Database class - catch insert error

[eluser]Zeff[/eluser]
Hi all,

When I use

Code:

$this->db->insert('mytable', $mydata)

to insert data into a mysql table, sometimes I get an error like

Code:

'A Database Error Occurred ... Error Number: 1062 ... Duplicate entry 'zeff' for key 1'

, because I don't use an autoincrement primary key but just a unique varchar field.
I have read that 'write' actions only return true or false, but isn't there a manner to intercept the 1062 error code and show the user a nicely styled paged saying 'the record already exists'?

Many thanks in advance!

Zeff