“We do not use C++ exceptions” — What's the alternative? Let it crash?

Question

\"We do not use C++ exceptions.\"

If you don\'t use exceptions, what happens when there\'s an error? You just let the program crash?

Answer 1

Alternatives to exceptions other than return codes:

• LISP-style conditional handler.
• Software signals and slots, QT-style.
• Hardware interrupt or signal handler without a stack unwind. It's the stack unwind that is the problem with exceptions on embedded devices.
• longjmp / setjmp
• Callback function
• Flag value e.g. errorno (Unix), GetLastError (Windows), glGetError (OpenGL), etc.
• Message queue, if program is event driven
• Mutable functor. Handler object as input-output parameter, pointer is changed on error.
• Fibers or threads with an error resolution co-routine
• asm __int 3 or CPU-equivalent
• Overlay instructions or trampoline functions.

...and many more. Many of the above-listed are embedded device friendly.