Develop Reference

How to extract try catch outside method?

I have this method sendParameterValueAsMQTTMessage() which I use to publish message via MQTT on a specific topic. I am using try catch two times after another (not nested) but it still seems somewhat ugly and overcrowding the method. I read an article on clean code where Uncle Bob talks about extracting the body of try catch but I seem to not grasp it quite well or at least not in my case.
How could I get rid of the try catch in my method by extracting it outside?
public void sendParameterValueAsMQTTMessage() {
String payload = null;
try {
payload = convertToJSONString("range", String.valueOf(range));
} catch (JSONException e) {
this.logger.log(Level.ERROR, e);
}
MQTTMessage message = new MQTTMessage(MQTTTopics.RANGE_TOPIC,payload,0);
try {
this.client.publish(message);
Thread.sleep(3000);
} catch (Exception e) {
this.logger.log(Level.ERROR, e);
}
}

there are multiple different problems with provided code, here is how I'd refactor it:
public void sendParameterValueAsMQTTMessage() {
final String payload = tryGetPayloadAsJson();
if (payload != null) {
trySendPayloadViaMQTT(payload);
}
}
private String tryGetPayloadAsJson() {
try {
return convertToJSONString("range", String.valueOf(range));
} catch (JSONException e) {
this.logger.log(Level.ERROR, e);
}
return null;
}
private void trySendPayloadViaMQTT(final String payload) {
try {
final MQTTMessage message = new MQTTMessage(MQTTTopics.RANGE_TOPIC, payload, 0);
this.client.publish(message);
Thread.sleep(3000);
} catch (Exception e) {
this.logger.log(Level.ERROR, e);
}
}
one thing which might be improved here based on Uncle Bob's advice is to actually move try/catch outside of trySendPayloadViaMQTT, like this:
public void sendParameterValueAsMQTTMessage() {
final String payload = tryGetPayloadAsJson();
if (payload != null) {
trySendPayloadViaMQTT(payload);
}
}
private String tryGetPayloadAsJson() {
try {
return convertToJSONString("range", String.valueOf(range));
} catch (JSONException e) {
this.logger.log(Level.ERROR, e);
}
return null;
}
private void trySendPayloadViaMQTT(final String payload) {
try {
sendPayloadViaMQTT(payload);
} catch (Exception e) {
this.logger.log(Level.ERROR, e);
}
}
private void sendPayloadViaMQTT(final String payload) {
final MQTTMessage message = new MQTTMessage(MQTTTopics.RANGE_TOPIC, payload, 0);
this.client.publish(message);
Thread.sleep(3000);
}

you can put all of your code in just one try block and set multiple catches, when ever an exception be happened, the catch that is revelated to it will be execute, like:
try{
int a[]=new int[5];
a[5]=30/0;
}
catch(ArithmeticException e)
{
System.out.println("Arithmetic Exception occurs");
}
catch(ArrayIndexOutOfBoundsException e)
{
System.out.println("ArrayIndexOutOfBounds Exception occurs");
}

You can use single general catch for both possible exceptions inside the method as following:
public void sendParameterValueAsMQTTMessage() {
String payload = null;
try {
payload = convertToJSONString("range", String.valueOf(range));
MQTTMessage message = new MQTTMessage(MQTTTopics.RANGE_TOPIC,payload,0);
this.client.publish(message);
Thread.sleep(3000);
} catch (Exception e) {
this.logger.log(Level.ERROR, e);
}
}

public void sendParameterValueAsMQTTMessage() {
String payload = null;
try {
payload = convertToJSONString("range", String.valueOf(range));
} catch (JSONException e) {
this.logger.log(Level.ERROR, e);
}
MQTTMessage message = new MQTTMessage(MQTTTopics.RANGE_TOPIC,payload,0);
publishMessage(message); //extracted in a new method
}
public void publishMessage(MQTTMessage message){
try {
this.client.publish(message);
Thread.sleep(3000);
} catch (Exception e) {
this.logger.log(Level.ERROR, e);
}
}

How to use guava Closer properly

i'm struggling to figure out how to use the Closer utility from the guava library. Please see the code below.
One thing is, that the IndexWriter throws an IOException on both object initialization and close(). Therefore, the code in the finally and rethrow blocks is underlined.
The other question is, why do i have to catch Throwable instead of other exception types and do i have to rethrow the errors (i would prefer to log those at the spot)
`
int getDocumentsCount() {
Closer closer = Closer.create();
try {
IndexWriter iwriter = closer.register(openIndexWriter());
return iwriter.numDocs();
} catch (Throwable e) {
logger.error(e, e);
return -1;
} finally {
closer.close();
}
}
IndexWriter openIndexWriter() throws IOException {
return new IndexWriter(directory, analyzer, false,
IndexWriter.MaxFieldLength.UNLIMITED);
}
`
Thanks a lot
(stuck with Java 6)

