Code icon

The App is Under a Quick Maintenance

We apologize for the inconvenience. Please come back later

Menu iconMenu iconPython Programming Unlocked for Beginners
Python Programming Unlocked for Beginners

Chapter 9: Error Handling and Exceptions

9.4: Custom Exceptions

Python is a programming language that allows for the creation of custom exceptions. By doing this, developers can tailor their exceptions to specific error conditions. Custom exceptions can provide more detailed error messages that are easier for programmers to understand and handle. This is important because it allows for quicker identification and resolution of errors in code.

To create a custom exception in Python, you will need to define a new class that inherits from the base Exception class or one of its subclasses. This new class should include any additional attributes or methods that are needed to properly describe the exception. By doing this, you can ensure that the custom exception provides all the necessary information to help identify and solve any issues that may arise during development.

In addition, custom exceptions can be used to differentiate between different types of errors that may occur in your code. For example, you can create a custom exception for errors related to file input/output, and another custom exception for errors related to network connectivity. This makes it easier to handle different types of errors in specific ways, which can lead to more efficient and effective error handling overall.

Overall, the ability to create custom exceptions is an important feature of Python that can greatly improve the development process. By providing more descriptive error messages and allowing for more targeted error handling, custom exceptions can help to streamline the debugging process and ensure that code runs smoothly and efficiently. 

Here's an example of how to create a simple custom exception:

class CustomError(Exception):
    pass

In this example, we define a new class named CustomError that inherits from the Exception class. The pass statement indicates that the class is empty and doesn't provide any additional functionality.

Now, let's say you want to add a custom error message to your exception: 

class CustomError(Exception):
    def __init__(self, message):
        self.message = message
        super().__init__(message) 

In this case, we've overridden the __init__ method of the Exception class, allowing us to provide a custom error message when the exception is raised. The super().__init__(message) line calls the __init__ method of the parent Exception class, passing the custom error message to it.

You can raise your custom exception just like any other exception:

raise CustomError("This is a custom error message.")

When creating custom exceptions, it is a good practice to use descriptive names that indicate the nature of the error, and to provide helpful error messages to make debugging easier.

Example:

Let's say you're creating a program that deals with user accounts, and you want to define a custom exception for when a user tries to create an account with an invalid email address. You could create a custom exception like this:

class InvalidEmailError(Exception):
    def __init__(self, email):
        self.email = email
        message = f"The email address '{email}' is invalid."
        super().__init__(message)

# Usage
try:
    raise InvalidEmailError("invalid_email.com")
except InvalidEmailError as e:
    print(e)

In this example, we've created a custom exception named InvalidEmailError. When raising this exception, we pass the invalid email address as an argument, which is then used to create a custom error message.

Exercise 9.4.1: Create a custom exception for negative numbers

Title: NegativeNumberError

Description: Create a custom exception called NegativeNumberError that takes a number as an argument and returns an error message indicating that the number is negative.

Instructions:

  1. Define a custom exception called NegativeNumberError.
  2. Raise the NegativeNumberError exception if a given number is negative.
  3. Catch and handle the exception by printing the error message.
class NegativeNumberError(Exception):
    def __init__(self, number):
        self.number = number
        message = f"The number {number} is negative."
        super().__init__(message)

def check_positive_number(number):
    if number < 0:
        raise NegativeNumberError(number)
    else:
        print(f"The number {number} is positive.")

try:
    check_positive_number(-5)
except NegativeNumberError as e:
    print(e)

Output:

The number -5 is negative.

Exercise 9.4.2: Create a custom exception for empty input strings

Title: EmptyStringError

Description: Create a custom exception called EmptyStringError that takes a string as an argument and returns an error message indicating that the input string is empty.

Instructions:

  1. Define a custom exception called EmptyStringError.
  2. Raise the EmptyStringError exception if a given string is empty.
  3. Catch and handle the exception by printing the error message.
class EmptyStringError(Exception):
    def __init__(self):
        message = "The input string is empty."
        super().__init__(message)

def check_non_empty_string(input_string):
    if not input_string:
        raise EmptyStringError()
    else:
        print(f"The input string is not empty.")

try:
    check_non_empty_string("")
except EmptyStringError as e:
    print(e)

Output:

The input string is empty.

