1 files changed, 11 insertions, 3 deletions

diff --git a/init.lua b/init.lua
index 9b117a6..1eae7cb 100644
--- a/init.lua
+++ b/init.lua
@@ -27,16 +27,24 @@ function Module:__call__(...)
 
    local input = ...
    if nArgs == 1 and input == nil then
-      error('what is this in the input? nil')
+      error(utils.expectingNodeErrorMessage(input, 'inputs', 1))
+   end
+   -- Disallow passing empty table, in case someone passes a table with some
+   -- typo'd variable name in.
+   if type(input) == 'table' and next(input) == nil then
+      error('cannot pass an empty table of inputs. To indicate no incoming ' ..
+            'connections, leave the second set of parens blank.')
    end
    if not istable(input) then
       input = {input}
    end
    local mnode = nngraph.Node({module=self})
 
-   for i,dnode in ipairs(input) do
+   local dnode
+   for i = 1, utils.tableMaxN(input) do
+      dnode = input[i]
       if torch.typename(dnode) ~= 'nngraph.Node' then
-         error('what is this in the input? ' .. tostring(dnode))
+         error(utils.expectingNodeErrorMessage(dnode, 'inputs', i))
       end
       mnode:add(dnode,true)
    end