How to handle errors in ColdFusion stored procedure results?

Question

I use ColdFusion to call stored procedure to either insert or update users data. These two transactions are separated in two procedures. My SQL code should return row-count 1 or 0 depends if transaction was successful or not. If transaction failed I'm wondering what is the best way to handle errors in that case? Both cfstoredproc are wraped in try/catch block but in case when error occured in SQL procedure my Count variable in result set will return 0 and try/catch won't register error returned from the procedure. Here is my code example:

<cftry>
    <cfif trim(arguments.process) EQ "Insert">
        <cfstoredproc procedure="InsertRec" datasource="#dsn#">
            <cfprocparam dbvarname="@Status" value="#trim(arguments.status)#" cfsqltype="cf_sql_bit" />
            <cfprocparam dbvarname="@Code" value="#trim(arguments.frmcode)#" cfsqltype="cf_sql_char" maxlength="2" null="#!len(trim(arguments.code))#" />
            <cfprocparam dbvarname="@Name" value="#trim(arguments.name)#" cfsqltype="cf_sql_varchar" maxlength="50" null="#!len(trim(arguments.name))#" />
            <cfprocresult name="Result"/>
        </cfstoredproc>
    <cfelse>
        <cfstoredproc procedure="UpdateRec" datasource="#dsn#">
            <cfprocparam dbvarname="@Status" value="#trim(arguments._status)#" cfsqltype="cf_sql_bit" />
            <cfprocparam dbvarname="@Code" value="#trim(arguments.code)#" cfsqltype="cf_sql_char" maxlength="2" null="#!len(trim(arguments.code))#" />
            <cfprocparam dbvarname="@Name" value="#trim(arguments.name)#" cfsqltype="cf_sql_varchar" maxlength="50" null="#!len(trim(arguments.name))#" />
            <cfprocresult name="Result"/>
        </cfstoredproc>
    </cfif>

    <cfset local.fnResults = {
         status : "200", 
         message : "Record successully saved!", 
         recCount : Result.Count
    }>

    <cfcatch type="any">
         <cfset local.fnResults = {
             error : cfcatch, <!--- I use this just for testing purpose. --->
             status : "400",
             message : "Error! Please contact your administrator."
         }>
    </cfcatch>
</cftry>

Code above returns Count column/variable as I mentioned already from Result set. If process sucesfully executed user will be notified with the message. If something is wrong I would like to send them a message that is in my catch block. Here is SQL code:

CREATE PROCEDURE [dbo].[InsertRec] 
    @Status BIT = NULL,
    @Name VARCHAR(50) = NULL,
    @Code CHAR(2) = NULL
AS
    SET NOCOUNT ON
    SET XACT_ABORT ON
    BEGIN TRY
        BEGIN
            INSERT INTO dbo.Books(
                Status,Name,Code
            )
            VALUES(
                @Status,@Name,@Code
            )
            SELECT @@ROWCOUNT AS Count;
        END
    END TRY
    BEGIN CATCH
        SELECT 
            @@ROWCOUNT AS Count, 
            ERROR_PROCEDURE() AS ErrorProcedure,
            ERROR_LINE() AS ErrorLine,
            ERROR_NUMBER() AS ErrorNumber,
            ERROR_MESSAGE() AS ErrorMessage,
            CURRENT_TIMESTAMP AS DateTime
    END CATCH

I only showed Insert SQL code since Update procedure is the same. When I use I would see this message if something went wrong. This is just and example when I tried to insert primary key that already exist on purpose:

COUNT   
0
DATETIME        
2018-08-24 07:00:01.58
ERRORLINE   
16
ERRORMESSAGE    
Violation of PRIMARY KEY constraint 'PK_Books'. Cannot insert duplicate key in object 'dbo.Books'. The duplicate key value is (44).
ERRORNUMBER 
2627    
ERRORPROCEDURE
InsertRec

ColdFusion is not catching this error. Is there a way to catch this error when I use ColdFusion to call stored procedure in result set?

Answer 1

As @Ageax mentions, you're handing the error in your stored procedure, so from CF's point of view, the stored procedure executed correctly.

I tend to use a standard message packet for all calls to stored procedures when they do not return a record set. Add two local variables to your procs and update as needed:

DECLARE @SUCCESS BIT = 1;
DECLARE @MSG VARCHAR(50) = 'Some default success message.'

Update those values in your CATCH statement:

BEGIN CATCH
    SET @SUCCESS = 0;
    SET @MSG = 'There was a problem ...';
    SELECT 
        @SUCCESS as success,
        @MSG as message,
        @@ROWCOUNT AS Count, 
        ERROR_PROCEDURE() AS ErrorProcedure,
        ERROR_LINE() AS ErrorLine,
        ERROR_NUMBER() AS ErrorNumber,
        ERROR_MESSAGE() AS ErrorMessage,
        CURRENT_TIMESTAMP AS DateTime
END CATCH

But also return these values after the CATCH so that the proc always returns a status.

SELECT 
    @SUCCESS as success,
    @MSG as message

This will give you a user-friendly message, as well as the actual SQL error (when it happens) that can be logged as needed.