How to: Filter Errors in a Catch Block in Visual Basic

Catch statements provide more than one option for filtering errors. One method for filtering is doing so by types of exception. In such cases, it is important to move from the most specific type of exception to the most general, since the Catch statements are executed in order.

A When clause can also be used to filter on a conditional expression, such as a specific error number. You can combine both approaches as well.

Note

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To filter on exception type

• Insert a Catch statement for each type of exception you wish to check, going from the most specific to the most general.

  Try 
      Throw New Exception
  Catch ex As System.IO.IOException
      ' Code reacting to IOException  
  Catch ex As System.NullReferenceException
      ' Code reacting to NullReferenceException 
  Catch ex As Exception
      ' Code reacting to any exception 
  End Try
  

To filter on a conditional expression

• Use a Catch When statement to filter on a conditional expression. If the conditional expression evaluates as True, the code following the Catch block will be executed.

  Try 
      ' Code goes here. 
      ' Check for type mismatch error. 
  Catch ex As Exception When Err.Number = 5
      ' Code reacting to exception.  
  End Try
  

See Also

Tasks

How to: Check an Exception's Inner Exception

Troubleshooting Exception Handling

Concepts

Exception Handling for Visual Basic 6.0 Users

Choosing When to Use Structured and Unstructured Exception Handling

Reference

Try...Catch...Finally Statement (Visual Basic)

Other Resources

Exception Handling Tasks