Exception.Message Property

Reference

Definition

Namespace:: System

Assembly:: System.Runtime.dll

Assembly:: mscorlib.dll

Assembly:: netstandard.dll

Source:: Exception.cs

Source:: Exception.cs

Source:: Exception.cs

Important

Some information relates to prerelease product that may be substantially modified before it’s released. Microsoft makes no warranties, express or implied, with respect to the information provided here.

Gets a message that describes the current exception.

public:
 virtual property System::String ^ Message { System::String ^ get(); };

public virtual string Message { get; }

member this.Message : string

Public Overridable ReadOnly Property Message As String

Property Value

String

The error message that explains the reason for the exception, or an empty string ("").

Implements

Message

Examples

The following code example throws and then catches an Exception exception and displays the exception's text message using the Message property.

// Example for the Exception::HelpLink, Exception::Source,
// Exception::StackTrace, and Exception::TargetSite properties.
using namespace System;

namespace NDP_UE_CPP
{

   // Derive an exception; the constructor sets the HelpLink and 
   // Source properties.
   public ref class LogTableOverflowException: public Exception
   {
   private:
      static String^ overflowMessage = "The log table has overflowed.";

   public:
      LogTableOverflowException( String^ auxMessage, Exception^ inner )
         : Exception( String::Format( "{0} - {1}", overflowMessage, auxMessage ), inner )
      {
         this->HelpLink = "https://learn.microsoft.com";
         this->Source = "Exception_Class_Samples";
      }

   };

   public ref class LogTable
   {
   public:
      LogTable( int numElements )
      {
         logArea = gcnew array<String^>(numElements);
         elemInUse = 0;
      }


   protected:
      array<String^>^logArea;
      int elemInUse;

   public:

      // The AddRecord method throws a derived exception if 
      // the array bounds exception is caught.
      int AddRecord( String^ newRecord )
      {
         try
         {
            logArea[ elemInUse ] = newRecord;
            return elemInUse++;
         }
         catch ( Exception^ ex ) 
         {
            throw gcnew LogTableOverflowException( String::Format( "Record \"{0}\" was not logged.", newRecord ),ex );
         }

      }

   };


   // Create a log table and force an overflow.
   void ForceOverflow()
   {
      LogTable^ log = gcnew LogTable( 4 );
      try
      {
         for ( int count = 1; ; count++ )
         {
            log->AddRecord( String::Format( "Log record number {0}", count ) );

         }
      }
      catch ( Exception^ ex ) 
      {
         Console::WriteLine( "\nMessage ---\n{0}", ex->Message );
         Console::WriteLine( "\nHelpLink ---\n{0}", ex->HelpLink );
         Console::WriteLine( "\nSource ---\n{0}", ex->Source );
         Console::WriteLine( "\nStackTrace ---\n{0}", ex->StackTrace );
         Console::WriteLine( "\nTargetSite ---\n{0}", ex->TargetSite->ToString() );
      }

   }

}

int main()
{
   Console::WriteLine( "This example of \n   Exception::Message, \n"
   "   Exception::HelpLink, \n   Exception::Source, \n"
   "   Exception::StackTrace, and \n   Exception::"
   "TargetSite \ngenerates the following output." );
   NDP_UE_CPP::ForceOverflow();
}

/*
This example of
   Exception::Message,
   Exception::HelpLink,
   Exception::Source,
   Exception::StackTrace, and
   Exception::TargetSite
generates the following output.

Message ---
The log table has overflowed. - Record "Log record number 5" was not logged.

HelpLink ---
https://learn.microsoft.com

Source ---
Exception_Class_Samples

StackTrace ---
   at NDP_UE_CPP.LogTable.AddRecord(String newRecord)
   at NDP_UE_CPP.ForceOverflow()

TargetSite ---
Int32 AddRecord(System.String)
*/

// Example for the Exception.HelpLink, Exception.Source,
// Exception.StackTrace, and Exception.TargetSite properties.
using System;

namespace NDP_UE_CS
{
    // Derive an exception; the constructor sets the HelpLink and
    // Source properties.
    class LogTableOverflowException : Exception
    {
        const string overflowMessage = "The log table has overflowed.";

        public LogTableOverflowException(
            string auxMessage, Exception inner ) :
                base( String.Format( "{0} - {1}",
                    overflowMessage, auxMessage ), inner )
        {
            this.HelpLink = "https://learn.microsoft.com";
            this.Source = "Exception_Class_Samples";
        }
    }

    class LogTable
    {
        public LogTable( int numElements )
        {
            logArea = new string[ numElements ];
            elemInUse = 0;
        }

        protected string[ ] logArea;
        protected int       elemInUse;