Exercise 9.4.3: Create a custom exception for invalid usernames

Title: InvalidUsernameError

Description: Create a custom exception called InvalidUsernameError that takes a username as an argument and returns an error message indicating that the username is invalid.

Instructions:

  1. Define a custom exception called InvalidUsernameError.
  2. Create a function that validates a given username.
  3. Raise the InvalidUsernameError exception if the username is invalid.
  4. Catch and handle the exception by printing the error message.
class InvalidUsernameError(Exception):
    def __init__(self, username):
        self.username = username
        message = f"The username '{username}' is invalid."
        super().__init__(message)

def validate_username(username):
    if len(username) < 5:
        raise InvalidUsernameError(username)
    else:
        print(f"The username '{username}' is valid.")

try:
    validate_username("usr")
except InvalidUsernameError as e:
    print(e)

Output:

The username 'usr' is invalid.

As we conclude Chapter 9, let's recap the main concepts we covered:

  1. Common Python Errors: We've looked at different types of errors, such as syntax errors, type errors, and name errors. Understanding these errors is essential to debug code effectively.
  2. Handling Exceptions with try and except: We've learned how to use the try and except blocks to handle exceptions gracefully. This technique allows your program to continue executing even when encountering an error.
  3. Raising Exceptions: We discussed how to raise exceptions using the raise statement, which is useful when you need to indicate that an error has occurred in your code.
  4. Custom Exceptions: Finally, we covered how to create custom exception classes to handle specific situations in your code more effectively. Custom exceptions allow you to provide more descriptive error messages and handle errors in a more targeted way.

By understanding and implementing these concepts, you will be able to write more robust and maintainable Python code. Error handling is a crucial aspect of programming, as it helps you anticipate and deal with unexpected situations that may arise during the execution of your programs. Keep practicing and applying these concepts in your projects to become more proficient in handling errors and exceptions in Python.

See you in next chapter: "Python Best Practices.”

9.4: Custom Exceptions

Python is a programming language that allows for the creation of custom exceptions. By doing this, developers can tailor their exceptions to specific error conditions. Custom exceptions can provide more detailed error messages that are easier for programmers to understand and handle. This is important because it allows for quicker identification and resolution of errors in code.

To create a custom exception in Python, you will need to define a new class that inherits from the base Exception class or one of its subclasses. This new class should include any additional attributes or methods that are needed to properly describe the exception. By doing this, you can ensure that the custom exception provides all the necessary information to help identify and solve any issues that may arise during development.

In addition, custom exceptions can be used to differentiate between different types of errors that may occur in your code. For example, you can create a custom exception for errors related to file input/output, and another custom exception for errors related to network connectivity. This makes it easier to handle different types of errors in specific ways, which can lead to more efficient and effective error handling overall.

Overall, the ability to create custom exceptions is an important feature of Python that can greatly improve the development process. By providing more descriptive error messages and allowing for more targeted error handling, custom exceptions can help to streamline the debugging process and ensure that code runs smoothly and efficiently. 

Here's an example of how to create a simple custom exception:

class CustomError(Exception):
    pass

In this example, we define a new class named CustomError that inherits from the Exception class. The pass statement indicates that the class is empty and doesn't provide any additional functionality.

Now, let's say you want to add a custom error message to your exception: 

class CustomError(Exception):
    def __init__(self, message):
        self.message = message
        super().__init__(message) 

In this case, we've overridden the __init__ method of the Exception class, allowing us to provide a custom error message when the exception is raised. The super().__init__(message) line calls the __init__ method of the parent Exception class, passing the custom error message to it.

You can raise your custom exception just like any other exception:

raise CustomError("This is a custom error message.")

