[Python-Dev] why string exceptions are bad (original) (raw)

Barry Warsaw barry at python.org
Fri Mar 19 17:41:54 EST 2004

On Fri, 2004-03-19 at 17:30, Jewett, Jim J wrote:

A class can be defined in a single place (and imported); a typo in the 47th raise statement will show up as a syntax error instead of a runtime bug.

Yes, but I'll just note that this is "safe":

foo.py

Error = 'Bogus Error'

def foo(): ... raise Error

bar.py

import foo

try: foo.foo() except foo.Error: # oops!

That works because you're raising and catching the same object. String exceptions still suck though. :)

-Barry

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