(For more resources on JavaScript, see here.)
The Error object
An Error is a generic exception, and it accepts an optional message that provides details of the exception. We can use the Error object by using the following syntax:
new Error(message); // message can be a string or an integer
Here’s an example that shows the Error object in action. The source code for this example can be found in the file error-object.html.
<html>
<head>
<script type="text/javascript">
function factorial(x) {
if(x == 0) {
return 1;
}
else {
return x * factorial(x-1);
}
}
try {
var a = prompt("Please enter a positive integer", "");
if(a < 0){
var error = new Error(1);
alert(error.message);
alert(error.name);
throw error;
}
else if(isNaN(a)){
var error = new Error("it must be a number");
alert(error.message);
alert(error.name);
throw error;
}
var f = factorial(a);
alert(a + "! = " + f);
}
catch (error) {
if(error.message == 1) {
alert("value cannot be negative");
}
else if(error.message == "it must be a number") {
alert("value must be a number");
}
else
throw error;
}
finally {
alert("ok, all is done!");
}
</script>
</head>
<body>
</body>
</html>
You may have noticed that the structure of this code is similar to the previous examples, in which we demonstrated try, catch, finally, and throw. In this example, we have made use of what we have learned, and instead of throwing the error directly, we have used the Error object.
I need you to focus on the code given above. Notice that we have used an integer and a string as the message argument for var error, namely new Error(1) and new Error(“it must be a number”). Take note that we can make use of alert() to create a pop-up window to inform the user of the error that has occurred and the name of the error, which is Error, as it is an Error object. Similarly, we can make use of the message property to create program logic for the appropriate error message.
It is important to see how the Error object works, as the following built-in objects, which we are going to learn about, work similarly to how we have seen for the Error object. (We might be able to show how we can use these errors in the console log.)
The RangeError object
A RangeError occurs when a number is out of its appropriate range. The syntax is similar to what we have seen for the Error object. Here’s the syntax for RangeError:
new RangeError(message);
message can either be a string or an integer.
<html>
<head>
<script type="text/javascript">
try {
var anArray = new Array(-1);
// an array length must be positive
}
catch (error) {
alert(error.message);
alert(error.name);
}
finally {
alert("ok, all is done!");
}
</script>
</head>
<body>
</body>
</html>
We’ll start with a simple example to show how this works. Check out the following code that can be found in the source code folder, in the file rangeerror.html:
When you run this example, you should see an alert window informing you that the array is of an invalid length. After this alert window, you should receive another alert window telling you that The error is RangeError, as this is a RangeError object. If you look at the code carefully, you will see that I have deliberately created this error by giving a negative value to the array’s length (array’s length must be positive).
The ReferenceError object
A ReferenceError occurs when a variable, object, function, or array that you have referenced does not exist. The syntax is similar to what you have seen so far and it is as follows:
new ReferenceError(message);
message can either be a string or an integer.
As this is pretty straightforward, I’ll dive right into the next example. The code for the following example can be found in the source code folder, in the file referenceerror.html.
<html>
<head>
<script type="text/javascript">
try {
x = y;
// notice that y is not defined
// an array length must be positive
}
catch (error) {
alert(error);
alert(error.message);
alert(error.name);
}
finally {
alert("ok, all is done!");
}
</script>
</head>
<body>
</body>
</html>
Take note that y is not defined, and we are expecting to catch this error in the catch block. Now try the previous example in your Firefox browser. You should receive four alert windows regarding the errors, with each window giving you a different message. The messages are as follows:
- ReferenceError: y is not defined
- y is not defined
- ReferenceError
- ok, all is done
If you are using Internet Explorer, you will receive slightly different messages. You will see the following messages:
- [object Error] message
- y is undefined
- TypeError
- ok, all is done
The TypeError object
A TypeError is thrown when we try to access a value that is of the wrong type. The syntax is as follows:
new TypeError(message); // message can be a string or an integer and
it is optional
An example of TypeError is as follows:
<html>
<head>
<script type="text/javascript">
try {
y = 1
var test = function weird() {
var foo = "weird string";
}
y = test.foo(); // foo is not a function
}
catch (error) {
alert(error);
alert(error.message);
alert(error.name);
}
finally {
alert("ok, all is done!");
}
</script>
</head>
<body>
</body>
</html>
If you try running this code in Firefox, you should receive an alert box stating that it is a TypeError. This is because test.foo() is not a function, and this results in a TypeError. JavaScript is capable of finding out what kind of error has been caught. Similarly, you can use the traditional method of throwing your own TypeError(), by uncommenting the code.
The following built-in objects are less used, so we’ll just move through quickly with the syntax of the built-in objects.
