What is the point of the finally block?

Question

Syntax aside, what is the difference between

try {
}
catch() {
}
finally {
    x = 3;
}

and

try {
}
catch() {
}

x = 3;
         


        

Answer 1

@iAn and @mats:

I would not "tear down" anything in finally {} that was "set up" within the try {} as a rule. Would be better to pull the stream creation outside of the try {}. If you need to handle an exception on stream create this could be done in a greater scope.

StreamReader stream = new StreamReader("foo.bar");  
try {
    mySendSomethingToStream(stream);
}
catch(noSomethingToSendException e) {
    //Swallow this    
    logger.error(e.getMessage());
}
catch(anotherTypeOfException e) {
    //More serious, throw this one back
    throw(e);
}
finally {
    stream.close();  
}