Chapter 6 Question 20, pg 332 (Java OCA 8 Programmer I Study Guide, Sybex)

[Tami Wakana]

public static void main(String[] args) {
    System.out.print("a");
    try {
       System.out.print("b");
       throw new IllegalArgumentException();
    } catch (IllegalArgumentException e) {
       System.out.print("c");
       throw new RuntimeException("1");
    } catch (RuntimeException e) {
       System.out.print("d");
       throw new RuntimeException("2");
    } finally {
       System.out.print("e");
       throw new RuntimeException("3");
    }
}

The question asks what does the output of the code contain and the answer is "abce" and "An exception with the message set to "3"". I understand the exception with the message set to "3", but I don't understand why the output is just abce. Shouldn't it include "d" since line 8 throws a RuntimeException and there is a catch block that takes in a RuntimeException?

[Roel De Nijs]

Tami Wakana wrote:The question asks what does the output of the code contain and the answer is "abce" and "An exception with the message set to "3"". I understand the exception with the message set to "3", but I don't understand why the output is just abce. Shouldn't it include "d" since line 8 throws a RuntimeException and there is a catch block that takes in a RuntimeException?

No, the output of that code snippet is actually "abce" and an uncaught RuntimeException with a message set to "3".

And the reason for this is very simple: the catch blocks/handlers only catch possible exceptions thrown from within the try block. The RuntimeException is not thrown from the try block but from within a catch block/handler. And that's why this exception is not caught by the catch block/handler of RuntimeException (on line9).

Hope it helps!
Kind regards,
Roel