Return value from a stored proc on error

Question

I have an sp in SQL Server that when errors returns -4

What does -4 mean? Is there a table somewhere explaining what the possible return values are?

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Th

Answer 1

For example

declare @RetVal int  
EXEC @RetVal = stpTest  
select @RetVal

where stpTest is SELECT 1/0 returns -6.

-6 must mean something!

If you have an sp that does not return anything i.e. it doesn't have any select statements in it and you do:

declare @RetVal int  
EXEC @RetVal = yourSPName  

Then @RetVal will have a value of 0.

If there is an error then @RetVal will be a value other then zero, for example if the only thing your sp does is SELECT 1/0 then @RetVal will be -6.

Try it and see

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First of all, thanks for bothering to craft an example that returns -6.

Here's what the documentation says about -6:

-6 Miscellaneous user error occurred.

-6 might be the most amorphous code that SQL Server returns.
Why? Because the -6 error code is essentially hiding an error deeper in the call stack.

After troubleshooting this error myself, here are my tips for troubleshooting this error:

1. If your DAL or application layer generates this error, then run the SQL code in SQL Server Management Studio as the application user, not with your own SQL Server ID. [Why? Because your permissions might not be the same.]
2. Make the SQL code under inspection as readable as possible. [Why? Because this error may lurk deep within the call stack.]
3. Failing all else, comment out half of the code. Is the error still occurring? Comment out 50% of the remaining code. Rinse and repeat.