        // The AddRecord method throws a derived exception if
        // the array bounds exception is caught.
        public    int       AddRecord( string newRecord )
        {
            try
            {
                logArea[ elemInUse ] = newRecord;
                return elemInUse++;
            }
            catch( Exception e )
            {
                throw new LogTableOverflowException(
                    String.Format( "Record \"{0}\" was not logged.",
                        newRecord ), e );
            }
        }
    }

    class OverflowDemo
    {
        // Create a log table and force an overflow.
        public static void Main()
        {
            LogTable log = new LogTable( 4 );

            Console.WriteLine(
                "This example of \n   Exception.Message, \n" +
                "   Exception.HelpLink, \n   Exception.Source, \n" +
                "   Exception.StackTrace, and \n   Exception." +
                "TargetSite \ngenerates the following output." );

            try
            {
                for( int count = 1; ; count++ )
                {
                    log.AddRecord(
                        String.Format(
                            "Log record number {0}", count ) );
                }
            }
            catch( Exception ex )
            {
                Console.WriteLine( "\nMessage ---\n{0}", ex.Message );
                Console.WriteLine(
                    "\nHelpLink ---\n{0}", ex.HelpLink );
                Console.WriteLine( "\nSource ---\n{0}", ex.Source );
                Console.WriteLine(
                    "\nStackTrace ---\n{0}", ex.StackTrace );
                Console.WriteLine(
                    "\nTargetSite ---\n{0}", ex.TargetSite );
            }
        }
    }
}

/*
This example of
   Exception.Message,
   Exception.HelpLink,
   Exception.Source,
   Exception.StackTrace, and
   Exception.TargetSite
generates the following output.

Message ---
The log table has overflowed. - Record "Log record number 5" was not logged.

HelpLink ---
https://learn.microsoft.com

Source ---
Exception_Class_Samples

StackTrace ---
   at NDP_UE_CS.LogTable.AddRecord(String newRecord)
   at NDP_UE_CS.OverflowDemo.Main()

TargetSite ---
Int32 AddRecord(System.String)
*/

// Example for the Exception.HelpLink, Exception.Source,
// Exception.StackTrace, and Exception.TargetSite properties.
open System
        
let overflowMessage = "The log table has overflowed."

// Derive an exception; the constructor sets the HelpLink and
// Source properties.
type LogTableOverflowException(auxMessage, inner) as this =
    inherit Exception($"%s{overflowMessage} - %s{auxMessage}", inner)

    do
        this.HelpLink <- "https://learn.microsoft.com"
        this.Source <- "Exception_Class_Samples"

type LogTable(numElements) =
    let logArea = Array.zeroCreate<string> numElements
    let mutable elemInUse = 0

    // The AddRecord method throws a derived exception if
    // the array bounds exception is caught.
    member this.AddRecord(newRecord) =
        try
            logArea[elemInUse] <- newRecord
            elemInUse <- elemInUse + 1
            elemInUse - 1 
        with e ->
            raise (LogTableOverflowException($"Record \"{newRecord}\" was not logged.", e) )

// Create a log table and force an overflow.
let log = LogTable 4 

printfn
    """This example of
   Exception.Message, 
   Exception.HelpLink, 
   Exception.Source, 
   Exception.StackTrace, and
   Exception.TargetSite 
   generates the following output."""

try
    for count = 1 to 1000000 do
        log.AddRecord $"Log record number {count}"
        |> ignore
with ex ->
    printfn $"\nMessage ---\n{ex.Message}"
    printfn $"\nHelpLink ---\n{ex.HelpLink}"
    printfn $"\nSource ---\n{ex.Source}"
    printfn $"\nStackTrace ---\n{ex.StackTrace}"
    printfn $"\nTargetSite ---\n{ex.TargetSite}"

// This example of
//    Exception.Message,
//    Exception.HelpLink,
//    Exception.Source,
//    Exception.StackTrace, and
//    Exception.TargetSite
// generates the following output.

// Message ---
// The log table has overflowed. - Record "Log record number 5" was not logged.

