| FreeMat
    | 
Section: Functions and Scripts
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.
You can also use nargout on a function handle to return the number of input arguments expected by the function 
y = nargout(fun)
 where fun is the name of the function (e.g. 'sin') or a function handle. 
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 
--> nargout('sin')
ans = 
 1 
--> y = @sin
y = 
 @sin
--> nargout(y)
ans = 
 1