From Guava's own explanation, you have to use Throwable, yes.
Here's their example snippet:
public void foo() throws IOException {
Closer closer = Closer.create();
try {
InputStream in = closer.register(openInputStream());
OutputStream out = closer.register(openOutputStream());
// do stuff with in and out
} catch (Throwable e) { // must catch Throwable
throw closer.rethrow(e);
} finally {
closer.close();
}
}
Note that they catch Throwable and rethrow it directly from the Closer instance.
As to why it is Throwable and not, let's say IOException or RuntimeException, it's because the Closer must know that an error occurred so that it can close the resources properly. All is only a matter of doing things proper. So it can work if you don't do it properly, but it's not guaranteed.
Not that if your method can throw MyOwnCheckedException, for instance, you have to declare them:
} catch (Throwable t) {
throw closer.rethrow(e, MyOwnCheckedException.class);
} finally {
closer.close();
}
Java 7 example, for comparison:
public void foo() throws IOException {
try (InputStream in = openInputStream();
OutputStream out = openOutputStream();
// do stuff with in and out
}
}
If you compare the Closer example with the Java 7 example, you can see that I still have to declare the IOException in the method signature.
For your case, this is what you have to do:
int getDocumentsCount() {
try {
Closer closer = Closer.create();
try {
IndexWriter iwriter = closer.register(openIndexWriter());
return iwriter.numDocs();
} catch (Throwable e) {
closer.rethrow(e);
} finally {
closer.close();
}
} catch (IOException e) {
logger.error(e, e);
return -1;
}
}
To avoid try-pyramids, I'd do the following:
int getDocumentsCount() {
try {
return doGetDocumentsCount();
} catch (IOException e) {
logger.error(e, e);
return -1;
}
}
int doGetDocumentsCount() throws IOException {
Closer closer = Closer.create();
try {
IndexWriter iwriter = closer.register(openIndexWriter());
return iwriter.numDocs();
} catch (Throwable e) {
closer.rethrow(e);
} finally {
closer.close();
}
}

A `try catch //this is a workaround` in the method. How should it be rewrtten?

A project source code has a Java method for SQL handling. The method does work, but it uses a questionable workaround: try-catch block at the very end of the method for normal execution. What is the correct way to implement it?
public void run() {
if (running) {
return;
}
running = true;
while(null == Common.server || null == Common.database || !ConnectionsPool.isInitialized()) {
// Wait until the database is set before continuing...
try {
Thread.sleep(1000);
}
catch(Exception ex) {}
}
while(running) {
final Connections cs = ConnectionsPool.getConnections();
Connection c = null;
while(!entries.isEmpty()) {
if (null == c) {
c = cs.getConnection();
}
SQLLogEntry entry = entries.remove();
if (null != entry) {
try {
write(entry, c); //find usages
}
catch (SQLException ex) {
writeLogFile("Could not write entry to SQL", ex);
}
}
}
if (null != c) {
try {
c.commit();
}
catch (SQLException ex) {
writeLogFile("Could commit to SQL", ex);
try {
c.rollback();
}
catch (SQLException ex1) {
}
// log
final StringWriter err = new StringWriter();
ex.printStackTrace(new PrintWriter(err));
EditorTransactionUtil.writeLogFile(err.toString());
// for user
final String msg = "Exception: " + EditorUtil.getErrorMessage(ex.getMessage());
try {
SwingUtilities.invokeAndWait(() -> {
JOptionPane.showMessageDialog(null, msg);
});
}
catch (Throwable ex1) {
}
}
finally {
cs.returnConnection(c);
}
c = null;
}
synchronized(entries) {
try {
entries.wait(1000);
}
catch (InterruptedException ex) {
// This is a workaround to process this loop...
}
}
}
writeLogFile("SQLMsgLogger run loop stopping...");
}

Problems with this code start here.
If(running) return;
running=true;
This is clearly an attempt to make sure that only one thread executes. This is a wrong way to check concurrency. Second tread might kick in right when if check ended, but assignment didn't start yet. You need to use syncronizible interface.
As for the disposed try catch block - as Konrad pointed out it will not be executed without Thread.interrupt() call. It might be dead code left from previous versions.

Get detail messages of chained exceptions Java

I'd like to know how I could throw a "final" Exception, containing a detailed message with all the detailed messages of a number of chained exceptions.
For example suppose a code like this:
try {
try {
try {
try {
//Some error here
} catch (Exception e) {
throw new Exception("FIRST EXCEPTION", e);
}
} catch (Exception e) {
throw new Exception("SECOND EXCEPTION", e);
}
} catch (Exception e) {
throw new Exception("THIRD EXCEPTION", e);
}
} catch (Exception e) {
String allMessages = //all the messages
throw new Exception(allMessages, e);
}
I'm not interested in the full stackTrace, but only in the messages, I wrote. I mean, I'd like to have a result like this:
java.lang.Exception: THIRD EXCEPTION + SECOND EXCEPTION + FIRST EXCEPTION

