Re: How many parameters does an elisp function take?

[Kevin Rodgers]

David Kastrup wrote:
> Kevin Rodgers <address@hidden> writes:
> > Alan Mackenzie wrote:
> > > Is it possible to determine at run time how many parameters an elisp
> > > function takes?  For example, I'd like to write something like:
> > > (how-many-params 'null)
> > > and have it evaluate to 1.  Or something like that.  Together with
> > > some
> > > reasonable convention for indicating &optional and &rest arguments.
> >
> > I would start with eldoc-function-arglist.
>
> For built-in functions, subr-arity might help.

And now for lisp functions, lambda-arity:

(require 'eldoc)

(defun lambda-arity (function)
  "Return minimum and maximum number of args allowed for FUNCTION.
FUNCTION must be a symbol whose function binding is a lambda expression
or a macro.
The returned value is a pair (MIN . MAX).  MIN is the minimum number
of args.  MAX is the maximum number or the symbol `many', for a lambda
or macro with `&rest' args."
  (let* ((arglist (eldoc-function-arglist function))
         (optional-arglist (memq '&optional arglist))
         (rest-arglist (memq '&rest arglist)))
    (cons (- (length arglist)
             (cond (optional-arglist (length optional-arglist))
                   (rest-arglist (length rest-arglist))
                   (t 0)))
          (cond (rest-arglist 'many)
                (optional-arglist (+ (length arglist)
                                     (length optional-arglist)
                                     -1))
                (t (length arglist))))))

--
Kevin Rodgers