Java Style: Properly handling exceptions

Question

I keep getting stuck conceptually on deciding an Exception-handling structure for my project.

Suppose you have, as an example:

public abstract class          


        

Answer 1

Throw the IOException wrapped in an exception type that is appropriate to the "Data" class. The fact is that the read method wont always be able to provide the data, and it should probably indicate why. The wrapping exception may extend RuntimeException and therefore not need to be declared (although it should be appropriately documented).