I think what you need is:
public static List<String> getExceptionMessageChain(Throwable throwable) {
List<String> result = new ArrayList<String>();
while (throwable != null) {
result.add(throwable.getMessage());
throwable = throwable.getCause();
}
return result; //["THIRD EXCEPTION", "SECOND EXCEPTION", "FIRST EXCEPTION"]
}

you can better use it this way, merge the message() of previous Exception with the message() of new Exception you are throwing:
} catch (Exception e) {
throw new Exception("FIRST EXCEPTION" + e.getMessage(), e);
}

Cycle through the exception cause and append the message in each exception.
try
{
try
{
try
{
try
{
throw new RuntimeException("Message");
}
catch (Exception e)
{
throw new Exception("FIRST EXCEPTION", e);
}
}
catch (Exception e)
{
throw new Exception("SECOND EXCEPTION", e);
}
}
catch (Exception e)
{
throw new Exception("THIRD EXCEPTION", e);
}
}
catch (Exception e)
{
String message = e.getMessage();
Throwable inner = null;
Throwable root = e;
while ((inner = root.getCause()) != null)
{
message += " " + inner.getMessage();
root = inner;
}
System.out.println(message);
}
Which prints
THIRD EXCEPTION SECOND EXCEPTION FIRST EXCEPTION Message

You can just add the previous exception message on each exception
This is an example :
public static void main(String[] args) {
try {
try {
try {
try {
throw new Exception();
// Some error here
} catch (Exception e) {
throw new Exception("FIRST EXCEPTION", e);
}
} catch (Exception e) {
Exception e2 = new Exception("SECOND EXCEPTION + " + e.getMessage());
throw e2;
}
} catch (Exception e) {
Exception e3 = new Exception("THIRD EXCEPTION + " + e.getMessage());
throw e3;
}
} catch (Exception e) {
System.out.println(e);
}
}
The result is : java.lang.Exception: THIRD EXCEPTION + SECOND EXCEPTION + FIRST EXCEPTION

Here is a nice utility for converting chained exceptions to string:
public final class ThrowableUtil {
private ThrowableUtil() {}
public static String chainedString(#NonNull Throwable throwable) {
StringBuilder SB = new StringBuilder(throwable.toString());
while((throwable = throwable.getCause()) != null)
SB.append("\ncaused by ").append(throwable);
return SB.toString();
}
public static String chainedString(#NonNull String msg, #NonNull Throwable throwable) {
StringBuilder SB = new StringBuilder(msg);
do {
SB.append("\ncaused by ").append(throwable);
} while((throwable = throwable.getCause()) != null);
return SB.toString();
}
}
Example output:
ThrowableUtil.chainedString(e);
produces
java.io.IOException: Failed to create required video encoder
caused by java.lang.RuntimeException: Invalid mime type
Another example output:
ThrowableUtil.chainedString("Writing of media file failed", e);
produces
Writing of media file failed
caused by java.io.IOException: Failed to create required video encoder
caused by java.lang.RuntimeException: Invalid mime type

I had saved all attributes in a class object with the following example:
public List<ErrorMessage> getMessageList(Throwable throwable) {
List<ErrorMessage> errorMessageList = new ArrayList<ErrorMessage>();
while (throwable != null) {
ErrorMessage message = new ErrorMessage();
message.set_message( throwable.getMessage());
message.set_line(throwable.getStackTrace()[0].getLineNumber());
message.set_methodName(throwable.getStackTrace()[0].getMethodName());
message.set_fileName(throwable.getStackTrace()[0].getFileName() );
message.set_className(throwable.getStackTrace()[0].getClassName());
errorMessageList.add(message);
throwable = throwable.getCause();
}
return errorMessageList;
}

Maybe simpler
try {
// code that throws exception
} catch(Throwable e ) {
var messages = new ArrayList<String>();
do {
messages.add(e.getMessage());
e = e.getCause();
} while( e!= null );
var message = String.join(" -> ", messages);
System.out.println(message);
}

Handling iBatis NestedSQLException

I have a java app that try to insert a row into the table and com.​ibatis.​common.​jdbc.​exception.NestedSQLException is thrown with the Cause com.mysql.jdbc.exceptions.MySQLIntegrityConstraintViolationException
When I try to insert dublicate data for a unique-key constraint.
How do I catch that exception?

To get to the root cause you can do something like this:
try {
//insert
} catch (NestedSQLException e) {
Throwable t = e;
while(t.getCause() != null) {
t = t.getCause();
}
//in your situation, now t should be MySQLIntegrityConstraintViolationException
if (t instanceOf MySQLIntegrityConstraintViolationException) {
//do something
}
}

In case it helps someone. #tibtof's is correct and got me to:
public int insert(MyObject myObject) {
int recCount = -1;
try {
recCount = insert(myObject, MyObjectMapper.class);
} catch (Throwable e) {
Throwable t = e;
while (t.getCause() != null) {
t = t.getCause();
if (t instanceof SQLIntegrityConstraintViolationException) {
// get out gracefully.
recCount = -1;
return recCount;
}
}
//Something else wicked wrong happened.
LogUtils.error(log, e.getMessage(), e);
throw new RuntimeException(e.getMessage(), e);
}
return webGroup.getWebGroupId().intValue();
}