A simple JavaScript function which is between parenthesis [duplicate]

Question

I have downloaded an external JavaScript file and want to create a HTML5 User Interface for it. I don't understand why the JavaScript code (see bellow) initiates his main function like that.

//JavaScript Code
(function(Raphael) {
      // some codes here
})(window.Raphael);

Why is that function between parentheses?

What does the "window.Raphael" mean?

Answer 1

This is an example of a self invoking anonymous function.

You are passing in window.Raphael into this function which is essentially "renamed" to Raphael inside the function.