NARGOUT Number of Output Arguments

Section: Functions and Scripts

Usage

The nargout function computes the number of return values requested from a function when it was called. The general syntax for its use 
   y = nargout

FreeMat allows for fewer return values to be requested from a function than were declared, and nargout can be used to determine exactly what subset of the functions outputs are required.

Example

Here is a function that is declared to return five values, and that simply prints the value of nargout each time it is called. 

     nargouttest.m
function [a1,a2,a3,a4,a5] = nargouttest
  printf('nargout = %d\n',nargout);
  a1 = 1; a2 = 2; a3 = 3; a4 = 4; a5 = 5;



--> a1 = nargouttest
nargout = 1

a1 = 
 1 

--> [a1,a2] = nargouttest
nargout = 2
a1 = 
 1 

a2 = 
 2 

--> [a1,a2,a3] = nargouttest
nargout = 3
a1 = 
 1 

a2 = 
 2 

a3 = 
 3 

--> [a1,a2,a3,a4,a5] = nargouttest
nargout = 5
a1 = 
 1 

a2 = 
 2 

a3 = 
 3 

a4 = 
 4 

a5 = 
 5