RaiseException function (errhandlingapi.h)

Article
02/02/2024

Raises an exception in the calling thread.

Syntax

void RaiseException(
  [in] DWORD           dwExceptionCode,
  [in] DWORD           dwExceptionFlags,
  [in] DWORD           nNumberOfArguments,
  [in] const ULONG_PTR *lpArguments
);

Parameters

[in] dwExceptionCode

An application-defined exception code of the exception being raised. The filter expression and exception-handler block of an exception handler can use the GetExceptionCode function to retrieve this value.

Note that the system will clear bit 28 of dwExceptionCode before displaying a message This bit is a reserved exception bit, used by the system for its own purposes.

[in] dwExceptionFlags

The exception flags. This can be either zero to indicate a continuable exception, or EXCEPTION_NONCONTINUABLE to indicate a noncontinuable exception. Any attempt to continue execution after a noncontinuable exception causes the EXCEPTION_NONCONTINUABLE_EXCEPTION exception.

[in] nNumberOfArguments

The number of arguments in the lpArguments array. This value must not exceed EXCEPTION_MAXIMUM_PARAMETERS. This parameter is ignored if lpArguments is NULL.

[in] lpArguments

An array of arguments. This parameter can be NULL. These arguments can contain any application-defined data that needs to be passed to the filter expression of the exception handler.

Return value

This function does not return a value.

Remarks

The RaiseException function enables a process to use structured exception handling to handle private, software-generated, application-defined exceptions.

Raising an exception causes the exception dispatcher to go through the following search for an exception handler:

The system first attempts to notify the process's debugger, if any.
If the process is not being debugged, or if the associated debugger does not handle the exception, the system attempts to locate a frame-based exception handler by searching the stack frames of the thread in which the exception occurred. The system searches the current stack frame first, then proceeds backward through preceding stack frames.
If no frame-based handler can be found, or no frame-based handler handles the exception, the system makes a second attempt to notify the process's debugger.
If the process is not being debugged, or if the associated debugger does not handle the exception, the system provides default handling based on the exception type. For most exceptions, the default action is to call the ExitProcess function.

The values specified in the dwExceptionCode, dwExceptionFlags, nNumberOfArguments, and lpArguments parameters can be retrieved in the filter expression of a frame-based exception handler by calling the GetExceptionInformation function. A debugger can retrieve these values by calling the WaitForDebugEvent function.

Examples

For an example, see Using an Exception Handler.

Requirements

Requirement	Value
Minimum supported client	Windows XP [desktop apps \| UWP apps]
Minimum supported server	Windows Server 2003 [desktop apps \| UWP apps]
Target Platform	Windows
Header	errhandlingapi.h (include Windows.h)
Library	Kernel32.lib
DLL	Kernel32.dll