Exception handling approach. Please comment!!

[Satish Avadhanam]

Hello all, after a long time
Is this a good approach doing like this?

try {
    raf.seek();
    //blah blah...
    raf.read();
    //blah blah...
} catch (EOFException  eof) {
    throw CustomException("Fatal");
} catch (IOException ioe) {
    throw CustomException("Fatal");
} catch (Exception e) {
    throw CustomException("Fatal");
}

Say suppose while doing a read or write on database file, there are chances of either getting a IOException or EOFException. If either of exceptions are thrown, then I want to inform client/server accordingly that
database write operation is faield and the client/server should stop immediately not to corrupt any data.
So my question is, if either exception occurs am doing the same thing and also if a generic exception "Exception" occurs will do the same thing. Is there any need to catch all three individually and throw the same exception back to client? Or is it advisable to just keep "Exception" catching there?
The main reason for catching "Exception" is that if a NullPointerException occurs then also client/server is informed. Or should I just catch only those exceptions that ARE ACTUALLY thrown in try statement?
Please comment on the approach. Thanks.
[ April 22, 2004: Message edited by: Satish Avadhanam ]

[Min Huang]

Satish, EOFException extends from IOException - you will never catch it in that try-catch block
I say only catch the exceptions that are thrown. In that case, if there are any unchecked exceptions that are thrown, like ArrayIndexOutOfBoundsException, you will know about it. Otherwise, that code will just eat it up. Of course, at the last level of exception handling, you'll want to catch any exception before presenting it to the user.

[Satish Avadhanam]

Thanks Min.

Originally posted by Min Huang:
Satish, EOFException extends from IOException - you will never catch it in that try-catch block

I meant the other way around. Maybe SCJD final week(or couple of days) pressure, could'nt see it

I say only catch the exceptions that are thrown. In that case, if there are any unchecked exceptions that are thrown, like ArrayIndexOutOfBoundsException, you will know about it. Otherwise, that code will just eat it up. Of course, at the last level of exception handling, you'll want to catch any exception before presenting it to the user.

OK, Thanks.
Hey Min, did you took the essay exam or still "Extremely worried"
Good Luck to you on exam

[Min Huang]

Hey Min, did you took the essay exam or still "Extremely worried"

I was worried after taking the exam
(Why isn't there a :nervous: smiley? I'll use a combination of frown and embarassed to represent that...)
Anyways, yup, there's nothing I can do now about the exam, so... I am not worrying. I have a new exam to worry about (SCBCD)

[Satish Avadhanam]

Originally posted by Min Huang:

Anyways, yup, there's nothing I can do now about the exam, so... I am not worrying.

Chill out and stay

I have a new exam to worry about (SCBCD)
Compared to SCJD, that should be easy relatively. Good Luck.

[Satish Avadhanam]

Hi all,
Also if some IOException occurso or any FatalException occurs, I want to shutdown the server. Can I call something like
ShutdownService.stopServices() from db package, where ShutdownService is in network package. Is this OK?
Thank you.