# [EMAIL PROTECTED] / 2007-01-04 18:45:07 -0600: > On Thu, January 4, 2007 6:17 pm, Roman Neuhauser wrote: > > Ok, but what harm has been done? something() presumably did the > > fopen() for a reason, and couldn't work without the file handle and > > couldn't succeed anyway. > > > > Sure, the program leaves the normal path at this moment unexpectedly, > > and I can understand your frustration, but it has a bug, right? And > > although the program contains a bug it hasn't crashed, it just entered > > whatever orderly cleanup-and-exit path you had prepared. > > > > If fopen() didn't throw and the programmer didn't check the return > > value (catch the exception in your version), you'd be screwed not > > even knowing it. > > > > I think you brought a solid example of superiority of exceptions over > > returning error codes. > > over returning error codes and not DOING anything with them? Sure. > > Over well-written code that does something with the returned error > codes? no. Just a stylistic difference really, if all developers > consistently did their error-checking, and did it fairly well. > > Alas, they don't.
That's exactly the point. Programmers don't check return values, programs have bugs. > And, suppose it's NOT an fopen() that was the problem deep in the guts > of the other guy's code. > > Now you are catching an error and you have NO IDEA what the [bleep] to > do with it. If you really don't know what to do, then the right thing is probably an orderly exit of the application, no? > At least with error code returns, you are USUALLY dealing with a > specific way to get those codes (in PHP, not C-style shell-style > pass-the-buck error code bubble-up). With error codes, you are USUALLY dealing with crashes and wrong behavior. Compiled programs segfault, programs in PHP produce unspecified numbers of E_NOTICE, E_WARNING, and quite easily drop dead with an E_FATAL before returning to where you'd be complaining that you don't know what to do with the error! > And, of course, you just ignored the question of another catch block > doing something you wish it didn't do... I don't know what that means. -- How many Vietnam vets does it take to screw in a light bulb? You don't know, man. You don't KNOW. Cause you weren't THERE. http://bash.org/?255991 -- PHP General Mailing List (http://www.php.net/) To unsubscribe, visit: http://www.php.net/unsub.php
