---
name: "WrongNumArgs"
section: "3"
platform: "macos"
package: "tcl"
version: "152"
release: "macOS 26.5"
platforms: ["macos"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/WrongNumArgs"
---

# WrongNumArgs(3)

generate standard error message for wrong number of arguments

## NAME

Tcl\_WrongNumArgs - generate standard error message for wrong number of arguments

## SYNOPSIS

```
#include <tcl.h>

Tcl_WrongNumArgs(interp, objc, objv, message)
```

## ARGUMENTS

Interpreter in which error will be reported: error message gets stored in its result object. Number of leading arguments from *objv* to include in error message. Arguments to command that had the wrong number of arguments. Additional error information to print after leading arguments from *objv*.  This typically gives the acceptable syntax of the command.  This argument may be NULL.

## DESCRIPTION

**Tcl\_WrongNumArgs** is a utility procedure that is invoked by command procedures when they discover that they have received the wrong number of arguments.  **Tcl\_WrongNumArgs** generates a standard error message and stores it in the result object of *interp*.  The message includes the *objc* initial elements of *objv* plus *message*.  For example, if *objv* consists of the values **foo** and **bar**, *objc* is 1, and *message* is then *interp*'s result object will be set to the following string: wrong # args: should be "foo fileName count" If *objc* is 2, the result will be set to the following string: wrong # args: should be "foo bar fileName count" *Objc* is usually 1, but may be 2 or more for commands like **string** and the Tk widget commands, which use the first argument as a subcommand.

Some of the objects in the *objv* array may be abbreviations for a subcommand.  The command **Tcl\_GetIndexFromObj** will convert the abbreviated string object into an *indexObject*.  If an error occurs in the parsing of the subcommand we would like to use the full subcommand name rather than the abbreviation.  If the **Tcl\_WrongNumArgs** command finds any *indexObjects* in the *objv* array it will use the full subcommand name in the error message instead of the abbreviated name that was originally passed in.  Using the above example, let us assume that *bar* is actually an abbreviation for *barfly* and the object is now an indexObject because it was passed to **Tcl\_GetIndexFromObj**.  In this case the error message would be: wrong # args: should be "foo barfly fileName count"

## SEE ALSO

Tcl\_GetIndexFromObj

## KEYWORDS

command, error message, wrong number of arguments