Transparent error handling Was: GLOBAL styles

[davidf(at)dfanning.com (David Fanning)]

Martin Schultz (mgs@io.harvard.edu) writes:

> wouldn't it be nice to have a system variable that controls 
> the display of messages throughout the session? I believe
> there are some people who prefer error messages displayed 
> as dialog boxes, while others prefer a "unix like" message 
> display in the log window. Currently this involves two 
> different routines DIALOG_MESSAGE or MESSAGE... 

This is a good idea. I like to write code that can be
executed everywhere. In particular, the code should work
on my display device, in the PostScript device, and in the
Z graphics buffer. But, of course, if that is to be the
case I can't use an error message (I.e, DIALOG_MESSAGE)
that opens a window. And yet, I prefer this kind of
error message when I am working at the display.

In the absence of this proposed system variable, here 
is a little function, named ERROR_MESSAGE, that
allows me to format the error message as normal,
but uses DIALOG_MESSAGE or MESSAGE to display the
message, as appropriate for the current graphics
device. Setting the TRACEBACK keyword will allow
traceback information to be printed to the command
output window no matter how the error message is
displayed for the user.

It is called like this:

   ok = Error_Message('Whoops. Error', /Traceback)

Cheers,

David

--
FUNCTION ERROR_MESSAGE, theMessage, Traceback=traceback

; This function displays an error message to the user by
; using DIALOG_MESSAGE if widgets are supported and MESSAGE 
; otherwise. Set the TRACEBACK keyword to get traceback 
; information from the error.
    
   ; Are widgets supported?
   
widgetsSupported = ((!D.Flags AND 65536L) NE 0)
IF widgetsSupported THEN answer = Dialog_Message(theMessage) ELSE BEGIN
      Message, theMessage, /Continue, /NoPrint, /NoName, /NoPrefix
      Help, Calls=callStack
      callingRoutine = (Str_Sep(StrCompress(callStack[1])," "))[0]
      Print, '%' + callingRoutine + ': ' + theMessage
      answer = 'OK'
ENDELSE

   ; Provide traceback information if requested.

IF Keyword_Set(traceback) THEN BEGIN
   Help, Calls=callStack
   callingRoutine = (Str_Sep(StrCompress(callStack[1])," "))[0]
   IF widgetsSupported THEN Print, '%' + callingRoutine + ': ' + theMessage
   Print, 'Execution halted at: ', ' ', callStack[1]
   numCalls = N_Elements(callStack)
   IF numCalls GT 2 THEN FOR j=2,numCalls-1 DO Print, callStack[j]
ENDIF

RETURN, answer
END
-- 
David Fanning, Ph.D.
Fanning Software Consulting
Phone: 970-221-0438 E-Mail: davidf@dfanning.com
Coyote's Guide to IDL Programming: http://www.dfanning.com/
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