Variable number of function arguments

[simon]

Hi everyone
How would I document the following function that can be passed an
unlimited number of optional arguments ?

List.prototype.RemoveItem = function() {
var Len = arguments.length;
if (Len > 0) {
// remove specified items
var i = 0;
for (; i < Len; i++) {
this.El.removeChild(arguments[i]);
}
}
else { // remove all
while (this.El.hasChildNodes()) {
this.El.removeChild(this.El.firstChild);
}
}
}

Any ideas ?

[Michael Mathews]

Hi Simon,

This question has come up previously (see thread entitled "Optional
arguments...") and there isn't any official way, but one possible
solution is this:

/**
* @param [...] Zero or more child nodes. If zero then ...
otherwise ....
*/

The square brackets indicate an optional parameter, and the ... would
(to me) indicate "some arbitrary number."

Another possibility is this...

/**
* @param [arguments] The child nodes.
*/

Either way should communicate what you mean.

Regards,
Michael

[simon]

Sorry for not searching on that subject first (You just could have
said: RTFM!).

Explanation: I was simply confused by the fact, that there is more
than one optional argument, but I don't know how many. I thought I
would have to document each one of them with a @param, but how's that
possible if I don't know how many there are...

So I just did as you suggested:
* @param {object} [arguments] zero or more nodes

Thank you Simon

[Michael Mathews]

You're very welcome, Simon. My general view on all such questions is that documentation is a form of human-to-human communication, and as such the best answer is always going to be the one that makes the most sense to your intended audience. There rarely is a single cut-and-dried answer to that.

And I officially hate the "RTFM" response and hereby grant permission to anyone to smack me if I ever utter it. I try to take the view that all users are smart and sincere and if the information were reasonably easy to find they would have already. The closest I ever plan to get to RTFM is: "You can find that information here," or "I'll try to make that information easier to find in the manual for you."

ITTMTIETFITMFY? erm... maybe not.

Regards,
Michael