---
name: "Exception handling"
type: topic
source: https://community.bistudio.com/wiki/Exception_handling
revid: 377910
updated: 2026-01-07T16:15:07Z
---

# Exception handling

Armed Assault v1.00

Armed Assault introduced exception handling through the [try](../commands/try.md), [catch](../commands/catch.md) and [throw](../commands/throw.md) scripting commands, allowing scripts to create and react to exceptions.

Standard structure:

```sqf
try        // code block that can throw exception
{
    if (_name == "") then { throw "no name"; };    // this exits the try block and enters the catch block below
    if (_name == "") throw "no name";            // since Arma 3 v1.54

    titleText [format ["Good morning, Captain %1.", _name], "PLAIN DOWN"];
}
catch    // code block that processes an exception
{
    if (_exception == "no name") then
    {
        hint "Name was not entered";
        titleText ["Good morning, anonymous Captain.", "PLAIN DOWN"];
    };
};
```

> [!IMPORTANT]
> Real Virtuality scripting commands do **not** create SQF exceptions by themselves if they encounter an illegal situation,
>
> they throw a ***compilation*** exception that cannot be caught by this try-catch structure explained here.
>
> The following would therefore **not** create a catchable exception:
>
> ```sqf
> _divider = 0;
> try        { a = 1 / _divider; }            // SQF error happens here already
> catch    { hint "illegal operation"; };    // useless
> ```
>
> The proper way:
>
> ```sqf
> _divider = 0;
> try        { if (_divider == 0) then { throw "div0"; }; a = 1 / _divider; }
> catch    { hint "illegal operation"; };
> ```

<sub>Source: [BI Community Wiki — Exception handling](https://community.bistudio.com/wiki/Exception_handling) (revision 377910).</sub>