exception.getMessage() output with class name

Question

I\'m trying to fix an issue, in my application I have this code

try {
  object1.method1();
} catch(Exception ex) {
   JOptionPane.showMessageDialog(nulll, \"         


        

Answer 1

I think you are wrapping your exception in another exception (which isn't in your code above). If you try out this code:

public static void main(String[] args) {
    try {
        throw new RuntimeException("Cannot move file");
    } catch (Exception ex) {
        JOptionPane.showMessageDialog(null, "Error: " + ex.getMessage());
    }
}

...you will see a popup that says exactly what you want.

---

However, to solve your problem (the wrapped exception) you need get to the "root" exception with the "correct" message. To do this you need to create a own recursive method getRootCause:

public static void main(String[] args) {
    try {
        throw new Exception(new RuntimeException("Cannot move file"));
    } catch (Exception ex) {
        JOptionPane.showMessageDialog(null,
                                      "Error: " + getRootCause(ex).getMessage());
    }
}

public static Throwable getRootCause(Throwable throwable) {
    if (throwable.getCause() != null)
        return getRootCause(throwable.getCause());

    return throwable;
}

Note: Unwrapping exceptions like this however, sort of breaks the abstractions. I encourage you to find out why the exception is wrapped and ask yourself if it makes sense.

Answer 2

My guess is that you've got something in method1 which wraps one exception in another, and uses the toString() of the nested exception as the message of the wrapper. I suggest you take a copy of your project, and remove as much as you can while keeping the problem, until you've got a short but complete program which demonstrates it - at which point either it'll be clear what's going on, or we'll be in a better position to help fix it.

Here's a short but complete program which demonstrates RuntimeException.getMessage() behaving correctly:

public class Test {
    public static void main(String[] args) {
        try {
            failingMethod();
        } catch (Exception e) {
            System.out.println("Error: " + e.getMessage());
        }
    }       

    private static void failingMethod() {
        throw new RuntimeException("Just the message");
    }
}

Output:

Error: Just the message