Why catch any other exception other than Exception ?

Question

Hi,
I am under the following impression. Is my understanding correct?
why do I need to catch any other exception other than Exception in the catch block.
If I write code :
try{
//checked code
}catch(Exception e){
e.printStackTrace();
e.getMessage();
}the e.printStackTrace(); and e.getMessage(); will belt out the exact error message and the cause of it.
Why then should I use any narrower excetpion than Exception (Like SQLException, in case of SQL code). ?

Answer 1

You don't have to catch the specific exceptions. However, it makes the code clearer. If you have catch exception, then the next person to maintain that code, has to then study the try block to determine what, if anything, might be thrown in that block, in order to be able to effectively modify the code, whereas when you have catch CNF, then the next person to maintain the code knows, automatically, that that is the only possible exception (checked anyway) that should be thrown in that block.
The other reason, is so that when varying (and especially unrelated, i.e. SQL and Parse) exceptions can be thrown, they can be handled differently.
So, as a summary, it is either a matter of form, or a matter of completeness. But, yes, you can simply catch Exception, if you wish.
Edit: The first point is also valid even when you are the only one who will ever see the code. I can't count the number of times where I have written something then had to revisit it years later, and thought to myself, WTF. (I have a tendency, if I don't "watch" myself to not comment my code enough, and, at the same time, tend to get a little more "clever" or "cryptic" than I absolutely have to.)