Selected Topics in Computer Programming #4

Selected Topics in Computer Programming #4 C++ Exception Safety:

Issues and Best Practices

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A little about me Best practices improve over time

& $ '( ( ) *+, - ') ( ) ) * & ;1 ! ! & ;> %
& . ! (( . / ) ) ) ) .
& 0 ) # ) ( . ) ! ) )
1 ( -) + % . & ;< ! ! # & ;> %
2 + ! 3( % )) # )
, ! 3( ! (( ! .. . ) ( + ) . ) !
. ( . ) ) (( ) ) )
& $ 1 ( # ) 44 + ( ! % 35- & ;< ! ! & > %
) 6 ! 77 ) ! ! (( ! . ) = ! 0) . ) ?
& ) 77 6 ) # ( ) .
& . # % ! 0 ) 0) )
9 - ,
8 ( ! # ) ( . . ) ! ) )
! (( ! ( ! 9 #
! (( # # :
3 4

Overview What should be considered an error?

& - % . ! ) & $ . % . ) .
) . @ . (. . ! ) ) ' )) !* )
) ) ! (( % ! . @ $ ) ' B ( *.
& 77 0) . ) % . ) D
A ( ) ) ' 03 ( ) 3) ) * . ) ! # ) E # !E )
- 0) 77 # ! ! $ ) ' ( *.
& A ! # 0) . .) E ) % %
5 % '! * . 0) . .) E # . )
0) . 77 # $ % ') ) *.
& 0) . ! ( ! ( ( . ' * # !
< ) B . ) . ! 0) . .. ) ( # D
C . 0) . ! (( ! .) E # ' # *
5 6
Program invariants The big picture
& $ % ' ) )= * ) ( ) & ;< ) ) 0) . (
! ! (E 0 ) ) ) . #L ) ?
F. 0 . ( . ) D & ;$ ) ) ! (( (
< E ! ( ' * ' G) H* D
< # ) % . % #L ) D
I ! ( )J ' K K*+
< ) ) .) ) . #L ) ?
& $) % ) ( #L ) .)
< ) # # #L ) E )E D & ;< ) . 0) . ) . )
) # % ?
, # ( (# ( (# . )
9 -
& % ) . ) . =
$ ( ). ) D
). ) 0 D
, % . #L ) )
7 8

Recommendations re '* About error messages

& ;I ! ) E ! !? & $ . . ( ! = ! . ( .
I '* % . # ) ( ( ;< # .. ! ( = # ! (( )
& '. MM K E ! K *+ # ( . ! (P ) ( ! ?
& ' :N M M K ( # :K *+ & F ;F ! ! ( 8= .
& ' :% ( ' * M M K% ( # ( :K *+ ( # B ( ! % ! ((
& ' #L % ' * M M K #LE % . K *+
;
= ) '*. . .. )
& ;I ! ) ) )= . !
) ! !?
E '*. ) # (
1 # ) .# ) + E # ! ?
9 O> = ( 9 - F Q

9 10

Guidelines for diagnostic messages Techniques to communicate error information

& % 0 ) ) ( ! ! ! ) . . ( # ! .#
I ( = ( = . # )= ' ) *% . 0 ) J
). ) ) # ! 0 ) # (+ % % ! ) . ( ) %
! ! )( ! ' K K* ' . ) J *( = )
& I ( # ! !
R (
$% ## E ) ' *
& $ . ) E J D
I ! (( ) ) ) !
& $ . G J JH
> # ( ( !
( ! !' * F % .. )
& . + % ) ) % %) & I ! 0 J M . ) ( D
< # ( & I ! ( ' ) J
% # # E ! # ( *
I ( ! ) ) (
( ( .= ! F . ' * 77 0)
9O>
11 12
Typical error-
error-checking code What’
What’s right about C++ exceptions
# N . + & E # !
< SS N < S T U+ < S 'S * T U < SS N < S T U+
. ' NN * & $ ( ) ! ) ) ' )= !*
N + & 2 ! . ( ) .
! ( .
. ' = N + = :N + 77 = * . ' = N + = :N + 77 = *
. ' NN ' T=U N <** V T=U N <+ & I # . . ) % . ) E )
N + 3 )
# =+
E ' ! % *
W
( = J ' *+ + F ' ! . *
& % . ) (( ) !
> % ) ) % & % 77 ! ! #
( # % ! = ) ' *

13 14

Reporting failure via a C++ exception Preparing for possible failure

& $ 77 . ) . % 0 & ! . # ! 0)
0 ( 0 N '# NN * @ % J# J ' * 3 #+ ) ( ) 0 ( # )=
V
< ' *
< #L ) ( 0) W
< ' * . 0 % !"