// HelpLink ---
// https://learn.microsoft.com

// Source ---
// Exception_Class_Samples

// StackTrace ---
//    at NDP_UE_FS.LogTable.AddRecord(String newRecord)
//    at <StartupCode$fs>.$NDP_UE_FS.main@()

// TargetSite ---
// Int32 AddRecord(System.String)

' Example for the Exception.HelpLink, Exception.Source,
' Exception.StackTrace, and Exception.TargetSite properties.
Namespace NDP_UE_VB

    ' Derive an exception; the constructor sets the HelpLink and 
    ' Source properties.
    Class LogTableOverflowException
        Inherits Exception

        Private Const overflowMessage As String = _
            "The log table has overflowed."
           
        Public Sub New( auxMessage As String, inner As Exception )
            MyBase.New( String.Format( "{0} - {1}", _
                overflowMessage, auxMessage ), inner )

            Me.HelpLink = "https://learn.microsoft.com"
            Me.Source = "Exception_Class_Samples"

        End Sub
    End Class

    Class LogTable
       
        Public Sub New(numElements As Integer)
            logArea = New String(numElements) {}
            elemInUse = 0
        End Sub
           
        Protected logArea() As String
        Protected elemInUse As Integer
           
        ' The AddRecord method throws a derived exception if 
        ' the array bounds exception is caught.
        Public Function AddRecord( newRecord As String ) As Integer

            Try
                Dim curElement as Integer = elemInUse
                logArea( elemInUse ) = newRecord
                elemInUse += 1
                Return curElement

            Catch ex As Exception
                Throw New LogTableOverflowException( _
                    String.Format( "Record ""{0}"" was not logged.", _
                        newRecord ), ex )
            End Try
        End Function ' AddRecord
    End Class

    Module OverflowDemo
       
        ' Create a log table and force an overflow.
        Sub Main( )
            Dim log As New LogTable( 4 )
              
            Console.WriteLine( "This example of " & vbCrLf & _
                "   Exception.Message, " & vbCrLf & _
                "   Exception.HelpLink, " & vbCrLf & _
                "   Exception.Source, " & vbCrLf & _
                "   Exception.StackTrace, and " & vbCrLf & _
                "   Exception.TargetSite " & vbCrLf & _
                "generates the following output." )
              
            Try
                Dim count As Integer = 0
                 
                Do
                    log.AddRecord( _
                        String.Format( "Log record number {0}", count ) )
                    count += 1
                Loop

            Catch ex As Exception
                Console.WriteLine( vbCrLf & _
                    "Message ---" & vbCrLf & ex.Message )
                Console.WriteLine( vbCrLf & _
                    "HelpLink ---" & vbCrLf & ex.HelpLink )
                Console.WriteLine( vbCrLf & _
                    "Source ---" & vbCrLf & ex.Source )
                Console.WriteLine( vbCrLf & _
                    "StackTrace ---" & vbCrLf & ex.StackTrace )
                Console.WriteLine( vbCrLf & "TargetSite ---" & _
                    vbCrLf & ex.TargetSite.ToString( ) )
            End Try
        End Sub

    End Module ' OverflowDemo
End Namespace ' NDP_UE_VB

' This example of
'    Exception.Message,
'    Exception.HelpLink,
'    Exception.Source,
'    Exception.StackTrace, and
'    Exception.TargetSite
' generates the following output.
' 
' Message ---
' The log table has overflowed. - Record "Log record number 5" was not logged.
' 
' HelpLink ---
' https://learn.microsoft.com
' 
' Source ---
' Exception_Class_Samples
' 
' StackTrace ---
'    at NDP_UE_VB.LogTable.AddRecord(String newRecord)
'    at NDP_UE_VB.OverflowDemo.Main()
' 
' TargetSite ---
' Int32 AddRecord(System.String)

Remarks

Error messages target the developer who is handling the exception. The text of the Message property should completely describe the error and, when possible, should also explain how to correct the error. Top-level exception handlers may display the message to end-users, so you should ensure that it is grammatically correct and that each sentence of the message ends with a period. Do not use question marks or exclamation points. If your application uses localized exception messages, you should ensure that they are accurately translated.

Important

Do not disclose sensitive information in exception messages without checking for the appropriate permissions.

The value of the Message property is included in the information returned by ToString. The Message property is set only when creating an Exception. If no message was supplied to the constructor for the current instance, the system supplies a default message that is formatted using the current system culture.

Notes to Inheritors

The Message property is overridden in classes that require control over message content or format. Application code typically accesses this property when it needs to display information about an exception that has been caught.

The error message should be localized.

Applies to

Jaa