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ERROR_SEVERITY (Transact-SQL)

Returns the severity of the error that caused the CATCH block of a TRY…CATCH construct to be run.

Topic link iconTransact-SQL Syntax Conventions

Syntax

ERROR_SEVERITY ()

Return Types

int

Return Value

When called in a CATCH block, returns the severity of the error message that caused the CATCH block to be run.

Returns NULL if called outside the scope of a CATCH block.

Remarks

ERROR_SEVERITY may be called anywhere within the scope of a CATCH block.

ERROR_SEVERITY returns the error severity regardless of how many times it is run, or where it is run within the scope of the CATCH block. This is in contrast to functions like @@ERROR, which only returns the error number in the statement immediately after the one that causes an error, or in the first statement of a CATCH block.

In nested CATCH blocks, ERROR_SEVERITY returns the error severity specific to the scope of the CATCH block in which it is referenced. For example, the CATCH block of an outer TRY...CATCH construct could have a nested TRY...CATCH construct. Within the nested CATCH block, ERROR_SEVERITY returns the severity from the error that invoked the nested CATCH block. If ERROR_SEVERITY is run in the outer CATCH block, it returns the severity from the error that invoked that CATCH block.

Examples

A. Using ERROR_SEVERITY in a CATCH block

The following example shows a SELECT statement that generates a divide-by-zero error. The severity of the error is returned.

USE AdventureWorks;
GO

BEGIN TRY
    -- Generate a divide-by-zero error.
    SELECT 1/0;
END TRY
BEGIN CATCH
    SELECT ERROR_SEVERITY() AS ErrorSeverity;
END CATCH;
GO

B. Using ERROR_SEVERITY in a CATCH block with other error-handling tools

The following example shows a SELECT statement that generates a divide by zero error. Along with the severity, information that relates to the error is returned.

USE AdventureWorks;
GO

BEGIN TRY
    -- Generate a divide-by-zero error.
    SELECT 1/0;
END TRY
BEGIN CATCH
    SELECT
        ERROR_NUMBER() AS ErrorNumber,
        ERROR_SEVERITY() AS ErrorSeverity,
        ERROR_STATE() AS ErrorState,
        ERROR_PROCEDURE() AS ErrorProcedure,
        ERROR_LINE() AS ErrorLine,
        ERROR_MESSAGE() AS ErrorMessage;
END CATCH;
GO