Simplest way to throw an error/exception with a custom message in Swift?

162

votes

I want to do something in Swift that I'm used to doing in multiple other languages: throw a runtime exception with a custom message. For example (in Java):

throw new RuntimeException("A custom message here")

I understand that I can throw enum types that conform to the ErrorType protocol, but I don't want to have to define enums for every type of error I throw. Ideally, I'd like to be able mimic the example above as closely as possible. I looked into creating a custom class that implements the ErrorType protocol, but I can't even figure out that what that protocol requires. Ideas?

iosswift

Swift 2 throw/catch are not exceptions. - zaph

228

votes

The simplest approach is probably to define one custom enum with just one case that has a String attached to it:

enum MyError: ErrorType {
    case runtimeError(String)
}

Or, as of Swift 4:

enum MyError: Error {
    case runtimeError(String)
}

Example usage would be something like:

func someFunction() throws {
    throw MyError.runtimeError("some message")
}
do {
    try someFunction()
} catch MyError.runtimeError(let errorMessage) {
    print(errorMessage)
}

If you wish to use existing Error types, the most general one would be an NSError, and you could make a factory method to create and throw one with a custom message.

157

votes

The simplest way is to make String conform to Error:

extension String: Error {}

Then you can just throw a string:

throw "Some Error"

To make the string itself be the localizedString of the error you can instead extend LocalizedError:

extension String: LocalizedError {
    public var errorDescription: String? { return self }
}

26

votes

Swift 4:

As per:

https://developer.apple.com/documentation/foundation/nserror

if you don't want to define a custom exception, you could use a standard NSError object as follows:

import Foundation

do {
  throw NSError(domain: "my error domain", code: 42, userInfo: ["ui1":12, "ui2":"val2"] ) 
}
catch let error as NSError {
  print("Caught NSError: \(error.localizedDescription), \(error.domain), \(error.code)")
  let uis = error.userInfo 
  print("\tUser info:")
  for (key,value) in uis {
    print("\t\tkey=\(key), value=\(value)")
  }
}

Prints:

Caught NSError: The operation could not be completed, my error domain, 42
    User info:
        key=ui1, value=12
        key=ui2, value=val2

This allows you to provide a custom string (the error domain), plus a numeric code and a dictionary with all the additional data you need, of any type.

N.B.: this was tested on OS=Linux (Ubuntu 16.04 LTS).

25

votes

@nick-keets's solution is most elegant, but it did break down for me in test target with the following compile time error:

Redundant conformance of 'String' to protocol 'Error'

Here's another approach:

struct RuntimeError: Error {
    let message: String

    init(_ message: String) {
        self.message = message
    }

    public var localizedDescription: String {
        return message
    }
}

And to use:

throw RuntimeError("Error message.")

19

votes

Check this cool version out. The idea is to implement both String and ErrorType protocols and use the error's rawValue.

enum UserValidationError: String, Error {
  case noFirstNameProvided = "Please insert your first name."
  case noLastNameProvided = "Please insert your last name."
  case noAgeProvided = "Please insert your age."
  case noEmailProvided = "Please insert your email."
}

Usage:

do {
  try User.define(firstName,
                  lastName: lastName,
                  age: age,
                  email: email,
                  gender: gender,
                  location: location,
                  phone: phone)
}
catch let error as User.UserValidationError {
  print(error.rawValue)
  return
}

15

votes

Simplest solution without extra extensions, enums, classes and etc.:

NSException(name:NSExceptionName(rawValue: "name"), reason:"reason", userInfo:nil).raise()

9

votes

In case you don't need to catch the error and you want to immediately stop the application you can use a fatalError: fatalError ("Custom message here")

7

votes

Based on @Nick keets answer, here is a more complete example:

extension String: Error {} // Enables you to throw a string

extension String: LocalizedError { // Adds error.localizedDescription to Error instances
    public var errorDescription: String? { return self }
}

func test(color: NSColor) throws{
    if color == .red {
        throw "I don't like red"
    }else if color == .green {
        throw "I'm not into green"
    }else {
        throw "I like all other colors"
    }
}

do {
    try test(color: .green)
} catch let error where error.localizedDescription == "I don't like red"{
    Swift.print ("Error: \(error)") // "I don't like red"
}catch let error {
    Swift.print ("Other cases: Error: \(error.localizedDescription)") // I like all other colors
}

