the number of arguments required by the function. 0 means the function accepts no arguments. A positive number indicates a required, minimum argument count. A negative number indicates the first optional argument.

Case 2

When nargin (with no arguments) is called inside a function, it returns a positive number indicating the number of arguments received by the function.

Type: integer

Example

printf('nargin count for function ''cos'' is %d\n', nargin(@cos))

nargin count for function 'cos' is 1

printf('nargin count for function ''clear'' is %d\n', nargin('clear'))

nargin count for function 'clear' is -1

printf('nargin count for function ''sprintf'' is %d\n', nargin('sprintf'))

nargin count for function 'sprintf' is -2

function testfunc(firstarg, secondarg, thirdarg)
	    printf('arguments received %d\n', nargin())
      end

      printf('function %s takes %d arguments\n', 'testfunc', nargin('testfunc'))

function testfunc takes 3 arguments

printf('function %s takes %d arguments\n', 'testfunc', nargin(@testfunc))

function testfunc takes 3 arguments

printf('call testfunc with 0 arguments - ')
      testfunc()

call testfunc with 0 arguments - arguments received 0

printf('call testfunc with 1 arguments - ')
      testfunc(1)

call testfunc with 1 arguments - arguments received 1

printf('call testfunc with 2 arguments - ')
      testfunc(1, 2)

call testfunc with 2 arguments - arguments received 2

printf('call testfunc with 3 arguments - ')
      testfunc(1, 2, 3)

call testfunc with 3 arguments - arguments received 3