Check if a value exists or catch an exception

Question

I am parsing a response from server, and in case it contains the fields "chunk_number"(J_ID_CHUNK_NUMBER) and "total_chunk_number"(J_ID_CHUNK_TOTAL), I want to check whether I should request another chunk or not. Not a complicated task. Yet I doubt what would be a better way to implement?

Option 1 - using try catch:

private int getNextChunkNumber(JSONObject jUpdate) {
    try {
        int current;
        int total;
        current = jUpdate.getInt(J_ID_CHUNK_NUMBER);
        total = jUpdate.getInt(J_ID_CHUNK_TOTAL);
        if (current < total) {
            return current + 1;
        }
    }
    catch(JSONException e) {
        // This is an empty exception because it merges with the default result (-1)
    }
    return -1;
}

Option 2 - using the has method:

private int getNextChunkNumber(JSONObject jUpdate) {
    int current;
    if (jUpdate.has(J_ID_CHUNK_NUMBER) &&
        jUpdate.has(J_ID_CHUNK_TOTAL)) {
        current = jUpdate.getInt(J_ID_CHUNK_NUMBER);
        if (current < jUpdate.getInt(J_ID_CHUNK_TOTAL)) {
            return current + 1;
        } 
    }
    return -1;
}

Trevor Pilley · Accepted Answer · 2012-03-10 09:28:32Z

8

I would recommend that you use option 2, especially since you have the ability to avoid the exception (by using the has method).

Exceptions should be used in exceptional circumstances (e.g. You might expect getInt to throw an exception if J_ID_CHUNK_TOTAL exists but does not contain a character which can be parsed to an integer). In which case you would want to wrap the call to that in a catch.

I would also suggest that you do a null check against the jUpdate object before using it.

answered Mar 10, 2012 at 9:28

Trevor Pilley

2,0812 gold badges17 silver badges29 bronze badges

\$\begingroup\$ Thanks. My idea is to catch an exception if the API is violated in the response (jUpdate), so if J_ID_CHUNK_NUMBER or J_ID_CHUNK_TOTAL don't exist or if they are not int, it's the same for me. Regarding the check for null - it is done in the caller method. Do you think an exceptional circumstance is only String instead of int or also the absence of the field? \$\endgroup\$

MByD
– MByD

2012-03-10 09:36:30 +00:00
Commented Mar 10, 2012 at 9:36
\$\begingroup\$ That depends on your business rules, can the code which calls this continue or not if the data is invalid. That will determine whether the routine should exit with a -1 or should it throw an exception. \$\endgroup\$

Trevor Pilley
– Trevor Pilley

2012-03-10 10:27:09 +00:00
Commented Mar 10, 2012 at 10:27

Add a comment |

Andreas Dolk · Accepted Answer · 2012-03-10 09:36:15Z

I strongly recommend option 2. Like Trevor said, exceptions should only be used to handle exceptional or more or less unexpected conditions. That is not the case.

Then, in version 1, you need to explain why that JSONException was thrown/catched and that it is perfectly OK to not handle it.

My suggestion is a modified version of Option 2:

private int getNextChunkNumber(JSONObject jUpdate) {
    int current;
    if (hasNextChunk(jUpdate)) {  // <- new method for if condition
        current = jUpdate.getInt(J_ID_CHUNK_NUMBER);
        if (current < jUpdate.getInt(J_ID_CHUNK_TOTAL)) {
            return current + 1;
        } 
    }
    return NO_NEXT_CHUNK;   // a static int with value -1
}

private boolean hasNextChunk(JSONObject jUpdate) {
   return jUpdate.has(J_ID_CHUNK_NUMBER) &&
        jUpdate.has(J_ID_CHUNK_TOTAL); 
}

Stack Exchange Network

Check if a value exists or catch an exception

2 Answers 2

You must log in to answer this question.

Hot Network Questions

Check if a value exists or catch an exception

2 Answers 2

You must log in to answer this question.

Related

Hot Network Questions