RE: monitor for exception by message id

>>I understand where you're coming from: 
>>it isn't the same as other platforms.
>
>That's because the AS/400 is better than the other platforms. 

Hi Simon!  You know that I won't disagree with you on this one!

>>In my own stuff, I don't actually throw escape messages to the caller.
>>Rather, I set a return code that the caller needs to inspect. 
>
>Return codes have their place but in my view the exception 
>model is far superior. That is because a return code can be 
>ignored by the caller but an  exception cannot. 

That's absolutely true.  The major reason I'm using a return code model is
that the cost of throwing exceptions (machine cost at runtime) was excessive
on earlier hardware.  When dealing with millions of exceptions per program
(rating telephone calls), the milliseconds add up.

>Unix is a prime example of an environment where return 
>codes are used and frequently never checked...

SQL is the same.

>The exception model is certainly more expensive than the 
>return code model (both in terms of programmer skill and 
>system resources) but, like most things, you get what you 
>pay for.

Truer words...  Always good to hear from you Simon!
  --buck