Wrong usage of exception - return value from catch

exception, java

Solution

This code is correct and does not look suspicious. When parsing fails (note that you should catch the most narrow exception possible, `NumberFormatException` in this case), whole validation failed, so you are returning `false`. Otherwise you are performing additional checks (after `catch` block) and returning their result. This code is fine.

If you find it a bit hard to read, consider the following refactoring:

private boolean checkTerm() {
    try
        {
            String str = lGskCompoundNumber;
            if (lPrefix.trim() == "" || lNumber.trim() == "")
                return false;
            Integer.parseInt(lNumber);
            if (lHasAmpersand)
                str = lGskCompoundNumber.replace("&", "");
            return str.equals(lPrefix + lInitSep + lNumber + lEndSep + lSuffix);
        }
        catch (NumberFormatException ex)
        {
            return false;
        }
    }

Problem

This is the piece of code. ``` private boolean CheckTerm() { String str = lGskCompoundNumber; if (lPrefix.trim() == "" || lNumber.trim() == "") return false; try { Integer.parseInt(lNumber); } catch (Exception ex) { return false; } if (lHasAmpersand) str = lGskCompoundNumber.replace("&", ""); return str.equals(lPrefix + lInitSep + lNumber + lEndSep + lSuffix); } ``` Should I return a certain value from catch block or is the usage right?

Original source

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