Originally published on my swift blog: http://eon.codes/blog/2017/09/01/throwing-simple-errors/

4

votes

I like @Alexander-Borisenko's answer, but the localized description was not returned when caught as an Error. It seems that you need to use LocalizedError instead:

struct RuntimeError: LocalizedError
{
    let message: String

    init(_ message: String)
    {
        self.message = message
    }

    public var errorDescription: String?
    {
        return message
    }
}

See this answer for more details.

1

votes

Throwing code should make clear whether the error message is appropriate for display to end users or is only intended for developer debugging. To indicate a description is displayable to the user, I use a struct DisplayableError that implements the LocalizedError protocol.

struct DisplayableError: Error, LocalizedError {
    let errorDescription: String?

    init(_ description: String) {
        errorDescription = description
    }
}

Usage for throwing:

throw DisplayableError("Out of pixie dust.")

Usage for display:

let messageToDisplay = error.localizedDescription

1

votes

First, let's see few examples, then how to make that work.

Usage

do {
    throw MyError.Failure
} catch {
    print(error.localizedDescription)
}

Or more specific style:

do {
    try somethingThatThrows()
} catch MyError.Failure {
    // Handle special case here.
} catch MyError.Rejected {
    // Another special case...
} catch {
    print(error.localizedDescription)
}

Also, categorization is possible:

do {
    // ...
} catch is MyOtherErrorEnum {
    // If you handle entire category equally.
} catch let error as MyError {
    // Or handle few cases equally (without string-compare).
    switch error {
    case .Failure:
    case .Rejected:
        myShowErrorDialog(error);
    default:
        break
    }
}

Definition

public enum MyError: String, LocalizedError {
    case Failure = "Connection fail - double check internet access."
    case Rejected = "Invalid credentials, try again."
    case Unknown = "Unexpected REST-API error."

    public var errorDescription: String? { self.rawValue }
}

Pros and Cons

Swift defines error variable automatically, and a handler only needs to read localizedDescription property.

But that is vague, and we should use catch MyError.Failure {} style instead (to be clear about what-case we handle), although, categorization is possible as shown in usage example.

Teodor-Ciuraru's almost equal answer still needs a long manual cast (like catch let error as User.UserValidationError { ... }).
The accepted categorization-enum approach disadvantages:
- Is too vague as he comments himself, so that catchers may need to compare String message!? (just to know exact error).
- For throwing same more than once, needs copy/pasting message!!
- Also, needs a long phrase as well, like catch MyError.runtimeError(let errorMessage) { ... }.
The NSException approach has same disadvantages of categorization-enum approach (except maybe shorter catching paragraph), also, even if put in a factory method to create and throw, is quite complicated.

Conclusion

This completes existing solutions, by using LocalizedError instead of Error, and hopefully saves someone from reading all other posts like me.

(my laziness causes me a lot of work.)

Testing

import Foundation
import XCTest
@testable import MyApp

class MyErrorTest: XCTestCase {
    func testErrorDescription_beSameAfterThrow() {
        let obj = MyError.Rejected;
        let msg = "Invalid credentials, try again."
        XCTAssertEqual(obj.rawValue, msg);
        XCTAssertEqual(obj.localizedDescription, msg);
        do {
            throw obj;
        } catch {
            XCTAssertEqual(error.localizedDescription, msg);
        }
    }

    func testThrow_triggersCorrectCatch() {
        // Specific.
        var caught = "None"
        do {
            throw MyError.Rejected;
        } catch MyError.Failure {
            caught = "Failure"
        } catch MyError.Rejected {
            caught = "Successful reject"
        } catch {
            caught = "Default"
        }
        XCTAssertEqual(caught, "Successful reject");
    }
}

Simplest way to throw an error/exception with a custom message in Swift?

11 Answers

Usage

Definition

Pros and Cons

Conclusion

Testing