return statement in finally block

[Sridhar01]

public int divme(int x, int y)
{
int z;
try
{
z = x / y;
}
catch (Exception ex)
{
z = 0;
}
finally
{
return z;
}
}
this doesnot compile, it says "Control cannot leave the body of a finally clause"

can some one please explain me.

Thanks in advance for your soution and time.

[Plater]

Why do you even need a finally block?

Finally{} is executed if there's an error or not.

So this:

try
{
  //some try stuff
}
catch(Exception ee)
{
  //some catch stuff
}
finally
{
   //this will happen regardless
}
 

is the same as this:

try
{
  //some try stuff
}
catch(Exception ee)
{
  //some catch stuff
}
//this will happen regardless
 

Just move your return statement below it.

[r035198x]

Why do you even need a finally block?

Finally{} is executed if there's an error or not.

So this:

try
{
  //some try stuff
}
catch(Exception ee)
{
  //some catch stuff
}
finally
{
   //this will happen regardless
}
 

is the same as this:

try
{
  //some try stuff
}
catch(Exception ee)
{
  //some catch stuff
}
//this will happen regardless
 

Just move your return statement below it.

In the second case the code after the catch may not be executed depending on what is done in the catch (If e.g. a return is encountered in the catch).

@OP You cannot return/break/continue or put a goto inside the finally block by definition.

[Plater]

In the second case the code after the catch may not be executed depending on what is done in the catch (If e.g. a return is encountered in the catch).

@OP You cannot return/break/continue or put a goto inside the finally block by definition.

If there was a Return statement in the catch{} block, the finaly{} wouldn't be executed anyway would it?
I've never used finaly{} because I never found a use for it, so I'm only just guessing really.

[balabaster]

You should really only be using the finally block to dispose of objects that are instantiated in your Try clause...so for instance killing your references to class objects that would otherwise leak memory etc. There is really no need for a return in your finally clause though as previously mentioned. Just thought I would chip in my 2 cents as to what the finally block should be used for. It just keeps blocks of code logically together for organizational purposes which makes for tidier code.

[Plater]

Aye.
For a given function I try to follow this pattern:

private <returntype> SomeFunction()
{
   <returntype> retval = <null or someother "null-like" value>;
   try
   {
      //stuff
      //last thing done is set retval to a valid value
   }
   catch(Exception ee)
   {//trap all Exception types
      //exception handling
   }
   return retval;
}
 

[r035198x]

If there was a Return statement in the catch{} block, the finaly{} wouldn't be executed anyway would it?
I've never used finaly{} because I never found a use for it, so I'm only just guessing really.

Nope. It would be executed

using System;
class FinallyTest {
    public static void Main() {
        try {
            Object stupidNull = null;
            Console.WriteLine(stupidNull.ToString());
        }
        catch(Exception e) {
             Console.WriteLine("caught");
             return;
        }
        finally {
            Console.WriteLine("finally");
        }
    }
}

Prints

caught
finally

finally is always executed.