Handing errors in my code using Exceptions

I always use exceptions in my models and libraries. The controllers do the try/catch and return the errors ...

Exactly what Im thinking about doing

Right now, this is the class for notifications

PHP Code:

<?php if ( ! defined('BASEPATH')) exit('No direct script access allowed');

class App_lib
{
    /**
     * @var string $notifications   Array of notifications
     */
    private static $notifications = array();

    private static $CI;

    public static $instance;

    // ------------------------------------------------------------------------

    public function __construct()
    {
        self::$CI =& get_instance();

        static::$instance = $this;

        $this->_check_flash_notifications();
    }
    
    // ------------------------------------------------------------------------

    public static function keep_flash_notifications()
    {
        self::$CI->session->keep_flashdata('notifications');
    }

    // ------------------------------------------------------------------------

    private static function set_flash_notifications()
    {
        self::$CI->session->set_flashdata('notifications', self::$notifications);
    }

    // ------------------------------------------------------------------------

    private function _check_flash_notifications()
    {
        $flash = self::$CI->session->flashdata('notifications');

        if($flash)
        {
            if(empty(self::$notifications))
            {
                self::$notifications = $flash;
            }
            else
            {
                self::$notifications = array_merge(self::$notifications, $flash);
            }
        }
    }

    // ------------------------------------------------------------------------

    /**
     * Add Notification
     *
     * Add a notification to the private $notifications array
     *
     * @param   string     $type       Type of notification (error, success, info, warning)
     * @param   string     $message    Notification message value
     * @param   bool    $log        If TRUE, then log_message($type, $message) will ensue
     *
     */
    public static function add_notification($type = 'info', $title = NULL, $message, $log = FALSE)
    {

        if( ! in_array($type, ['error','info','success','warning']))
        {
            log_message('error',"Unknown notification type '{$type}' for message: {$message}; Changing type to info");

            $type = 'info';
        }

        self::$notifications[$type][] = array($title, $message);

        if($log) log_message($type, $message);

        self::set_flash_notifications();
    }

    // ------------------------------------------------------------------------

    /**
     * Clear Notifications
     *
     * Clears private $notifications array
     *
     */
    public static function clear_notifications()
    {
        self::$notifications = array();
    }

    // ------------------------------------------------------------------------

    /**
     * Get Notifications
     *
     * Returns local private $notifications array
     *
     * @since   0.1.0
     * @return  arr         Array of notifications
     *
     */
    public static function get_notifications()
    {
        log_message('error','Executed: get_notifications');

        $return = self::$notifications;

        self::clear_notifications();

        return $return;
    }

    // ------------------------------------------------------------------------

    /**
     * Get Latest Error
     *
     * This will retrieve all errors using the self::get_notifications function, meaning it will
     * clear out all notifications, but return only one...
     *
     * @since   0.1.0
     * @return str
     */
    public static function get_latest_errors()
    {
        log_message('error','Executed: get_latest_errors');

        if( ! $notifications = self::get_notifications())
        {
            return FALSE;
        }

        //die('<pre>' . print_r($notifications, TRUE));

        if(@count($notifications['error']) > 1)
        {
            $return = array();

            foreach($notifications['error'] as $n)
            {
                // Push just the error string to the array
                array_push($return, $n[1]);
            }

            return implode('; ',$return);
        }
        elseif(@count($notifications['error']) === 1)
        {
            // Return just the error string
            return $notifications['error'][0][1];
        }
        elseif( ! @isset($notifications['error'][0]))
        {
            return FALSE;
        }

        // Just incase
        return FALSE;
    }

    // ------------------------------------------------------------------------

    /**
     * Check Errors
     *
     * Checks for any errors in private $notifications array
     *
     * @since   0.1.0
     * @return  bool        TRUE of self::$notifications['error']
     *
     */
    public static function check_errors()
    {
        if(isset(self::$notifications['error']))
        {
            return TRUE;
        }

        return FALSE;
    }

    // ------------------------------------------------------------------------

    /**
     * Check Notifications
     *
     * Check for any created notifications have been added to $notifications
     *
     * @since   0.1.0
     * @return  bool        TRUE if self::$notifications isnt empty
     *
     */
    public static function check_notifications()
    {
        return (self::$notifications ? TRUE : FALSE);
    }

    // ------------------------------------------------------------------------

    /**
     * Generate Notifications
     *
     * Uses functions in the template helper to generate the output for any
     * notifications
     *
     * @since   0.1.0
     * @return  string        String containing HTML for notifications
     *
     */
    public static function generate_notifications()
    {
        $return = '';

        foreach(self::get_notifications() as $type => $n)
        {
            if(function_exists('notification_' . $type))
            {
                $f = 'notification_' . $type;

                if(is_array($n))
                {
                    foreach($n as $n2)
                    {
                        $return .= $f($n2[0], $n2[1]);
                    }
                }
                else
                {
                    $return .= $f($n[0], $n[1]);
                }
            }
        }

        return (empty($return) ? NULL : $return);
    }
} 


I know, its terrible... use kind words.

And this is how the travesty its used..

PHP Code:

// Create a notification/alert
App_lib::add_notification('error','Title','Some text');

if( ! somefunction() AND ! App_lib::check_errors()){
    App_lib::add_notification('error','Title','Something failed, not sure what though, since no notification/error/alert was generated');
}

// Show em
echo "Errors: " . App_lib::generate_notifications(); 


Id much rather just do something like..

PHP Code:

class App_lib {
    private static function _display_notification($type, $message)
    {
        echo strtoupper($type) . ": {$message}\n";
    }

    public static function add_notification($message, $type = 'info')
    {
        if($message instanceof ErrorException)
        {
            self::_display_notification('error',"{$message->getMessage()}; Code: {$message->getCode()}; Severity: {$message->getSeverity()}" . print_r($message->getTrace(), TRUE) );
        }
        elseif($message instanceof Exception)
        {
            self::_display_notification('info', $message->getMessage());
        }
        else
        {
            self::_display_notification($type, $message);
        }
    }

    public static function something($a)
    {
        if( ! is_numeric($a))
        {
            throw new ErrorException("The value $a is NOT numeric..",123,456);
        }

        if($a > 2)
        {
            throw new Exception("The value $a was greater than 2");
        }

        if($a === 2)
        {
            return FALSE;
        }

        return TRUE;
    }
}

$val = 'a';

try {
    if(App_lib::something($val))
        echo "Value was apparently 1!\n";
    else
        echo "Value was 2\n";
}
catch(Exception $e) {
    App_lib::add_notification($e);
} 


(Thats just me playing around with the idea..)

If ErrorException or Exception shouldn't be used, I can create my own (http://php.net/manual/en/language.exceptions.php#91159)