ERROR_SEVERITY (Transact-SQL)
Applies to:
SQL Server
Azure SQL Database
Azure SQL Managed Instance
Azure Synapse Analytics
Analytics Platform System (PDW)
SQL analytics endpoint in Microsoft Fabric
Warehouse in Microsoft Fabric
This function returns the severity value of the error where an error occurs, if that error caused the CATCH block of a TRY...CATCH construct to execute.
Transact-SQL syntax conventions
Syntax
ERROR_SEVERITY ( )
Note
To view Transact-SQL syntax for SQL Server 2014 (12.x) and earlier versions, see Previous versions documentation.
Return Types
int
Return Value
When called in a CATCH block where an error occurs, ERROR_SEVERITY
returns the severity value of the error that caused the CATCH
block to run.
ERROR_SEVERITY
returns NULL if called outside the scope of a CATCH block.
Remarks
ERROR_SEVERITY
supports calls anywhere within the scope of a CATCH block..
ERROR_SEVERITY
returns the error severity value of an error, regardless of how many times it runs or where it runs within the scope of the CATCH
block. This contrasts with a function like @@ERROR, which only returns an error number in the statement immediately following the one that causes an error.
ERROR_SEVERITY
typically operates in a nested CATCH
block. ERROR_SEVERITY
returns the error severity value specific to the scope of the CATCH
block that referenced that CATCH
block. For example, the CATCH
block of an outer TRY...CATCH construct could have an inner TRY...CATCH
construct. Inside that inner CATCH
block, ERROR_SEVERITY
returns the severity value of the error that invoked the inner CATCH
block. If ERROR_SEVERITY
runs in the outer CATCH
block, it returns the error severity value of the error that invoked that outer CATCH
block.
Examples: Azure Synapse Analytics and Analytics Platform System (PDW)
A. Using ERROR_SEVERITY in a CATCH block
This example shows a stored procedure that generates a divide-by-zero error. ERROR_SEVERITY
returns the severity value of that error.
BEGIN TRY
-- Generate a divide-by-zero error.
SELECT 1/0;
END TRY
BEGIN CATCH
SELECT ERROR_SEVERITY() AS ErrorSeverity;
END CATCH;
GO
Here is the result set.
-----------
(0 row(s) affected)
ErrorSeverity
-------------
16
(1 row(s) affected)
B. Using ERROR_SEVERITY in a CATCH block with other error-handling tools
This example shows a SELECT
statement that generates a divide by zero error. The stored procedure returns information about the error.
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
Here is the result set.
-----------
(0 row(s) affected)
ErrorNumber ErrorSeverity ErrorState ErrorProcedure ErrorLine ErrorMessage
----------- ------------- ----------- --------------- ----------- ----------------------------------
8134 16 1 NULL 4 Divide by zero error encountered.
(1 row(s) affected)
See Also
sys.messages (Transact-SQL)
TRY...CATCH (Transact-SQL)
ERROR_LINE (Transact-SQL)
ERROR_MESSAGE (Transact-SQL)
ERROR_NUMBER (Transact-SQL)
ERROR_PROCEDURE (Transact-SQL)
ERROR_STATE (Transact-SQL)
RAISERROR (Transact-SQL)
@@ERROR (Transact-SQL)
Errors and Events Reference (Database Engine)