Handling the Exceptions

Java platform provides 3 blocks blocks to handle the exception that may occur in the program.

Those are :

1. try block

2. catch block

3. finally block

Whenever you felt that, there is a possibility of occurring an exception in the code, then place the entire code in the try block. Provide handlers to handle the exception.

After a method throws an exception, the run time system tries to find exception handlers to handle it.

If the Run time system finds a handler to handle the exception, then it executes the block of code in the handler, and Proceed execution from the catch block onwards. Other wise program simply terminates.

Example

class ExceptionEx{
 void print(){
  System.out.println(10/0);
 }

 void callPrint(){
  print();
 }

 public static void main(String args[]){
  ExceptionEx obj = new ExceptionEx();

  try{
   obj.callPrint();
  }

  catch(ArithmeticException e){
   System.out.println("Seems to be an Arithmetic Exception Occurred");
  }
  System.out.println("Finished Execution");
 }
}

 

Output

Seems to be Arithmetic Exception Occurred

Finished Execution

As you observe the output, there is an AirthmeticException occurred, then Java run time system attempts to find out a handler to handle this exception, So it executed the statements inside the catch block. Once the statements in the catch executed, then the statements after the catch statement starts executing.

Exception                                                 try block                                                 Home

How to define a method

A method is a programmed procedure that is defined as part of a class. A class (and thus an object) can have more than one method.

Syntax of method definition

    modifier returnType methodName(parameters) Exception List{

        Method Body

    }

Method definition composed of six components :

modifiers : like private, public, protected or default. We have already seen private, public and default. Will discuss more about these in the packages section.

ReturnType : The type of the value written by the method. If you don't want to return any value make the return type as void. Return type will be any primitive type or reference type.

MethodName : The name given to the method

parameters: Method is defined with parameters or with out parameters. A method can be defined with any number of parameters.

Exception List: A Method can throw any number of exceptions, will discuss about this on ExceptionHandling section

Method Body: The actual implementation of the method goes here

Example

    1. public int sum(int a, int b){

        return (a+b);

        }

        modifier : public

        returnType : int

        methodName : sum

        parameters : a,b

        Exception List : none

        Method body : calculates the sum of the two parameters and return the sum.

2. void sayHello(){

        System.out.println(“Hello”);

    }

    modifier : default

    returnType : void

    methodName : sayHello

    parameters :none

    Exception List : none

    Method body : simply prints the message “Hello” to the console.

If no access specifier (modifier) specified to a variable or method, it assumes default access specifier(modifier).

Naming a Method

By convention method names starts with a small character and starting character of subsequent words is capitalized.

    Example:

    walk()

    sleep()

    setColor(String s)

    getHeight()

Local Variables

Variables declared inside a method are called local variables. These are not accessible out side of the method. You must initialize local variables before using.

Some Points to remember

Trying to use local variables before initializing causes compile time error

Example

class LocalVariable{
 int sum(int a, int b){
  int c;
  System.out.println(c);
  return (a+b);
 }
} 

Since “c” is a local variable, when your program tries to access local variable, before initialization, compiler will throw the error.

 

For the above program, you will get below error
LocalVariable.java:5: error: variable c might not have been initialized
            System.out.println(c);
                                          ^
1 error

Instance methods                                                 More about methods                                                 Home