SWI-Prolog 9.2.6 Reference Manual: Section A.16

## A.16 library(error): Error generating support

author
  - Jan Wielemaker
  - Richard O'Keefe
  - Ulrich Neumerkel
See also
  - `library(debug)` and `library(prolog_stack)`.
  - print_message/2 is used to print (uncaught) error terms.

This module provides predicates to simplify error generation and checking. It's implementation is based on a discussion on the SWI-Prolog mailinglist on best practices in error handling. The utility predicate must_be/2 provides simple run-time type validation. The *_error predicates are simple wrappers around throw/1 to simplify throwing the most common ISO error terms.

type_error(+ValidType, +Culprit)
  Tell the user that Culprit is not of the expected ValidType. This error is closely related to domain_error/2 because the notion of types is not really set in stone in Prolog. We introduce the difference using a simple example.

  Suppose an argument must be a non-negative integer. If the actual argument is not an integer, this is a type_error. If it is a negative integer, it is a domain_error.

  Typical borderline cases are predicates accepting a compound term, e.g., `point(X,Y)`. One could argue that the basic type is a compound-term and any other compound term is a domain error. Most Prolog programmers consider each compound as a type and would consider a compound that is not `point(_,_)` a type_error.

domain_error(+ValidDomain, +Culprit)
  The argument is of the proper type, but has a value that is outside the supported values. See type_error/2 for a more elaborate discussion of the distinction between type- and domain-errors.
existence_error(+ObjectType, +Culprit)
  Culprit is of the correct type and correct domain, but there is no existing (external) resource of type ObjectType that is represented by it.
existence_error(+ObjectType, +Culprit, +Set)
  Culprit is of the correct type and correct domain, but there is no existing (external) resource of type ObjectType that is represented by it in the provided set. The thrown exception term carries a formal term structured as follows: `existence_error(ObjectType, Culprit, Set)`
  Compatibility
    This error is outside the ISO Standard.
permission_error(+Operation, +PermissionType, +Culprit)
  It is not allowed to perform Operation on (whatever is represented by) Culprit that is of the given PermissionType (in fact, the ISO Standard is confusing and vague about these terms’meaning).
instantiation_error(+FormalSubTerm)
  An argument is under-instantiated. I.e. it is not acceptable as it is, but if some variables are bound to appropriate values it would be acceptable.

  FormalSubTerm | is the term that needs (further) instantiation. Unfortunately, the ISO error does not allow for passing this term along with the error, but we pass it to this predicate for documentation purposes and to allow for future enhancement.

uninstantiation_error(+Culprit)
  An argument is over-instantiated. This error is used for output arguments whose value cannot be known upfront. For example, the goal `open(File, read, input)` cannot succeed because the system will allocate a new unique stream handle that will never unify with `input`.
representation_error(+Flag)
  A representation error indicates a limitation of the implementation. SWI-Prolog has no such limits that are not covered by other errors, but an example of a representation error in another Prolog implementation could be an attempt to create a term with an arity higher than supported by the system.
syntax_error(+Culprit)
  A text has invalid syntax. The error is described by Culprit. According to the ISO Standard, Culprit should be an implementation-dependent atom.
  To be done
    Deal with proper description of the location of the error. For short texts, we allow for Type(Text), meaning Text is not a valid Type. E.g. `syntax_error(number('1a'))` means that `1a` is not a valid number.
resource_error(+Resource)
  A goal cannot be completed due to lack of resources. According to the ISO Standard, Resource should be an implementation-dependent atom.
[det]must_be(+Type, @Term)
  True if Term satisfies the type constraints for Type. Defined types are `atom`, `atomic`, `between`, `boolean`, `callable`, `chars`, `codes`, `text`, `compound`, `constant`, `float`, `integer`, `nonneg`, `positive_integer`, `negative_integer`, `nonvar`, `number`, `oneof`, `list`, `list_or_partial_list`, `symbol`, `var`, `rational`, `encoding`, `dict` and `string`.

  Most of these types are defined by an arity-1 built-in predicate of the same name. Below is a brief definition of the other types.

  > acyclic | Acyclic term (tree); see acyclic_term/1
  > any | any term
  > `between(FloatL,FloatU)` | Number [FloatL..FloatU]
  > `between(IntL,IntU)` | Integer [IntL..IntU]
  > boolean | One of `true` or `false`
  > callable | Atom or compound term
  > char | Atom of length 1
  > chars | Proper list of 1-character atoms
  > code | Representation Unicode code point (0..0x10ffff)
  > codes | Proper list of Unicode character codes
  > compound | compound term
  > `compound(Term)` | Compound with same name/arity as term; checks arguments
  > constant | Same as `atomic`
  > cyclic | Cyclic term (rational tree); see cyclic_term/1
  > dict | A dictionary term; see is_dict/1
  > encoding | Valid name for a character encoding; see current_encoding/1
  > list | A (non-open) list; see is_list/1
  > `list(Type)` | Proper list with elements of Type
  > list_or_partial_list | A list or an open list (ending in a variable); see is_list_or_partial_list/1
  > negative_integer | Integer < 0
  > nonneg | Integer `>=` 0
  > `oneof(L)` | Ground term that is member of L
  > pair | Key-Value pair. Same as `compound(any-any)`
  > positive_integer | Integer > 0
  > proper_list | Same as list
  > stream | A stream name or valid stream handle; see is_stream/1
  > symbol | Same as `atom`
  > text | One of `atom`, `string`, `chars` or `codes`
  > type | Term is a valid type specification

  In addition, types may be composed using `TypeA,TypeB`, `TypeA;TypeB` and negated using `\Type`.

  throws
    instantiation_error if Term is insufficiently instantiated and `type_error(Type, Term)` if Term is not of Type.
[semidet]is_of_type(+Type, @Term)
  True if Term satisfies Type.
[semidet,multifile]has_type(+Type, @Term)
  True if Term satisfies Type.
[nondet]current_encoding(?Name)
  True if Name is the name of a supported encoding. See encoding option of e.g., open/4.
[nondet]current_type(?Type, @Var, -Body)
  True when Type is a currently defined type and Var satisfies Type of the body term Body succeeds.