& % !' 0 ) !* 0 & $ # )= ( # . ) E .

X . ) # )= . ( )E
8 0)
' *
1 ) ! 0) . ( 0) #L )
< . !) ') ) ) * #
6 ! E ! ( 3 0) #L ) V

W
!"
15 16

Handling a failure When an exception is thrown

& ) # )= ( ) + & 0 # )= 0)
) ! ( < 0) #L ) D
V W < )= ' ) % # ) * D
) ) ' M * V W $ ) ' # * D
) ) ' ) M * V W < 0) #L ) ' 6
) ) ' * V W $ % &
E ( * D
& $ %) < !% ) 0)
$% ) ) ! # ( ( ( ! ( ) ) !
) # % )= ) 0 & $ 0) #L ) E ( )
$% ) ) !# % % % ) ) # !% )
# ) ' = . 0) ) * 2 ) . )) )
!% . (
( ) ') # 6 # * 0) #L )
17 18

Q
Special situations A handler may exit via
& 8. # )= ( ) ! ! & $ ( 0)
1 ) ) ! # )= < # . ! 0)
< ) ) () ) ! # )= D + ' (
! )= ! $. ) ) 0 ) D
& 8. ( ) ! . ! ( ) 0) #L )
( . ) ( '* ) ! # )=
. ( '*) # '* & $ ( 0) . ..
( . ) ) .
< # ! 0)
( '*# ) ! J ( '*
F. . ) ! ( #
& ( '* ) . 0)
1 ( E ! )= !
1 ( )E E . ) ) #L )
19 20

When should my code throw?

throw? Exceptions have very few performance issues
& $= ! 0 ) 0 ) & ;$ ! ( ( TDU
. ) ! # ) # #L ) % % ! ) )) TDU 0)
Y ( 0 ) # ) ( ) #
) ( # .) ! . ) ?
F %) %
& ;I ! 0) ) ) . ! (
& F. # = ; )= ! @? Z E !(
& , = ;) .. )= ! @? ;T$U) ) # )= ) ) ) ( ) )
) E . ) . % !+ ) # . (
0 ) ( % ! ) . . )
A % 0) . 0)
;T U !Z E !( )
TDU. . % ! . ) ) + !
0) ) ( ( % ?
9 $# (
21 22

Standard exception types Standard exception types in G 0) H

& 0) ) G 0) H & ! )J !) .
< # ) . 0) ! ( # .
8 % ( (# . ) '* % ! ( J
' . ) ) S* % J ! (
& < # ) ! ! ! J
J .J !
# J) G . H
0 ) . % ()) 0 & ( J % #
) . ! ( # .
# J G . H
0 ! J
# J 0) G 0) H % . J
0) ). ) % . J

23 24

/
Thrown by library components Advice for designing your own exception type
& # J ) G H ) & I 0) # ) . 0)
. ) E . ) ! ) ) ' % % J ! ( *
& J# . G H ! > ) ) ) ' 0) M* .) ) ' *
( 83F I % ) % # (# !
& > . ) ( ! 77 [ & < ) )E ( E % .. )
# J. ) J) G. ) H $% ( (# ) )E '
. ) GH #L ) ! !* % .. ) ' J *
# J =J G( ( H ( . # )
0 =J GH & % ! '* = # .(
! 0J G ! 0H . ( ) ( . (
! 0 # ) (
& ! ( (# . ) %
% . ( # E )
25 26

Topics
- % . ! )
Selected Topics in Computer Programming #4
) . @
) ) ! (( % ! . @
C++ Exception Safety: 77 0)
Issues and Best Practices A ( ) ) ' 03 ( ) 3) ) *
- 0) 77 # ! !
& A ! # 0) .
. 5 % '! * . 0) .
0) . 77 #
) # ) B & 0) . ! ( ! ( (
. ! # 0)
< ) B . ) . ! 0) . .. )
. ) % ! 0) . )
C . 0) . ! (( !
28

Reasoning about code in the presence of exceptions “Exception-

Exception-safe code is good for you”
you”
& ; 0) ! & ;T U0) . & ;< ( ) B
) . ! . .. ) ) .) E TDU
! (? 9 X 2 Q ! + % L 0) . )
& $. ) . 0) .. . ! . ! ) # TDU !
0) ) ') * . TDU? ! # ! ?
8( ) ) % # ) . # )= & ;T U0) . & ; 0) . )
0 ) ) % # % ) ) # ! ! )
) ) 9 ! ?
& , ( . ) . 0) . .. . # % (
) ) ) . 0) # ?
0) . B ( . . )
9 2 -
;< E ) ! 0) . (?
9,

