From: Peter Hickman <peter@...>
Date: 2002-12-06T22:16:19+09:00
Subject: Re: on error resume next

Shannon Fang wrote:
> on error resume next
> conn=tcpserver.connect(remote)
> if conn==nil then
>  #some problem with connection
>  exit
> end
> f=File.open(testfile)
> if f.class!=File then
>  #cannot open file
>  #do something with it
> end
> # normal processing...
> 

begin
   conn=tcpserver.connect(remote)
rescue
   #some problem with connection
   exit
end

begin
   f=File.open(testfile)
rescue
   #cannot open file
   #do something with it
end

# normal processing...

Your example has 12 lines mine (excluding blanks) has 13. Whats the big 
deal about not having an on error handler?

PS I've been a basic programmer on PCs, Minis (VAX) and Mainframes since 
1984 and was greatfull to get away from such bad exception handlers as 
you find in cheap basics. VAX Basic, now there was a good basic it had 
real exception handlers like...

WHEN ERROR IN
   conn=tcpserver.connect(remote)
USE
   #some problem with connection
   exit
END

WHEN ERROR IN
   f=File.open(testfile)
USE
   #cannot open file
   #do something with it
END

# normal processing...

So exception handlers like Ruby are hardly new (about 30 years old, give 
or take).