nargout

Number of output arguments

Usage

nargout

• It returns the number of output arguments supplied by the user when the function is called.
• It has to be called within the function body.

nargout(name)

• It returns the maximum number of output arguments expected by the function named fname.
• It returns -1 if there can be unlimited number of output arguments.
• The .m file of the function should be located in the current work folder.

nargout(h)

• h is a function handle.
• It returns the maximum number of output arguments expected by the function associated with h.
• It returns -1 if there can be unlimited number of output arguments.
• For function handle of an anonymous function, it always return -1.

Examples

• User-defined function f is given below, which requires 2 output arguments.

Input

function [a,b] = f(c,d,e)
disp('Number of output arguments required:')
nargout
a = c;
b = d;

Running a = f(1,2,3); gives the following output.

Output

Number of output arguments given:

ans =
1.0000

• f is the function defined in the example above.

Input

nargout('f')

Output

ans =
2.000