How can I ensure that the intended block should be within the try-except?

175    Asked by bhusha_8629 in Python , Asked on Jun 5, 2024

 I am a software engineer and I am currently engaged in a particular task which is related to working on a large-scale web-based application. My team has been executing a feature that includes a new algorithm to enhance the search functionality on my platform. During a code review, I noticed that a colleague had written a section of code by using a try-except block to handle potential errors. However, it appears that the intended block of code inside the try section might not cover all the possible scenarios and it can lead to some edge cases being missed. How can I approach this particular situation? 

Answered by Charles Parr

 In the context of Python programming language, you can ensure that the intended block of code should be within the try-except and should cover all the potential edges cases by using these steps:-

Coding review and understanding

Firstly, you should try to review the code to understand its purpose and functionality.

Identifying the potential edge cases

Next, you would need to identify the potential edge cases that the code might encounter.

Write comprehensive test cases

You can try to ensure that all the edge cases should be covered. You can write the comprehensive unit tests.

Refractor the try-except block

You should try to refractor the try-except block to ensure it covers all the identified edge cases and should handle the exception appropriately. Here is an example of a refined approach:-

Def enhanced_search(query, dataset):
    Try:
        # Check if the query and dataset are valid
        If not isinstance(query, str):
            Raise ValueError(“Query must be a string.”)
        If not isinstance(dataset, list):
            Raise ValueError(“Dataset must be a list.”)
        If query == “”:
            Raise ValueError(“Query cannot be empty.”)
        # Perform the search algorithm
        Results = [item for item in dataset if query.lower() in item.lower()]
        # Handle edge cases for results
        If not results:
            Raise LookupError(“No results found for the given query.”)
        Return results
    Except ValueError as ve:
        # Handle value errors (invalid input types)
        Print(f”ValueError: {ve}”)
        Return []
    Except LookupError as le:
        # Handle lookup errors (no results found)
        Print(f”LookupError: {le}”)
        Return []
    Except Exception as e:
        # Catch-all for any other unforeseen exceptions
        Print(f”An unexpected error occurred: {e}”)
        Return []
# Example test cases
Def test_enhanced_search():
    # Normal case
    Assert enhanced_search(“test”, [“This is a test”, “Another string”]) == [“This is a test”]
    # Edge cases
    Assert enhanced_search(“”, [“This is a test”, “Another string”]) == []
    Assert enhanced_search(“test”, []) == []
    Assert enhanced_search(“nonexistent”, [“This is a test”, “Another string”]) == []
    # Invalid input types
    Assert enhanced_search(123, [“This is a test”, “Another string”]) == []
    Assert enhanced_search(“test”, “Not a list”) == []
    Print(“All test cases passed.”)
# Run the test cases
Test_enhanced_search()

Reviewing and iterating

After completing the process of refactoring, you should run the unit test to ensure all edge cases and scenarios should be handled correctly. You should also review the code with your peers for additional insights and potential missed cases. You should iterate on the code based on the feedback and testing results.

By following these steps, you can easily ensure that the intended block of code should be within the try except the construct is robust, should handle all the potential edge cases, and is reliable for production uses.



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