Htykuut

While it is good practice to throw only exceptions of types derived from std::exception class, C++ makes it possible to throw anything. All below examples are valid C++:

throw "foo";  // throws an instance of const char*

throw 5;      // throws an instance of int



struct {} anon;

throw anon;   // throws an instance of not-named structure



throw {};   // throws a lambda!

The last example is interesting, as it potentially allows passing some code to execute at catch site without having to define a separate class or function.

But is it at all possible to catch a lambda (or a closure)? catch ({} e) does not work.

Exception handlers are matched based on type, and the implicit conversions done to match an exception object to a handler are more limited than in other contexts.

Each lambda expression introduces a closure type that is unique to the surrounding scope. So your naive attempt cannot work, for {} has an entirely different type in the throw expression and the handler!

But you are correct. C++ allows you to throw any object. So if you explicitly convert the lambda before-hand to a type that matches an exception handler, it will allow you to call that arbitrary callable. For instance:

try {

    throw std::function<void()>{ {} }; // Note the explicit conversion

} catch(std::function<void()> const& f) {

    f();

}

This may have interesting utility, but I'd caution against throwing things not derived from std::exception. A better option would probably be to create a type that derives from std::exception and can hold a callable.

C++ allows you to throw anything. And It allows you to catch whatever you throw. You can, of course, throw a lambda. The only problem is that, to catch something, you need to know the type or at least a parent type of that something. Since lambdas do not derive from a common base, you have to know the type of your lambda to catch a lambda. The main issue with that is that every lambda expression will give you an rvalue of a distinct type. That means that both your throw and your catch need to be based on the same lambda expression (note: the same expression, not just some expression that looks exactly the same). One way I can think of to make this work to some degree would be to encapsulate the creation of the lambda to throw in a function. That way, you can call the function in your throw expression, and use the return type of the function to deduce the type to catch:

#include <utility>



auto makeMyLambda(int some_arg)

{

    return [some_arg](int another_arg){ return some_arg + another_arg; };

}



void f()

{

    throw makeMyLambda(42);

}



int main()

{

    try

    {

        f();

    }

    catch (const decltype(makeMyLambda(std::declval<int>()))& l)

    {

        return l(23);

    }

}

Try it out here.

You could also just use std::function like suggested in some of the other answers, which is potentially a more practical approach. The downsides of that, however, would be

• It means you don't actually throw a lambda. You throw an std::function, which is not really what you asked for 😉


• The creation of an std::function object from a lambda can throw an exception
  

You can throw and catch a std::function:

#include <iostream>

#include <functional>



void f() {

        throw std::function<void(void)>({std::cout << "lambdan"; });

}



int main()

{

        try{ f(); }

        catch( std::function<void(void)> &e)

        {

                e();

                std::cout << "catchn";

        }

}

Output:

lambda

catch

A lambda is a unique anonymous type. The only way to name a lambda instance's type is to store it in a variable, then do a decltype on that variable type.

There are a few ways you can catch a thrown lambda.

try  {

  throw {};

} catch(...) {

}

in this case you cannot use it, other than throwing it again.

try  {

  throw +{};

} catch(void(*f)()) {

}

a stateless lambda can be converted to a function pointer.

try  {

  throw std::function<void()>({});

} catch(std::function<void()> f) {

}

you can convert it to a std::function. The downside with std::function is that it heap allocates for larger lambdas, which could in theory cause it to throw.

We can eliminate that heap allocation:

template<class Sig>

struct callable;



template<class R, class...Args>

struct callable<R(Args...)> {

  void* state = nullptr;

  R(*action)(void*, Args&&...) = nullptr;

  R operator()(Args...args) const {

    return action( state, std::forward<Args>(args)... );

  }

};



template<class Sig, class F>

struct lambda_wrapper;

template<class R, class...Args, class F>

struct lambda_wrapper<R(Args...), F>

:

  F,

  callable<R(Args...)>

{

  lambda_wrapper( F fin ):

    F(std::move(fin)),

    callable<R(Args...)>{

      static_cast<F*>(this),

      (void* self, Args&&...args)->R {

        return static_cast<R>( (*static_cast<F*>(self))( std::forward<Args>(args)... ) );

      }

    }

  {}

  lambda_wrapper(lambda_wrapper && o):

    F(static_cast<F&&>(o)),

    callable<R(Args...)>( o )

  {

    this->state = static_cast<F*>(this);

  }

  lambda_wrapper& operator=(lambda_wrapper && o)

  {

    static_cast<F&>(*this) = (static_cast<F&&>(o));

    static_cast<callable<R(Args...)>&>(*this) = static_cast<callable<R(Args...)>&>( o );

    this->state = static_cast<F*>(this);

  }

};



template<class Sig, class F>

lambda_wrapper<Sig, F> wrap_lambda( F fin ) {

  return std::move(fin);

}

now you can do:

try {

  throw wrap_lambda<void()>({});

} catch( callable<void()> const& f ) {

}

callable is "lighter weight" type erasure than std::function as it cannot cause new heap memory to be allocated.

Live example.