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Asked: 2026-05-10T16:55:10+00:00

I have a class that encapsulates tcp socket communications with a server. For each

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I have a class that encapsulates tcp socket communications with a server. For each command message sent to the server, the server will send back a response message that invariably contains a response code (OK, Fail). Using my class, each command can be executed either sync or async.

There are basically two types of exceptions that can take place: A ‘fault’ that is caused by a disconnect or some other non-recoverable error and an unexpected exception like ‘send buffer is full’. In the event of a fault, no command can continue or try again or anything until the connection is re-established. In the event of a fail response or even an exception, the command can be tried again…

So, right now my sync command methods return an enum that can have the following values: OK, Fail, Fault. If an exception occurs, it is simply raised to the calling thread (in a sync command). For async commands, the Result property enum value can contain an extra value: OK, Fail, Fault or Exception and the callback can access the actual exception object via the command object’s Exception property.

What do you think about this strategy? I am tempted to not raise exceptions at all for sync commands and just log the exception internally and return the 4th enum value instead because that’s all I’ll really do with exceptions in any given case anyway… Or, should I not be using result codes at all and just raise exceptions in all cases, even faults?

Thanks.

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1 Answer

  1. I think your strategy is basically sound.

    Keep in mind that the purpose of Exceptions is to deal with exceptional conditions. The closer to the source of the problem, the better.

    In your case, it appears that your strategy is something like ‘It didn’t work right now. Let’s retry’. I don’t see a reason to really raise exceptions.

    If dealing with a closed socket was something that required a totally different flow in your code, then maybe exceptions would make sense. From your description, that’s not really the case.

    My philosophy on Exceptions is that they should be for exceptional conditions that you can’t really deal with. A closed socket? Hmm…how many times does the internet go down at my house…

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