29 30
Levels of exception-
exception-safety Design advice
& ) 0) . . ) ! . & ) . ) # ! ) ..
> . $ )) ! ! )
- ! 8) ( )) .. ) Y 6 ) E !
!
) < ! ( ( %
0 ) ! ) . ! ) . ( 5 )= . ! ; )
) ? 9X 2 Q
& < ! ! =
& < # . ) . ) ( ..
# )! D
> ( ! ( ( % D
8. 0 ) ) . 0)

31 32

Ideally, code should never fail Always keep a program in a valid state
& $. ) ) E . ' % * & 8. . ) E # % !
( . ! ! ( ( %
- ) . ) ) % )
& $. ) ( # )! .. .
1 ( ( !
. ( . ! > ) =
& < # 0) . % . ) ) . $ %
. ! . () . ) ) & ;< # )! ( ( ( ( .
1 ( ) E D 0) . ) ) ) ( ?
1 ( ) '*. ) D
8 ) #L ) .)
1 ( ) . ) ) ( )
% ! ) ) #
& < . . ) % ( # ! # )=
#L ) . # ) #
* ) % % D
< . '* % %

33 34

Keep errors from affecting state How to be exception-

exception-unsafe
unsafe [Meyers, 2005]
& 8. # = . . (( = ! % # ) ! & ) V & )E 3 ! E
! ( % & . = . )=' * # D
<S + & 8. 0
& $. ) ( !! .. . + , 0(
( )= D
< . ) .. ) #L ) ( ) ! , 0 (+
# % D
) ) 3) (( # )=3 ! # ) # .. #
( ) % . ' - )M * V
& . % % ) .
)= ' ( *+
& < ! .. ) #L ) % # ) 0) .
+
5 = ) '(*
$ # ) # D 77 +
N < ' *+ A #L ) E
) ( ) # & 8) ' !*
)= ' ( *+
W & I # ' ! !*
W+ & < # = !)
# # ) #
35 36
Advice toward exception-
exception-safety Improving the code 1: address the inconsistency
& ) . . & ) V & - # . . (
% 3 ) ) !
( % D
<S + & C
! ( +
, 0 (+ . ) ( !
& , ! ) % ) A$88
#L ) % % )
& ) % ) ) ) # )
% . ' - )M * V ) ) ) )=
) % # ) (( ' * )= ' ( *+ . E% ) :
) ) )) D + 8. ( )
F % # = # # 77 + ( # )
# )= ' * ) ) ! . )) . N < ' *+ ) ..
77 +
(( % . ) ( % '*. ) )= ' ( *+
W
I % . E ) ) (
W+
37 38

Improving the code 2: address the unusability Improving the code 3: address the resource leak
& ) V & , ! () ! & ) 5 )= V W+ & ) 5 )= V
% % ( ) V % +
<S J G<H + & $ ( E N'* % , 0 M (+
+ 8 . . ) J G<H + # ) - ))
, 0 (+ X ! + 5 )= ' , 0M ) J( *
# ) # . ! ) , 0 (+ ( ') J( *
% . ' - )M * V & F . % # ) + ' , V )= ' ( *+ W
)= ' ( *+ 1 0 % . ' - )M * V ]5 )= ' *
+ % + )= ' ( *+ V )= ' ( *+ W
N < ' *+ F ( N'* 5 )= ! ' ( *+ W+
77 + . ) # ) N < ' *+
)= ' ( *+ 77 +
) E % ( )
W . N'* )= ' ( *+
W+ E # ) : W
W+
39 40

How exception-
exception-safe have we become? Guarantees offered by the C++ standard library
& ) 5 )= V W+ & . 0) & $ (# .. ) ) ! ( 0
) V ! ! 0)
* 0 '* ( '*
% )
J G<H + & . 0) . & $ E ( . ! .
+ !% ! # )! ( . )
, 0 (+
& $) . ( !% * '* % ) GH J# )=' *
# ) ' ,
!! & $. = . ) ( !!
% . ' - )M * V
5 )= ! ' ( *+ ( % # ' )) ) ( % .. ) *
N < ' *+ .. ) ( D * 6 J) '* % ) GH J# )=' *
77 + < .) E )
W & $ ( !. ) ( # )!
0 .
W+ ' % % % ) =*

41 42

\
Writing exception-
exception-safe functions Writing your own exception-
exception-neutral c’
c’tor
& ( ( ! ) ) ( (# . ) & ) V & E )E 0)
) 0) . % . 0)
$ + $E )E D
E ' . ) ( % ) % ! D*
#+ E )E
$ ! ( ') ( % *
# ) & > # #L ) 0 )
E '* 0) % E )E
- : ' * 8. $E )E
& < 0) . #' * # #L ) % )
V W 8. E )E $E E
, (# ' # ( (# * W+ ( ) )
< A$88 # #L )
< ) 8. # . E )E
E E ) $E
< (
& ) #L ) % # !
. ( ) .
43 44

