Exception in Visual C++

[jack1234]

I am using Visual C++ 2005 (native C++)

For the following code, the different of main function 1 and main function 2 is
main function 1 using
}catch(MyException &e){
but main function 2 using
}catch(MyException e){

Which is more correct? if both are correct, which is better?

//========This is MyException.h=====
#pragma once
#include <string>
using std::string;
class MyException
{
public:
        MyException(void);
        MyException(string);
        virtual ~MyException(void);
        string getMsg(void);
 
private:
        string msg;
};
 
 
//=======This is MyException.cpp========
#include "MyException.h"
 
MyException::MyException(void):msg("")
{
}
MyException::MyException(string exceptionMsg):msg(exceptionMsg)
{
        
}
string MyException::getMsg(){
        return msg;
}
 
MyException::~MyException(void)
{
}
 
//======this is main function 1=======
        try{
         int i=1;       
         throw MyException("sth wrong");
        }catch(MyException &e){
         cout<<e.getMsg()<<endl;
        }
 
//======this is main function 2======
        try{
         int i=1;       
         throw MyException("sth wrong");
        }catch(MyException e){
         cout<<e.getMsg()<<endl;
        }

[vijayan121]

in general prefer catching exceptions by reference rather than by value.
if the actual object thrown is of a derived class, catching by reference avoids slicing (virtual functions will behave polymorphicaly, the class can be abstract). it also has the minor performance advantage of avoiding the making of a copy of the object. and to be const-correct, unless your intent is to modify the exception object, catch by const reference.

class MyException
{
	public:
    // ...
		string getMsg(void) const ;
    // ...

};
 
// ...
 
string MyException::getMsg() const { return msg; }
 
// ... 

//======this is main function 1=======
    // ...
		catch( const MyException &e )
		{
			cout << e.getMsg() << endl ;
		}

also see:
More Effective C++: 35 More Ways to Improve Your Programs and Designs by Scott Meyers -
ITEM 13. Catch Exceptions by Reference.
http://www.parashift.com/c++-faq-lite/exceptions.html#faq-17.7