what is better, using exceptions or if statements

[fenris]

I am rather new to java (about a year's worth of programming) and I am wondering what is the best method of error checking inputs on a form. In VB I would simple retrieve the contents of a text box and use if statements to test it for valid entries. To me this would seem the easiest solution, but I want to use the more OOP way which I believe is using exceptions.<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;JTextField r = new JTextField(10);<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;double d = Double.parseDouble(r.getText().Trim())<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<br>The above code simpet is not complete. It is obvious that some sort of test is required to make sure that the data entered into r is numeric. How would one use exceptions in this case to write text back to the box if the data is none numeric?<br><br>Any Help would be appreciated<br><br>fenris<br><br>

 

[chiph]

What I've heard is that exceptions should be reserved for truly exceptional situations (to use a pun).&nbsp;&nbsp;I would normally <i>expect</i> any users to screw up an input field, so I wouldn't consider it exceptional.&nbsp;&nbsp;I vote for using if statements to check for stupid things, surrounded by a try..catch to pick up anything that falls through.<br><br>Chip H.<br>