Exception Handling in JavaScript: Introduction to Core Concepts - A basic example: handling exceptions through a generic mechanism
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In order to illustrate how exceptions can be easily handled in JavaScript, let’s retake the example previously written. First off, here is a listing for the sample “loanCalculator()” function:
function loanCalculator(loanAmount,loanTerm){
if(!loanAmount || parseFloat(loanAmount)<10000 || parseFloat(loanAmount)>300000){
// throw exception
throw 'Loan amount must be between $10000 and $100000';
}
if(!loanTerm || parseInt(loanTerm)<1 || parseInt(loanTerm)>30){
// throw exception
throw 'Loan term must be an integer positive value between 1 and 30';
}
return parseFloat(loanAmount) / parseInt(loanTerm);
}
Now that the function has been defined, let’s wrap up the calling code into a “try-catch” block, like this:
try{
var montlyAssesment=loanCalculator(10000,45);
if(montlyAssesment>300){
// sorry I can't afford it
}
else {
// that's a bit more affordable
}
}
// catch thrown exceptions
catch(e){
if(e=='Loan amount must be between $10000 and $100000'){
// do something to process this error
alert(e);
}
else if (e=='Loan term must be an integer positive value between 1 and 30'){
// do something else to process this error
alert(e);
}
}
As you can see, I’ve purposely called the above function with an invalid argument (loanTerm=45), causing the function to throw an exception within the “try” block, which is trapped by the “catch” statement by using a pair of “if-else if” blocks. In this case, I’ve opted to display the exception itself, but if you find alerts annoying, just modify the code to write down the message directly within the document.
Notice that the “if-else” blocks contained within the “try” block are never executed because program control is always moved within the “catch” statement, as long as the exception is launched. Of course there is room to play with function arguments and watch how the code reacts, in order to get a clear idea on the transference of program flow.
By this point, I’ve provided you with all the makings of a simple JavaScript exception handler, being part of the introductory process for implementing exceptions trough efficient programming techniques.
Wrapping up
That’s all for the moment. Over this first part of the series, you’ve learned the basics of JavaScript exceptions, together with some explanations of how they can be implemented within a program for your convenience. However, this is only a mere introduction. There are numerous topics to be covered yet.
In the next part, I’ll be explaining different types of exceptions supported by JavaScript, so you can build up a fine-tuning mechanism to handle them in a more professional way. See you in the next part!
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