[c#] WPF global exception handler

Sometimes, under not reproducible circumstances, my WPF application crashes without any message. The application simply close instantly.

Where is the best place to implement the global Try/Catch block. At least I have to implement a messagebox with: "Sorry for the inconvenience ..."

In addition to the posts above:

Application.Current.DispatcherUnhandledException

will not catch exceptions that are thrown from a thread other than the main thread. You have to catch those exceptions on the same thread they are thrown. But if you want to Handle them on your global exception handler you can pass it to the main thread:

 System.Threading.Thread t = new System.Threading.Thread(() =>
    {
        try
        {
            ...
            //this exception will not be catched by 
            //Application.DispatcherUnhandledException
            throw new Exception("huh..");
            ...
        }
        catch (Exception ex)
        {
            //But we can handle it in the throwing thread
            //and pass it to the main thread wehre Application.
            //DispatcherUnhandledException can handle it
            System.Windows.Application.Current.Dispatcher.Invoke(
                System.Windows.Threading.DispatcherPriority.Normal,
                new Action<Exception>((exc) =>
                    {
                      throw new Exception("Exception from another Thread", exc);
                    }), ex);
        }
    });

You can trap unhandled exceptions at different levels:

1. AppDomain.CurrentDomain.UnhandledException From all threads in the AppDomain.
2. Dispatcher.UnhandledException From a single specific UI dispatcher thread.
3. Application.Current.DispatcherUnhandledException From the main UI dispatcher thread in your WPF application.
4. TaskScheduler.UnobservedTaskException from within each AppDomain that uses a task scheduler for asynchronous operations.

You should consider what level you need to trap unhandled exceptions at.

Deciding between #2 and #3 depends upon whether you're using more than one WPF thread. This is quite an exotic situation and if you're unsure whether you are or not, then it's most likely that you're not.

A quick example of code for Application.Dispatcher.UnhandledException:

public App() {
    this.Dispatcher.UnhandledException += OnDispatcherUnhandledException;
}

void OnDispatcherUnhandledException(object sender, System.Windows.Threading.DispatcherUnhandledExceptionEventArgs e) {
    string errorMessage = string.Format("An unhandled exception occurred: {0}", e.Exception.Message);
    MessageBox.Show(errorMessage, "Error", MessageBoxButton.OK, MessageBoxImage.Error);
    // OR whatever you want like logging etc. MessageBox it's just example
    // for quick debugging etc.
    e.Handled = true;
}

I added this code in App.xaml.cs

Best answer is probably https://stackoverflow.com/a/1472562/601990.

Here is some code that shows how to use it:

App.xaml.cs

public sealed partial class App
{
    protected override void OnStartup(StartupEventArgs e)
    {
        // setting up the Dependency Injection container
        var resolver = ResolverFactory.Get();

        // getting the ILogger or ILog interface
        var logger = resolver.Resolve<ILogger>();
        RegisterGlobalExceptionHandling(logger);

        // Bootstrapping Dependency Injection 
        // injects ViewModel into MainWindow.xaml
        // remember to remove the StartupUri attribute in App.xaml
        var mainWindow = resolver.Resolve<Pages.MainWindow>();
        mainWindow.Show();
    }

    private void RegisterGlobalExceptionHandling(ILogger log)
    {
        // this is the line you really want 
        AppDomain.CurrentDomain.UnhandledException += 
            (sender, args) => CurrentDomainOnUnhandledException(args, log);

        // optional: hooking up some more handlers
        // remember that you need to hook up additional handlers when 
        // logging from other dispatchers, shedulers, or applications

        Application.Dispatcher.UnhandledException += 
            (sender, args) => DispatcherOnUnhandledException(args, log);

        Application.Current.DispatcherUnhandledException +=
            (sender, args) => CurrentOnDispatcherUnhandledException(args, log);

        TaskScheduler.UnobservedTaskException += 
            (sender, args) => TaskSchedulerOnUnobservedTaskException(args, log);
    }

    private static void TaskSchedulerOnUnobservedTaskException(UnobservedTaskExceptionEventArgs args, ILogger log)
    {
        log.Error(args.Exception, args.Exception.Message);
        args.SetObserved();
    }

    private static void CurrentOnDispatcherUnhandledException(DispatcherUnhandledExceptionEventArgs args, ILogger log)
    {
        log.Error(args.Exception, args.Exception.Message);
        // args.Handled = true;
    }

    private static void DispatcherOnUnhandledException(DispatcherUnhandledExceptionEventArgs args, ILogger log)
    {
        log.Error(args.Exception, args.Exception.Message);
        // args.Handled = true;
    }

    private static void CurrentDomainOnUnhandledException(UnhandledExceptionEventArgs args, ILogger log)
    {
        var exception = args.ExceptionObject as Exception;
        var terminatingMessage = args.IsTerminating ? " The application is terminating." : string.Empty;
        var exceptionMessage = exception?.Message ?? "An unmanaged exception occured.";
        var message = string.Concat(exceptionMessage, terminatingMessage);
        log.Error(exception, message);
    }
}

I use the following code in my WPF apps to show a "Sorry for the inconvenience" dialog box whenever an unhandled exception occurs. It shows the exception message, and asks user whether they want to close the app or ignore the exception and continue (the latter case is convenient when a non-fatal exceptions occur and user can still normally continue to use the app).

In App.xaml add the Startup event handler:

<Application .... Startup="Application_Startup">

In App.xaml.cs code add Startup event handler function that will register the global application event handler:

using System.Windows.Threading;

private void Application_Startup(object sender, StartupEventArgs e)
{
    // Global exception handling  
    Application.Current.DispatcherUnhandledException += new DispatcherUnhandledExceptionEventHandler(AppDispatcherUnhandledException);    
}

void AppDispatcherUnhandledException(object sender, DispatcherUnhandledExceptionEventArgs e)
{    
    \#if DEBUG   // In debug mode do not custom-handle the exception, let Visual Studio handle it

    e.Handled = false;

    \#else

    ShowUnhandledException(e);    

    \#endif     
}

void ShowUnhandledException(DispatcherUnhandledExceptionEventArgs e)
{
    e.Handled = true;

    string errorMessage = string.Format("An application error occurred.\nPlease check whether your data is correct and repeat the action. If this error occurs again there seems to be a more serious malfunction in the application, and you better close it.\n\nError: {0}\n\nDo you want to continue?\n(if you click Yes you will continue with your work, if you click No the application will close)",

    e.Exception.Message + (e.Exception.InnerException != null ? "\n" + 
    e.Exception.InnerException.Message : null));

    if (MessageBox.Show(errorMessage, "Application Error", MessageBoxButton.YesNoCancel, MessageBoxImage.Error) == MessageBoxResult.No)   {
        if (MessageBox.Show("WARNING: The application will close. Any changes will not be saved!\nDo you really want to close it?", "Close the application!", MessageBoxButton.YesNoCancel, MessageBoxImage.Warning) == MessageBoxResult.Yes)
    {
        Application.Current.Shutdown();
    } 
}

A complete solution is here

it's explained very nice with sample code. However, be careful that it does not close the application.Add the line Application.Current.Shutdown(); to gracefully close the app.

As mentioned above

Application.Current.DispatcherUnhandledException will not catch exceptions that are thrown from another thread then the main thread.

That actual depend on how the thread was created

One case that is not handled by Application.Current.DispatcherUnhandledException is System.Windows.Forms.Timer for which Application.ThreadException can be used to handle these if you run Forms on other threads than the main thread you will need to set Application.ThreadException from each such thread

To supplement Thomas's answer, the Application class also has the DispatcherUnhandledException event that you can handle.