When creating custom exceptions, it is a good practice to use descriptive names that indicate the nature of the error, and to provide helpful error messages to make debugging easier.

Example:

Let's say you're creating a program that deals with user accounts, and you want to define a custom exception for when a user tries to create an account with an invalid email address. You could create a custom exception like this:

class InvalidEmailError(Exception):
    def __init__(self, email):
        self.email = email
        message = f"The email address '{email}' is invalid."
        super().__init__(message)

# Usage
try:
    raise InvalidEmailError("invalid_email.com")
except InvalidEmailError as e:
    print(e)

In this example, we've created a custom exception named InvalidEmailError. When raising this exception, we pass the invalid email address as an argument, which is then used to create a custom error message.

Exercise 9.4.1: Create a custom exception for negative numbers

Title: NegativeNumberError

Description: Create a custom exception called NegativeNumberError that takes a number as an argument and returns an error message indicating that the number is negative.

Instructions:

  1. Define a custom exception called NegativeNumberError.
  2. Raise the NegativeNumberError exception if a given number is negative.
  3. Catch and handle the exception by printing the error message.
class NegativeNumberError(Exception):
    def __init__(self, number):
        self.number = number
        message = f"The number {number} is negative."
        super().__init__(message)

def check_positive_number(number):
    if number < 0:
        raise NegativeNumberError(number)
    else:
        print(f"The number {number} is positive.")

try:
    check_positive_number(-5)
except NegativeNumberError as e:
    print(e)

Output:

The number -5 is negative.

Exercise 9.4.2: Create a custom exception for empty input strings

Title: EmptyStringError

Description: Create a custom exception called EmptyStringError that takes a string as an argument and returns an error message indicating that the input string is empty.

Instructions:

  1. Define a custom exception called EmptyStringError.
  2. Raise the EmptyStringError exception if a given string is empty.
  3. Catch and handle the exception by printing the error message.
class EmptyStringError(Exception):
    def __init__(self):
        message = "The input string is empty."
        super().__init__(message)

def check_non_empty_string(input_string):
    if not input_string:
        raise EmptyStringError()
    else:
        print(f"The input string is not empty.")

try:
    check_non_empty_string("")
except EmptyStringError as e:
    print(e)

Output:

The input string is empty.

Exercise 9.4.3: Create a custom exception for invalid usernames

Title: InvalidUsernameError

Description: Create a custom exception called InvalidUsernameError that takes a username as an argument and returns an error message indicating that the username is invalid.

Instructions:

  1. Define a custom exception called InvalidUsernameError.
  2. Create a function that validates a given username.
  3. Raise the InvalidUsernameError exception if the username is invalid.
  4. Catch and handle the exception by printing the error message.
class InvalidUsernameError(Exception):
    def __init__(self, username):
        self.username = username
        message = f"The username '{username}' is invalid."
        super().__init__(message)

def validate_username(username):
    if len(username) < 5:
        raise InvalidUsernameError(username)
    else:
        print(f"The username '{username}' is valid.")

try:
    validate_username("usr")
except InvalidUsernameError as e:
    print(e)

Output:

The username 'usr' is invalid.

As we conclude Chapter 9, let's recap the main concepts we covered:

  1. Common Python Errors: We've looked at different types of errors, such as syntax errors, type errors, and name errors. Understanding these errors is essential to debug code effectively.
  2. Handling Exceptions with try and except: We've learned how to use the try and except blocks to handle exceptions gracefully. This technique allows your program to continue executing even when encountering an error.
  3. Raising Exceptions: We discussed how to raise exceptions using the raise statement, which is useful when you need to indicate that an error has occurred in your code.
  4. Custom Exceptions: Finally, we covered how to create custom exception classes to handle specific situations in your code more effectively. Custom exceptions allow you to provide more descriptive error messages and handle errors in a more targeted way.

By understanding and implementing these concepts, you will be able to write more robust and maintainable Python code. Error handling is a crucial aspect of programming, as it helps you anticipate and deal with unexpected situations that may arise during the execution of your programs. Keep practicing and applying these concepts in your projects to become more proficient in handling errors and exceptions in Python.

