Exception: Exception

Returns the backtrace (the list of code locations that led to the exception), as an array of strings.

Example (assuming the code is stored in the file named t.rb):

def division(numerator, denominator)
  numerator / denominator
end

begin
  division(1, 0)
rescue => ex
  p ex.backtrace
  # ["t.rb:2:in 'Integer#/'", "t.rb:2:in 'Object#division'", "t.rb:6:in '<main>'"]
  loc = ex.backtrace.first
  p loc.class
  # String
end

The value returned by this method might be adjusted when raising (see Kernel.raise), or during intermediate handling by #set_backtrace.

See also #backtrace_locations that provide the same value, as structured objects. (Note though that two values might not be consistent with each other when backtraces are manually adjusted.)

see Backtraces.

Returns the backtrace (the list of code locations that led to the exception), as an array of ::Thread::Backtrace::Location instances.

Example (assuming the code is stored in the file named t.rb):

def division(numerator, denominator)
  numerator / denominator
end

begin
  division(1, 0)
rescue => ex
  p ex.backtrace_locations
  # ["t.rb:2:in 'Integer#/'", "t.rb:2:in 'Object#division'", "t.rb:6:in '<main>'"]
  loc = ex.backtrace_locations.first
  p loc.class
  # Thread::Backtrace::Location
  p loc.path
  # "t.rb"
  p loc.lineno
  # 2
  p loc.label
  # "Integer#/"
end

The value returned by this method might be adjusted when raising (see Kernel.raise), or during intermediate handling by #set_backtrace.

See also #backtrace that provide the same value as an array of strings. (Note though that two values might not be consistent with each other when backtraces are manually adjusted.)

See Backtraces.

Returns the previous value of global variable $!, which may be nil (see Global Variables):

begin
  raise('Boom 0')
rescue => x0
  puts "Exception: #{x0};  $!: #{$!};  cause: #{x0.cause.inspect}."
  begin
    raise('Boom 1')
  rescue => x1
    puts "Exception: #{x1};  $!: #{$!};  cause: #{x1.cause}."
    begin
      raise('Boom 2')
    rescue => x2
      puts "Exception: #{x2};  $!: #{$!};  cause: #{x2.cause}."
    end
  end
end

Output:

Exception: Boom 0;  $!: Boom 0;  cause: nil.
Exception: Boom 1;  $!: Boom 1;  cause: Boom 0.
Exception: Boom 2;  $!: Boom 2;  cause: Boom 1.

Returns the message string with enhancements:

• Includes the exception class name in the first line.

• If the value of keyword highlight is true, includes bolding and underlining ANSI codes (see below) to enhance the appearance of the message.

Examples:

begin
  1 / 0
rescue => x
  p x.message
  p x.detailed_message                  # Class name added.
  p x.detailed_message(highlight: true) # Class name, bolding, and underlining added.
end

Output:

"divided by 0"
"divided by 0 (ZeroDivisionError)"
"\e[1mdivided by 0 (\e[1;4mZeroDivisionError\e[m\e[1m)\e[m"

This method is overridden by some gems in the ::Ruby standard library to add information:

• DidYouMean::Correctable#detailed_message.

• ErrorHighlight::CoreExt#detailed_message.

• SyntaxSuggest#detailed_message.

An overriding method must be tolerant of passed keyword arguments, which may include (but may not be limited to):

• :highlight.

• :did_you_mean.

• :error_highlight.

• :syntax_suggest.

An overriding method should also be careful with ANSI code enhancements; see Messages.

Returns an exception object of the same class as self; useful for creating a similar exception, but with a different message.

With #message nil, returns self:

x0 = StandardError.new('Boom') # => #<StandardError: Boom>
x1 = x0.exception              # => #<StandardError: Boom>
x0.__id__ == x1.__id__         # => true

With string-convertible object #message (even the same as the original message), returns a new exception object whose class is the same as self, and whose message is the given #message:

x1 = x0.exception('Boom') # => #<StandardError: Boom>
x0..equal?(x1)            # => false

Returns an enhanced message string:

• Includes the exception class name.

• If the value of keyword highlight is true (not nil or false), includes bolding ANSI codes (see below) to enhance the appearance of the message.

• Includes the backtrace:

  • If the value of keyword order is :top (the default), lists the error message and the innermost backtrace entry first.

  • If the value of keyword order is :bottom, lists the error message the the innermost entry last.

