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REPORT_ERROR

Stops processing the template and report the specified error message.

Used inside conditions (such as IF), REPORT_ERROR let’s you prevent a template from being used with incorrect values.

Usage

REPORT_ERROR(message)

Parameters

message

(Required) The text of the error message to display

Examples

Example With these variables Result

REPORT_ERROR(“An error message”)

 (None)

ERROR: An error message

IF(age < 18, REPORT_ERROR(“This template is for 18+ y/o customers”))
age is 15

ERROR: This template is for 18+ y/o customers

IFS(name = “Tim”, “Tim’s bio”,
name = “Jack”, “Jack’s bio”,
TRUE, REPORT_ERROR(“Template missing a bio for: “ & name))
name is "Max"

ERROR: Template missing a bio for: Max

More information

Just like any function, REPORT_ERROR does nothing if is hidden/removed by an IF, IFS or @IF…@ELSEIF.

The REPORT_ERROR function let’s you stop generating a document when a problem is detected by your commands. Here are the two main situation where REPORT_ERROR can help.

Limit when the template can be used

If your template is only meant to be used for adults, then REPORT_ERROR can stop the processing and provide a clear error message when the customer’s age is too low.

<# IF(age < 18, REPORT_ERROR("This template is for 18+ y/o customers")) #>

Report a missing case in the template

If your template lets you pick a teacher, for which it displays a short introduction in the generated document.

One way to do that would be to do consecutive @IF…@ELSEIF:

<# @IF(teacher_name = "Anna Logwatch") #>
Anna is great!
<# @ELSEIF(teacher_name = "Austin Wattage") #>
Austin likes movies!
<# @ENDIF #>

What would happen if teacher_name didn’t match any of the above choices? Well, right now, there would either be no introduction, of if a @ELSE was used for the final introduction, then that introduction would be used for anyone missing. Both cases are not ideal.

This can happen because:

  • We forgot a teacher when making the template
  • There is a new teacher and we forgot to add his introduction to the template
  • There was a typo in the name of a teacher

Here is the same example, but with a REPORT_ERROR:

<# @IF(teacher_name = "Anna Logwatch") #>
Anna is great!
<# @ELSEIF(teacher_name = "Austin Wattage") #>
Austin likes movies!
<# @ELSE #>
<# REPORT_ERROR("No introduction for: " & teacher_name) #>
<# @ENDIF #>

See also