See you in next chapter: "Python Best Practices.”

9.4: Custom Exceptions

Python is a programming language that allows for the creation of custom exceptions. By doing this, developers can tailor their exceptions to specific error conditions. Custom exceptions can provide more detailed error messages that are easier for programmers to understand and handle. This is important because it allows for quicker identification and resolution of errors in code.

To create a custom exception in Python, you will need to define a new class that inherits from the base Exception class or one of its subclasses. This new class should include any additional attributes or methods that are needed to properly describe the exception. By doing this, you can ensure that the custom exception provides all the necessary information to help identify and solve any issues that may arise during development.

In addition, custom exceptions can be used to differentiate between different types of errors that may occur in your code. For example, you can create a custom exception for errors related to file input/output, and another custom exception for errors related to network connectivity. This makes it easier to handle different types of errors in specific ways, which can lead to more efficient and effective error handling overall.

Overall, the ability to create custom exceptions is an important feature of Python that can greatly improve the development process. By providing more descriptive error messages and allowing for more targeted error handling, custom exceptions can help to streamline the debugging process and ensure that code runs smoothly and efficiently. 

Here's an example of how to create a simple custom exception:

class CustomError(Exception):
    pass

In this example, we define a new class named CustomError that inherits from the Exception class. The pass statement indicates that the class is empty and doesn't provide any additional functionality.

Now, let's say you want to add a custom error message to your exception: 

class CustomError(Exception):
    def __init__(self, message):
        self.message = message
        super().__init__(message) 

In this case, we've overridden the __init__ method of the Exception class, allowing us to provide a custom error message when the exception is raised. The super().__init__(message) line calls the __init__ method of the parent Exception class, passing the custom error message to it.

You can raise your custom exception just like any other exception:

raise CustomError("This is a custom error message.")

When creating custom exceptions, it is a good practice to use descriptive names that indicate the nature of the error, and to provide helpful error messages to make debugging easier.

Example:

Let's say you're creating a program that deals with user accounts, and you want to define a custom exception for when a user tries to create an account with an invalid email address. You could create a custom exception like this:

class InvalidEmailError(Exception):
    def __init__(self, email):
        self.email = email
        message = f"The email address '{email}' is invalid."
        super().__init__(message)

# Usage
try:
    raise InvalidEmailError("invalid_email.com")
except InvalidEmailError as e:
    print(e)

In this example, we've created a custom exception named InvalidEmailError. When raising this exception, we pass the invalid email address as an argument, which is then used to create a custom error message.

Exercise 9.4.1: Create a custom exception for negative numbers

Title: NegativeNumberError

Description: Create a custom exception called NegativeNumberError that takes a number as an argument and returns an error message indicating that the number is negative.

Instructions:

  1. Define a custom exception called NegativeNumberError.
  2. Raise the NegativeNumberError exception if a given number is negative.
  3. Catch and handle the exception by printing the error message.
class NegativeNumberError(Exception):
    def __init__(self, number):
        self.number = number
        message = f"The number {number} is negative."
        super().__init__(message)

def check_positive_number(number):
    if number < 0:
        raise NegativeNumberError(number)
    else:
        print(f"The number {number} is positive.")

try:
    check_positive_number(-5)
except NegativeNumberError as e:
    print(e)

Output:

The number -5 is negative.

Exercise 9.4.2: Create a custom exception for empty input strings

Title: EmptyStringError

Description: Create a custom exception called EmptyStringError that takes a string as an argument and returns an error message indicating that the input string is empty.

Instructions:

  1. Define a custom exception called EmptyStringError.
  2. Raise the EmptyStringError exception if a given string is empty.
  3. Catch and handle the exception by printing the error message.
class EmptyStringError(Exception):
    def __init__(self):
        message = "The input string is empty."
        super().__init__(message)

def check_non_empty_string(input_string):
    if not input_string:
        raise EmptyStringError()
    else:
        print(f"The input string is not empty.")

try:
    check_non_empty_string("")
except EmptyStringError as e:
    print(e)

Output:

The input string is empty.

