Guidance on Exception Handling in C++

Hey there! It’s great that you’re looking to understand exception handling in C++. Here’s a breakdown to help you get started:

1. Common Scenarios for Throwing Exceptions

Consider throwing exceptions in the following situations:

• When a function receives an argument that is out of the expected range.
• If a resource allocation fails (e.g., memory allocation).
• When an operation cannot be completed (e.g., file not found).
• When there’s a logical inconsistency in the program state.

2. Defining and Throwing Exceptions

To throw an exception, you can use the throw keyword. Here’s a simple example:

        
        void divide(int a, int b) {
            if (b == 0) {
                throw std::invalid_argument("Division by zero");
            }
            std::cout << (a / b) << std::endl;
        }
        
    

In the example above, if b is zero, an exception of type std::invalid_argument is thrown.

3. Catching and Handling Exceptions

Use try and catch blocks to handle exceptions. Here’s how you might do it:

        
        try {
            divide(10, 0);
        } catch (const std::invalid_argument& e) {
            std::cerr << "Error: " << e.what() << std::endl;
        }
        
    

This catches the std::invalid_argument exception and outputs an error message, allowing the program to continue running.

4. Best Practices for Exception Handling

Here are some best practices to consider:

• Use exceptions for error handling instead of return codes.
• Always catch exceptions by reference.
• Keep try blocks small to reduce the risk of catching unintended exceptions.
• Document the exceptions your functions can throw, so users know what to expect.
• Use custom exception classes to provide clearer error information.

Conclusion

With these guidelines, you’ll be on your way to effectively using exception handling in your C++ projects. Happy coding!