code: def _parse_args(*args, caller_name="function"):
      """
      Helper function to parse positional parameters for colored vector plots.
  
      This is currently used for Quiver and Barbs.
  
      Parameters
      ----------
      *args : list
          list of 2-5 arguments. Depending on their number they are parsed to::
  
              U, V
              U, V, C
              X, Y, U, V
              X, Y, U, V, C
  
      caller_name : str
          Name of the calling method (used in error messages).
      """
      X = Y = C = None
  
      nargs = len(args)
      if nargs == 2:
          # The use of atleast_1d allows for handling scalar arguments while also
          # keeping masked arrays
          U, V = np.atleast_1d(*args)
      elif nargs == 3:
          U, V, C = np.atleast_1d(*args)
      elif nargs == 4:
          X, Y, U, V = np.atleast_1d(*args)
      elif nargs == 5:
          X, Y, U, V, C = np.atleast_1d(*args)
      else:
          raise _api.nargs_error(
              caller_name, takes="from 2 to 5", given=nargs
          )
  
      nr, nc = (1, U.shape[0]) if U.ndim == 1 else U.shape
  
      if X is not None:
          X = X.ravel()
          Y = Y.ravel()
          if len(X) == nc and len(Y) == nr:
              X, Y = [a.ravel() for a in np.meshgrid(X, Y)]
          elif len(X) != len(Y):
              raise ValueError(
                  "X and Y must be the same size, but "
                  f"X.size is {X.size} and Y.size is {Y.size}."
              )
      else:
          indexgrid = np.meshgrid(np.arange(nc), np.arange(nr))
          X, Y = [np.ravel(a) for a in indexgrid]
      # Size validation for U, V, C is left to the set_UVC method.
      return X, Y, U, V, C
  
imports: import math
  import numpy
  from numpy import ma
  from matplotlib import _api, cbook, _docstring
  import matplotlib.artist
  import matplotlib.collections
  from matplotlib.patches import CirclePolygon
  import matplotlib.text
  import matplotlib.transforms
label_desc: Use image node_id 1 for calling a global function with example usage: _parse_args() and returns: X,  Y,  U,  V,  C