Exercise 9.4.3: Create a custom exception for invalid usernames

Title: InvalidUsernameError

Description: Create a custom exception called InvalidUsernameError that takes a username as an argument and returns an error message indicating that the username is invalid.

Instructions:

  1. Define a custom exception called InvalidUsernameError.
  2. Create a function that validates a given username.
  3. Raise the InvalidUsernameError exception if the username is invalid.
  4. Catch and handle the exception by printing the error message.
class InvalidUsernameError(Exception):
    def __init__(self, username):
        self.username = username
        message = f"The username '{username}' is invalid."
        super().__init__(message)

def validate_username(username):
    if len(username) < 5:
        raise InvalidUsernameError(username)
    else:
        print(f"The username '{username}' is valid.")

try:
    validate_username("usr")
except InvalidUsernameError as e:
    print(e)

Output:

The username 'usr' is invalid.

As we conclude Chapter 9, let's recap the main concepts we covered:

  1. Common Python Errors: We've looked at different types of errors, such as syntax errors, type errors, and name errors. Understanding these errors is essential to debug code effectively.
  2. Handling Exceptions with try and except: We've learned how to use the try and except blocks to handle exceptions gracefully. This technique allows your program to continue executing even when encountering an error.
  3. Raising Exceptions: We discussed how to raise exceptions using the raise statement, which is useful when you need to indicate that an error has occurred in your code.
  4. Custom Exceptions: Finally, we covered how to create custom exception classes to handle specific situations in your code more effectively. Custom exceptions allow you to provide more descriptive error messages and handle errors in a more targeted way.

By understanding and implementing these concepts, you will be able to write more robust and maintainable Python code. Error handling is a crucial aspect of programming, as it helps you anticipate and deal with unexpected situations that may arise during the execution of your programs. Keep practicing and applying these concepts in your projects to become more proficient in handling errors and exceptions in Python.

See you in next chapter: "Python Best Practices.”

9.4: Custom Exceptions

Python is a programming language that allows for the creation of custom exceptions. By doing this, developers can tailor their exceptions to specific error conditions. Custom exceptions can provide more detailed error messages that are easier for programmers to understand and handle. This is important because it allows for quicker identification and resolution of errors in code.

To create a custom exception in Python, you will need to define a new class that inherits from the base Exception class or one of its subclasses. This new class should include any additional attributes or methods that are needed to properly describe the exception. By doing this, you can ensure that the custom exception provides all the necessary information to help identify and solve any issues that may arise during development.

In addition, custom exceptions can be used to differentiate between different types of errors that may occur in your code. For example, you can create a custom exception for errors related to file input/output, and another custom exception for errors related to network connectivity. This makes it easier to handle different types of errors in specific ways, which can lead to more efficient and effective error handling overall.

Overall, the ability to create custom exceptions is an important feature of Python that can greatly improve the development process. By providing more descriptive error messages and allowing for more targeted error handling, custom exceptions can help to streamline the debugging process and ensure that code runs smoothly and efficiently. 

Here's an example of how to create a simple custom exception:

class CustomError(Exception):
    pass

In this example, we define a new class named CustomError that inherits from the Exception class. The pass statement indicates that the class is empty and doesn't provide any additional functionality.

Now, let's say you want to add a custom error message to your exception: 

class CustomError(Exception):
    def __init__(self, message):
        self.message = message
        super().__init__(message) 

In this case, we've overridden the __init__ method of the Exception class, allowing us to provide a custom error message when the exception is raised. The super().__init__(message) line calls the __init__ method of the parent Exception class, passing the custom error message to it.

You can raise your custom exception just like any other exception:

raise CustomError("This is a custom error message.")

When creating custom exceptions, it is a good practice to use descriptive names that indicate the nature of the error, and to provide helpful error messages to make debugging easier.

