[AXIS2-5245] Information from RuntimeExceptions escapes Axis2 error handling mechanism

• Type: Bug
• Status: Open
• Priority: Major
• Resolution: Unresolved
• Affects Version/s: 1.5.4
• Component/s: kernel
• Labels: exception-handling
• Assignee: Unassigned
• Reporter: James Grahn
• Created: 14/Feb/12 17:56
• Updated: 30/Jan/13 20:49

Description

RuntimeExceptions result in abnormal behavior from Axis2.

When an AxisFault is thrown, generally the fault is recorded in the message context, then a FaultFlow is invoked. Handlers operating in the FaultFlow context may then discover the fault through examination of the message contexts attached to its operation context.

If a runtime exception is thrown, however, the exception is lost, even though the FaultFlow is properly invoked. FaultFlow Handlers can no longer discover the exception which caused their invocation.

I recognize that best practice would include packaging every thrown exception in an AxisFault or AxisFault derivative. However, given that Axis2 does attempt to respond sensibly to RuntimeExceptions, I do not believe that having a "silent" FaultFlow invocation with no access to the originating exception is proper behavior.

The fix for this issue would involve (minimally) adding a catch clause to various methods in AxisEngine to set the failure reason on the message context when a runtime exception is intercepted, then rethrowing the original exception. Fault handlers would then be able to recover information from the originating exception.