Getting all messages from InnerException(s)?

Question

Is there any way to write a LINQ style \"short hand\" code for walking to all levels of InnerException(s) of Exception thrown? I would prefer to write it in place instead of

Answer 1

LINQ is generally used to work with collections of objects. However, arguably, in your case there is no collection of objects (but a graph). So even though some LINQ code might be possible, IMHO it would be rather convoluted or artificial.

On the other hand, your example looks like a prime example where extension methods are actually reasonable. Not to speak of issues like reuse, encapsulation, etc.

I would stay with an extension method, although I might have implemented it that way:

public static string GetAllMessages(this Exception ex)
{
   if (ex == null)
     throw new ArgumentNullException("ex");

   StringBuilder sb = new StringBuilder();

   while (ex != null)
   {
      if (!string.IsNullOrEmpty(ex.Message))
      {
         if (sb.Length > 0)
           sb.Append(" ");

         sb.Append(ex.Message);
      }

      ex = ex.InnerException;
   }

   return sb.ToString();
}

But that is largely an issue of taste.