NAME
failures - Minimalist exception hierarchy generator
VERSION
version 0.004
SYNOPSIS
use failures qw/io::file io::network/;
use Try::Tiny;
use Safe::Isa; # for $_isa
try {
process_file or
failure::io::file->throw("oops, something bad happened: $!");
}
catch {
if ( $_->$_isa("failure::io::file") ) {
...
}
elsif( $_->$_isa("failure::io") ) {
...
}
elsif( $_->$_isa("failure") ) {
...
}
else {
...
}
}
DESCRIPTION
This module lets you define an exception hierarchy quickly and simply.
Here were my design goals:
* minimalist interface
* 80% of features in 20% of lines of code
* depend only on core modules (nearly achieved)
* support hierarchical error types
* identify errors types by name (class) not by parsing strings
* leave (possibly expensive) trace decisions to the thrower
Currently, "failures" is implemented in under 70 lines of code.
Failure objects are implemented with Class::Tiny to allow easy
subclassing (see custom::failures), but "Class::Tiny" only requires core
modules, so other than that exception, the 'core only' goal is achieved.
USAGE
Defining failure categories
use failures qw/foo::bar foo::baz/;
This will define the following classes in the "failure" namespace:
* "failure"
* "failure::foo"
* "failure::foo::bar"
* "failure::foo::baz"
Subclasses inherit, so "failure::foo::bar" is-a "failure::foo" and
"failure::foo" is-a "failure".
Attributes
A failure class has three attributes: "msg", "payload", and "trace".
Their usage is described below. Accessors exist for all three.
Throwing failures
The "throw" method of a failure class takes a single, optional argument
that modifies how failure objects are stringified.
If no argument is given, a default message is generated if the object is
stringified:
say failure::foo::bar->throw;
# Caught failure::foo::bar
With a single, non-hash-reference argument, the argument is used for the
"msg" attribute and is appended if the object is stringified.
say failure::foo::bar->throw("Ouch!");
# Caught failure::foo::bar: Ouch!
With a hash reference argument, the "msg" key provides the string to
append to the default error. If you have extra data to attach to the
exception, use the "payload" key:
failure::foo::bar->throw({
msg => "Ouch!",
payload => $extra_data,
});
If an optional "trace" key is provided, it is appended if the object is
stringified. To loosely emulate "die" and provide a simple filename and
line number, use the "failure->line_trace" class method:
failure::foo::bar->throw({
msg => "Ouch!",
trace => failure->line_trace,
});
# Caught failure::foo::bar: Ouch!
#
# Failure caught at <FILENAME> line <NUMBER>
To provide a trace just like the Carp module (including respecting
@CARP_NOT) use the "croak_trace" or "confess_trace" class methods:
failure::foo::bar->throw({
msg => "Ouch!",
trace => failure->croak_trace,
});
# Caught failure::foo::bar: Ouch!
#
# Failure caught at <CALLING-FILENAME> line <NUMBER>
failure::foo::bar->throw({
msg => "Ouch!",
trace => failure->confess_trace,
});
# Caught failure::foo::bar: Ouch!
#
# Failure caught at <FILENAME> line <NUMBER>
# [confess stack trace continues]
You can provide a "trace" key with any object that overrides
stringification, like Devel::StackTrace:
failure::foo::bar->throw({
msg => "Ouch!",
trace => Devel::StackTrace->new,
});
# Caught failure::foo::bar: Ouch!
#
# [stringified Devel::StackTrace object]
Catching failures
Use Try::Tiny, of course. Within a catch block, you know that $_ is
defined, but it still might be an unblessed reference or something that
is risky to call "isa" on. If you load Safe::Isa, you get a code
reference in $_isa that calls "isa" only on objects.
So catching looks like this:
use Try::Tiny;
use Safe::Isa;
try { ... }
catch {
if ( $_->$_isa("failure::foo") ) {
# handle it
}
};
If you need to rethrow the exception, just use "die":
elsif ( $_->$_isa("failure") ) {
die $_;
}
Overriding failure class behavior
See custom::failures.
SEE ALSO
There are many error/exception systems on CPAN. This one is designed to
be minimalist.
If you have more complex or substantial needs, people I know and trust
seem to be recommending:
* Throwable — exceptions as a Moo/Moose role
* Throwable::X — Throwable extended with extra goodies
Here are other modules I found that weren't appropriate for my needs or
didn't suit my taste:
* Class::Throwable — no hierarchy and always builds a full stack trace
* Error::Tiny — blends Try::Tiny and a trivial exception base class
* Exception::Base — complexity on par with Exception::Class, but
highly optimized for speed
* Exception::Class — once highly recommended, but even the author now
suggests Throwable
* Exception::Simple — very simple, but always uses "caller" and has no
hierarchy
* Exception::Tiny — not bad, but always uses "caller" and setting up a
hierarchy requires extra work
* Ouch — simple, well-thought out, but no hierarchy; also cutesy
function names
Here are some that I'm very dubious about:
* Err — alpha since 2012
* Error — no longer recommended by maintainer
* errors — "still under design" since 2009
* Exception — dates back to 1996 and undocumented
SUPPORT
Bugs / Feature Requests
Please report any bugs or feature requests through the issue tracker at
<https://github.com/dagolden/failures/issues>. You will be notified
automatically of any progress on your issue.
Source Code
This is open source software. The code repository is available for
public review and contribution under the terms of the license.
<https://github.com/dagolden/failures>
git clone https://github.com/dagolden/failures.git
AUTHOR
David Golden <dagolden@cpan.org>
CONTRIBUTOR
Michael Jemmeson <mjemmeson@cpan.org>
COPYRIGHT AND LICENSE
This software is Copyright (c) 2013 by David Golden.
This is free software, licensed under:
The Apache License, Version 2.0, January 2004