MA
MATLAB Error Handling
MATLAB error handling patterns using try/catch, error identifiers, and input validation
Details
Language / Topic
MATLABCategory
Error Handling
Rules
balanced
- Use `error('myPkg:myFunc:badInput', 'Expected positive scalar, got %d', val)` with a qualified identifier so callers can catch specific error types with `catch ME`.
- In `catch` blocks, always inspect `ME.identifier` and `ME.message` — use `rethrow(ME)` to propagate without losing the original stack trace.
- Use `validateattributes` or `arguments` block validation at function entry to throw descriptive errors before any computation begins.
- Use `try` / `catch ME` only for genuinely exceptional conditions; do not use exceptions for control flow or to check whether a file exists.
- Use the `arguments` block (R2019b+) with validation functions like `mustBePositive`, `mustBeFile`, and `mustBeMember` to replace boilerplate `nargin`/`validateattributes` patterns.
- Wrap calls to external toolboxes or `system()` commands in `try`/`catch` and map toolbox-specific errors to your package's error identifiers for consistent error taxonomy.
- Log errors to a file with `fprintf(fid, '[%s] ERROR %s: %s\n', datetime, ME.identifier, ME.message)` before rethrowing in production pipelines.