SQL Server XACT_ABORT with exclusion

Question

I have a larger stored procedure which utilizes several TRY/CATCH blocks in order to catch and log individual errors. I have also wrapped a transaction around the entire content

Answer 1

You can try something like below ,which ensures you log the operation.This takes advantage of the fact that table variables dont get rollbacked..

Psuedo code only to give you idea:

create table test1
(
id int primary key
)

create table logg
(
errmsg varchar(max)
)



declare @errmsg varchar(max)

set xact_abort on
begin try
begin tran
insert into test1
select 1

insert into test1
select 1

commit
end try

begin catch
set @errmsg=ERROR_MESSAGE()
select @errmsg as "in block"
if @@trancount>0
rollback tran

end catch
set xact_abort off


select @errmsg as "after block";

insert into logg
select @errmsg


select * from logg

Answer 2

OK... I was able to solve this using a combination of the great suggestions put forth by Alex and GameisWar, with the addition of the T-SQL GOTO control flow statement.

The basic ideas was to store the error message in a variable, which survives a rollback, then have the Catch send you to a FAILURE label which will do the following:

• Rollback the transaction
• Insert a record into the log table, using the data from the aforementioned variable
• Exit the stored procedure

I also use a second GOTO statement to make sure that a successful run will skip over the FAILURE section and commit the transaction.

Below is a code snippet of what the test SQL looked like. It worked like a charm, and I have already implemented this and tested it (successfully) in our production environment.

I really appreciate all the help and input!

SET XACT_ABORT ON               
DECLARE @MESSAGE VARCHAR(MAX) = '';

BEGIN TRANSACTION 
    BEGIN TRY
        INSERT INTO TEST_TABLE VALUES ('TEST');     -- WORKS FINE
    END TRY 
    BEGIN CATCH     
        SET @MESSAGE = 'ERROR - SECTION 1: ' + ERROR_MESSAGE();
        GOTO FAILURE;
    END CATCH

    BEGIN TRY
        INSERT INTO TEST_TABLE VALUES ('TEST2');        --WORKS FINE
        INSERT INTO TEST_TABLE VALUES ('ANOTHER TEST'); -- ERRORS OUT, DATA WOULD BE TRUNCATED
    END TRY 
    BEGIN CATCH 
        SET @MESSAGE = 'ERROR - SECTION 2: ' + ERROR_MESSAGE();
        GOTO FAILURE;
    END CATCH

GOTO SUCCESS;

FAILURE:        
    ROLLBACK
    INSERT INTO LOGG SELECT @MESSAGE
    RETURN; 

SUCCESS:
COMMIT TRANSACTION

Answer 3

I don't know details but IMHO general logic can be like this.

--set XACT_ABORT ON --not include it
declare @result varchar(max) --collect details in case you need it
begin transaction
begin try
--your logic here
--if something wrong RAISERROR(...@result)
--everything OK
commit
end try
begin catch
--collect error_message() and other into @result
rollback
end catch
insert log(result) values (@result)