Example:

def baz
  begin
    1 / 0
  rescue => x
    pp x.message
    pp x.full_message(highlight: false).split("\n")
    pp x.full_message.split("\n")
  end
end
def bar; baz; end
def foo; bar; end
foo

Output:

"divided by 0"
["t.rb:3:in 'Integer#/': divided by 0 (ZeroDivisionError)",
 "\tfrom t.rb:3:in 'Object#baz'",
 "\tfrom t.rb:10:in 'Object#bar'",
 "\tfrom t.rb:11:in 'Object#foo'",
 "\tfrom t.rb:12:in '<main>'"]
["t.rb:3:in 'Integer#/': \e[1mdivided by 0 (\e[1;4mZeroDivisionError\e[m\e[1m)\e[m",
 "\tfrom t.rb:3:in 'Object#baz'",
 "\tfrom t.rb:10:in 'Object#bar'",
 "\tfrom t.rb:11:in 'Object#foo'",
 "\tfrom t.rb:12:in '<main>'"]

An overriding method should be careful with ANSI code enhancements; see Messages.

Returns a string representation of self:

x = RuntimeError.new('Boom')
x.inspect # => "#<RuntimeError: Boom>"
x = RuntimeError.new
x.inspect # => "#<RuntimeError: RuntimeError>"

Returns #to_s.

See Messages.

Sets the backtrace value for self; returns the given value.

The value might be:

• an array of Thread::Backtrace::Location;

• an array of ::String instances;

• a single ::String instance; or

• nil.

Using array of ::Thread::Backtrace::Location is the most consistent option: it sets both #backtrace and #backtrace_locations. It should be preferred when possible. The suitable array of locations can be obtained from Kernel.caller_locations, copied from another error, or just set to the adjusted result of the current error’s #backtrace_locations:

require 'json'

def parse_payload(text)
  JSON.parse(text)  # test.rb, line 4
rescue JSON::ParserError => ex
  ex.set_backtrace(ex.backtrace_locations[2...])
  raise
end

parse_payload('{"wrong: "json"')
# test.rb:4:in 'Object#parse_payload': unexpected token at '{"wrong: "json"' (JSON::ParserError)
#
# An error points to the body of parse_payload method,
# hiding the parts of the backtrace related to the internals
# of the "json" library

# The error has both #backtace and #backtrace_locations set
# consistently:
begin
  parse_payload('{"wrong: "json"')
rescue => ex
  p ex.backtrace
  # ["test.rb:4:in 'Object#parse_payload'", "test.rb:20:in '<main>'"]
  p ex.backtrace_locations
  # ["test.rb:4:in 'Object#parse_payload'", "test.rb:20:in '<main>'"]
end

When the desired stack of locations is not available and should be constructed from scratch, an array of strings or a singular string can be used. In this case, only {#backtrace} is affected:

def parse_payload(text)
  JSON.parse(text)
rescue JSON::ParserError => ex
  ex.set_backtrace(["dsl.rb:34", "framework.rb:1"])
  # The error have the new value in #backtrace:
  p ex.backtrace
  # ["dsl.rb:34", "framework.rb:1"]

  # but the original one in #backtrace_locations
  p ex.backtrace_locations
  # [".../json/common.rb:221:in 'JSON::Ext::Parser.parse'", ...]
end

parse_payload('{"wrong: "json"')

Calling {#set_backtrace} with {nil} clears up {#backtrace} but doesn’t affect {#backtrace_locations}:

def parse_payload(text)
  JSON.parse(text)
rescue JSON::ParserError => ex
  ex.set_backtrace(nil)
  p ex.backtrace
  # nil
  p ex.backtrace_locations
  # [".../json/common.rb:221:in 'JSON::Ext::Parser.parse'", ...]
end

parse_payload('{"wrong: "json"')

On reraising of such an exception, both {#backtrace} and {#backtrace_locations} is set to the place of reraising:

def parse_payload(text)
  JSON.parse(text)
rescue JSON::ParserError => ex
  ex.set_backtrace(nil)
  raise # test.rb, line 7
end

begin
  parse_payload('{"wrong: "json"')
rescue => ex
  p ex.backtrace
  # ["test.rb:7:in 'Object#parse_payload'", "test.rb:11:in '<main>'"]
  p ex.backtrace_locations
  # ["test.rb:7:in 'Object#parse_payload'", "test.rb:11:in '<main>'"]
end

See {file:exceptions.md.html#label-Backtraces Backtraces}.

Returns a string representation of self:

x = RuntimeError.new('Boom')
x.to_s # => "Boom"
x = RuntimeError.new
x.to_s # => "RuntimeError"