How to store a class-based exception as container element?

Question

Hello,
In a BO type method, there are situations where unexpected class-based exceptions can occur, I handle them with TRY ... CATCH ... ENDTRY.
If such an error occurs, my BO type method also returns a BO type method exception using a return code (as usually).
1) Now, my question is how can I store the exception instance in the task container ? (so that to get more information about what happened... it is an unexpected error as I said)
Note that my question may apply to any class instance.
2) To achieve this, I have an idea but not sure if it's realistic (maybe the question is not realistic too ). I'll create a new BO type ZOOINSTANC with string attribute containing the serialized instance, with a method to display it.
Example how it could work, in my BO type method (it returns EXCEPTION parameter of type ZOOINSTANC):
TRY.
  CATCH cx_root INTO lo_exc.
    DATA l_exc TYPE string.
    CALL TRANSFORMATION id
        SOURCE oo = lo_exc
        RESULT XML l_exc.
    DATA l_bor_zooinstanc TYPE swc_object.
    swc_create_object l_bor_zooinstanc 'ZOOINSTANC' ''. "no key
    swc_set_property l_bor_zooinstanc l_exc.
    swc_set_element container 'EXCEPTION' l_exc.
    exit_return 1001 '' '' '' ''.
ENDTRY.
One important issue is that I don't know any API to display the instance :-p
Do you have any ideas, advices, ... ?
Thx
sandra

Answer 1

Hi Mike, thank you for your answer, and sorry for the delay.
> I'd rather go with the idea of returning the error details in a structured format that you can view in the container
Yes, but that's the issue as I don't know which exceptions can be triggered, as I'd like to handle all exceptions.
> I'd also ask why it's necessary to use BOR for this?
When a BOR method fails, I want technical support to have all the details of the error, not only a generic error message. It's why I want to store the exception in the workitem container, and be able to display it later.
> It's obviously your own development, so why not use classes. Subclasses of CX_BO_ERROR are recognised by workflow and you can even  bring a proper message back to the WF log. There's also some info on this in the second edition of the WF book.
I did a test using demo workflow WS56400159 ("absence"), where I forced CX_BO_ERROR right after SWX_FORMABS_CREATE call in CL_SWF_FORMABSENC / CREATE method, but it seems that only the short text of the exception is kept.
So, I'm a little disappointed to see that we have a great exception "tool" with class-based exceptions, but only the last text is kept in the system! That would have been great to be able to store the whole information (the attributes, and the whole bunch of cascading exceptions (PREVIOUS attribute), instead of only a simple text).
sandra