AL Error Handling Best Practices
What's the best practice for handling errors in AL?
GPT
Handling errors effectively in AL (Application Language) for Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central
is crucial for ensuring a stable and user-friendly experience. Here are the best practices for error
handling in AL:
1. Use the `Error` Statement for Blocking Errors
If you want to completely stop the execution of the process due to a critical issue, use the `Error`
statement.
al
if [Link](CustNo) then
Error('Customer %1 does not exist.', CustNo);
🔹 Best used for: Critical errors where execution must be stopped immediately.
🔹 Drawbacks: Ends the execution abruptly and cannot be caught.
2. Use `TestField` for Validations
The `TestField` method is useful for field validations and automatically throws an error if the condition
is not met.
al
[Link](Name);
🔹 Best used for: Validating mandatory fields before processing.
🔹 Advantages: Ensures clean data entry and prevents missing critical data.
3. Try-Catch Error Handling (`TryFunction`)
If you want to handle errors gracefully without stopping execution, use TryFunction.
Example:
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al
procedure SafeProcessInvoice(): Boolean
var
Success: Boolean;
begin
Success := true;
if not ProcessInvoice() then
Message('An issue occurred, but the process continues.');
end;
[TryFunction]
procedure ProcessInvoice(): Boolean
begin
// Simulate an error
Error('Failed to process invoice.');
exit(true);
end;
🔹 Best used for: Scenarios where you want to catch and handle errors without stopping execution.
🔹 Limitations:
Only works on pages, reports, or tests (not codeunits or tables).
Cannot return detailed error messages (use logging instead).
4. Use `[Link]` for Logging Errors
Instead of displaying an error, log it for auditing purposes.
al
[Link]('Invoice Processing Error', 'Customer %1 has invalid data.', Verbosity::E
rror, DataClassification::SystemMetadata);
🔹 Best used for: Logging errors without user interruption.
5. Use `Confirm` to Warn Users Before Errors
If you want to warn users before executing an action, use `Confirm`.
al
if not Confirm('Are you sure you want to continue?', true) then
exit;
🔹 Best used for: Preventing user mistakes before executing a critical operation.
6. Use `AssertError` for Unit Testing
When writing automated tests, use `AssertError` to verify expected errors.
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al
AssertError SomeProcedureThatFails();
🔹 Best used for: Unit testing to ensure proper error handling.
Summary Table
Method Use Case Stops Execution? Allows Error Handling?
`Error` Critical issues ✅ Yes ❌ No
`TestField` Data validation ✅ Yes ❌ No
`TryFunction` Catching errors gracefully ❌ No ✅ Yes
`[Link]` Logging issues for auditing ❌ No ✅ Yes
`Confirm` Asking user confirmation ❌ No ✅ Yes
`AssertError` Unit Testing ✅ Yes ❌ No
✅ Best Practices Summary
1. Use `Error` only when execution must stop immediately.
2. Use `TestField` for enforcing field validation.
3. Use `TryFunction` for recoverable errors.
4. Log errors with `[Link]` for future reference.
5. Use `Confirm` for preventive user actions.
6. Use `AssertError` to test error scenarios in automated tests.
Would you like an example tailored to a specific business case? 🚀
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