How do you handle errors or exceptions when using CAD customization and automation tools?

Whether it's C#, LSP, BAT, INI, or whatever using an editor that color-codes values, variables, parentheses, comments, etc. is critical to avoiding syntax errors in the first place. In the case of text-based CAD programming such as LSP, the use of Notepad should only be implemented as a last resort. Or, if you're a seasoned coder, for a quick fix. Even then, you risk inadvertently creating an error due to Notepad's inability to highlight and color the code.

I totally agree to the fact that attention to detail when programming is key to avoiding syntax error during and after CAD programming.

In my experience the best way to avoid syntax errors is to be fully aware of the version of autocad you are using and if there are any updates to the software you must be aware. From there if you are not fully familiar with the expectations in terms of the construct of the text of the code, the help section can be useful.

While syntax errors are frequent they are also the most easy to fix. Typos are pretty fast to recover due to text suggestions or autocorrect. Naming conventions on the other hand require some time to get used to. The best approach would be in my opinion to use a common standard from the beginning thus allowing facilitating accommodation to more situations.

As others have pointed out, working through a LISP program or custom script line by line can be very helpful in debugging a program.

Actually these are the most troublesome. There is no debugger telling you directly this line here is an error. Solving these require a sense of whatever code you are writing. The best training, though somewhat old fashioned is running the script step by step, by hand. What happens at each iteration in your code. And if it fails why did it fail there. After some practice you do develop some educated guess sense where you start to have an intuition as to where it might go wrong.

I've found that utilizing smaller routines or functions that only do one thing can make discovering the logic errors less problematic.

I created a logging library that exports the stack trace of any runtime errors to a central log and displays a helpful error message for the user. The detailed stack trace helps the team understand the conditions that led to the error and allows us to debug and fix it.

In my opinion runtime errors are just logic errors encountered during runtime which are so severe that stop the progression of the program. They can be solved somewhat better since at least you have a report saying at what line or where in the processed it crashed.

Definitely syntax errors are the ost common mistake and human error we do while writing a code. But can alwasy be solved by thinking very clearly and being attentive.

User errors are avoided by testing. Basically through testing you try to cover all the possible cases such that most issues that may occur be debbuged before the intensive use. Also take into account that if the code is designed for specialized used it might imply the first hand users might have some background knowledge. That knowledge, if not taken into account while structuring the code, might cause implicit user errors that could have been avoided.

You can troubleshoot your code and optimize it for workflows for any specific version of a CAD solution, but if there's one thing you can count on it's people being people. And people are unpredictable and may use your code in a way you didn't plan for or weren't expecting, causing it to "break" or crash.

For every technological advancement, there will always going to be a downside to it. With powerful automation softwares and AI that can fulfil tasks in much efficient possible way, there will always going to be a need for a human scrutiny overlooking the process responsible for correct operation\completion of given tasks. Therefore, the need to accept the probability of errors made from CAD and automation is always present. Working as a team and adding multiple layers of eyes to the process will decrease the chances of overlooking an error, and fixing it as found will increase in Quality and less chance of snowballing the problem at a later stage.

Truth is no matter what you do exceptions and errors will occur. More or less frequent but it might help to consider the following general advice: 0.be calm 1.if you get errors, don't worry. It is good that it showed up now. And even better if there is an error message-it means you are in somewhat know territory. The warning messages will guide you. 2.some errors might be cascading errors. But logic says following the chain of errors and solving them will provide a solution. And where is one solution there might be space for improvement 3.always think about your work. Hidden errors are those that come from the initial logic and best way to spot those would be to question everything. Literally.

There is also a Fatal error encounter in AutoCAD. When someone is using student version or their Windows version is not updated.