Translating an exception via a function-

function- -block Slight digression: initialization vs. assignment
& ) V & ! % . E )E & $ )#
% 0) 8 6 ! % # E #
$ + & E )E . = ' ( ! % *
#+ $E E )E D $ ! ( ! % # E #
# ) % % . ! E
E #
) # V W+ & <( !
& > # #L ) 0 .3 )
'* ) 8 6 . % # E
)) 0 ) ) ! % # E . (
& % . )
' * $ ! ( ( )) . # B ( ' *
# )= %
#' * ! % # E . (
V W & ) #L ) % # !
& , ) )
) ) ' * . ( ) .
8 6 ) % ! E #
V # ' *+W E E % % ) +
$ ! ( ) 0 !# ! E
W+ #L ) ) ! ! E #
45 46

The copy-
copy-and-
and-swap pattern Applying copy-
copy-and-
and-swap to assignment
& < ! . ( ' . ) * & ! ( .. ! !!
I !) # ) ) -M - N'-) M * V
. #L ) # D - ( ' *+
' ( *+ .%
- ) % ) ) S +
& 8. . . . # D W
& 8. )) % . '* -M - N'- * V . .
' *+
1 . ) ) S +
& !% !! # ) W

< #L ) E .. )) !
& 8. . . ! ( ' NN M *
F= . (6 ' % ( =*
< #L ) E ( ) ) . ) .
. . 8. !) B N'*) E # (
0) .
47 48
Even copy-
copy-and-
and-swap requires care Writing a no-
no-fail move assigment (C++0X)
& % % ) ! . ) ( % & > . '*) L#
.. ) % !) -M - N' - MM * V
& 0 ( –H ' *+
S +
% .' * V W
/ ' % /+
& 1 ( ! ( (# . ( %
!' *+
! ( ( # )
' *+
% -M - N' - MM * V
W N' ( % ' * *+ %-
( N ( % ' ( *+ %-
% . !! !% # ! # D % '
.( # # !% !! # ) D S +
.) E ) ! .) E ! . !E .. ) W
) 0)
49 50

Obtaining a no-
no-fail '* Writing a strong copy c’
c’tor
& A ( (# . '* & I ( (# ) 6
% - '-M * V % - -' - ) M *
' *+ '* ' *
( ' ( *+ '* ( ' ( *
'( ( *+ V W
W & ) # ) ( (# .-( . % !
& ) # 3( (# .-( .# # ' . *) )E
) ( % . '* D 2 ' ) ( ! * % # !
( '* E . > % % B % ) =
& A B . ) 3( % & ( ! ) )B % %
& 8. ( (# # 0 ) ) ) )
) !( . ) @
) % '( *
* # ( (# ) @ ) @
) 3 . #
< ) % % ) )E E # E
51 52

More copy-
copy-and-
and-swap: the pimpl pattern Writing a no-
no-fail move c’
c’tor (C++0X)
) V # ) + ' , & I ( (# . ( % 6
% ) . )
) ( V % ' * V
% - -' - M M *
% J ' ( ' S * *+
' ( % ' **
H ( J. ' *+
( ' ( % ' ( **
# ) + .% ' *+
V
W
N -' *+ %
% ( J. ' *+ W+
W
W+
& A % # . ) .
.
' % . . )E *
J G( H
J+ > . ) ( !
J +

53 54

4
Writing a no-
no-fail d’
d’tor General principles of exception safety
& , E . ) # )= & > % ! . ) . . ( # .
$. ) # )= 0 % D ) ( . % #
< . . & $ % #L ) % !
& 8 ) 0) % # )= ! 0)
) '* & 8 . ! . (
] '* V ) E D
V
/ ) ) ) ( . ) D
W ) . )
) ) ' * V
' ' ' )'
& C% ) . ) 3 ) ) #
.
W
W
55 56

Mechanisms underlying exception-

exception-safe code Summary
& < # ) ) & ;, ) ) ) ! #
< ! ! E # )= D ! ! ) . # 9 ( =
) 0 ) . ) ?
< # E '*
& ;8 ! E 0) ( ! . )
& 8( ) ! ) B P ( ! ) ! <
< ) )B 6 # . ! ! ?
, (# ' 3# 3( (# * & ;I 0) . !
< ) A ) % !. ( %
< ( 3 % 3 -! ! # ) . ) ) )
A ! . E # ) ?
9 )= \

57 58

18>
Selected Topics in Computer Programming #4

C++ Exception Safety:

Issues and Best Practices

! " # $ ! %