Example:

Let's say you're creating a program that deals with user accounts, and you want to define a custom exception for when a user tries to create an account with an invalid email address. You could create a custom exception like this:

class InvalidEmailError(Exception):
    def __init__(self, email):
        self.email = email
        message = f"The email address '{email}' is invalid."
        super().__init__(message)

# Usage
try:
    raise InvalidEmailError("invalid_email.com")
except InvalidEmailError as e:
    print(e)

In this example, we've created a custom exception named InvalidEmailError. When raising this exception, we pass the invalid email address as an argument, which is then used to create a custom error message.

Exercise 9.4.1: Create a custom exception for negative numbers

Title: NegativeNumberError

Description: Create a custom exception called NegativeNumberError that takes a number as an argument and returns an error message indicating that the number is negative.

Instructions:

  1. Define a custom exception called NegativeNumberError.
  2. Raise the NegativeNumberError exception if a given number is negative.
  3. Catch and handle the exception by printing the error message.
class NegativeNumberError(Exception):
    def __init__(self, number):
        self.number = number
        message = f"The number {number} is negative."
        super().__init__(message)

def check_positive_number(number):
    if number < 0:
        raise NegativeNumberError(number)
    else:
        print(f"The number {number} is positive.")

try:
    check_positive_number(-5)
except NegativeNumberError as e:
    print(e)

Output:

The number -5 is negative.

Exercise 9.4.2: Create a custom exception for empty input strings

Title: EmptyStringError

Description: Create a custom exception called EmptyStringError that takes a string as an argument and returns an error message indicating that the input string is empty.

Instructions:

  1. Define a custom exception called EmptyStringError.
  2. Raise the EmptyStringError exception if a given string is empty.
  3. Catch and handle the exception by printing the error message.
class EmptyStringError(Exception):
    def __init__(self):
        message = "The input string is empty."
        super().__init__(message)

def check_non_empty_string(input_string):
    if not input_string:
        raise EmptyStringError()
    else:
        print(f"The input string is not empty.")

try:
    check_non_empty_string("")
except EmptyStringError as e:
    print(e)

Output:

The input string is empty.

Exercise 9.4.3: Create a custom exception for invalid usernames

Title: InvalidUsernameError

Description: Create a custom exception called InvalidUsernameError that takes a username as an argument and returns an error message indicating that the username is invalid.

Instructions:

  1. Define a custom exception called InvalidUsernameError.
  2. Create a function that validates a given username.
  3. Raise the InvalidUsernameError exception if the username is invalid.
  4. Catch and handle the exception by printing the error message.
class InvalidUsernameError(Exception):
    def __init__(self, username):
        self.username = username
        message = f"The username '{username}' is invalid."
        super().__init__(message)

def validate_username(username):
    if len(username) < 5:
        raise InvalidUsernameError(username)
    else:
        print(f"The username '{username}' is valid.")

try:
    validate_username("usr")
except InvalidUsernameError as e:
    print(e)

Output:

The username 'usr' is invalid.

As we conclude Chapter 9, let's recap the main concepts we covered:

  1. Common Python Errors: We've looked at different types of errors, such as syntax errors, type errors, and name errors. Understanding these errors is essential to debug code effectively.
  2. Handling Exceptions with try and except: We've learned how to use the try and except blocks to handle exceptions gracefully. This technique allows your program to continue executing even when encountering an error.
  3. Raising Exceptions: We discussed how to raise exceptions using the raise statement, which is useful when you need to indicate that an error has occurred in your code.
  4. Custom Exceptions: Finally, we covered how to create custom exception classes to handle specific situations in your code more effectively. Custom exceptions allow you to provide more descriptive error messages and handle errors in a more targeted way.

By understanding and implementing these concepts, you will be able to write more robust and maintainable Python code. Error handling is a crucial aspect of programming, as it helps you anticipate and deal with unexpected situations that may arise during the execution of your programs. Keep practicing and applying these concepts in your projects to become more proficient in handling errors and exceptions in Python.

See you in next chapter: "Python Best Practices.”