How to print full stack trace in exception?

Question

For example, in one place...

//---------------a
try
{
    // some network call
}
catch(WebException we)
{
    throw new MyCustomException("some message ....", we);
}

...and in another place...

//--------------b
try
{
    // invoke code above
}
catch(MyCustomException we)
{
    Debug.Writeline(we.stacktrace);   // <----------------
}

The stacktrace I print, it only start from a to b, it doesnt include the inner stacktrace from the WebException.

How can I print all the stacktrace???

Answer 1

I usually use the .ToString() method on exceptions to present the full exception information (including the inner stack trace) in text:

catch (MyCustomException ex)
{
    Debug.WriteLine(ex.ToString());
}

Sample output:

ConsoleApplication1.MyCustomException: some message .... ---> System.Exception: Oh noes!
   at ConsoleApplication1.SomeObject.OtherMethod() in C:\ConsoleApplication1\SomeObject.cs:line 24
   at ConsoleApplication1.SomeObject..ctor() in C:\ConsoleApplication1\SomeObject.cs:line 14
   --- End of inner exception stack trace ---
   at ConsoleApplication1.SomeObject..ctor() in C:\ConsoleApplication1\SomeObject.cs:line 18
   at ConsoleApplication1.Program.DoSomething() in C:\ConsoleApplication1\Program.cs:line 23
   at ConsoleApplication1.Program.Main(String[] args) in C:\ConsoleApplication1\Program.cs:line 13

Answer 2

Use a function like this:

    public static string FlattenException(Exception exception)
    {
        var stringBuilder = new StringBuilder();

        while (exception != null)
        {
            stringBuilder.AppendLine(exception.Message);
            stringBuilder.AppendLine(exception.StackTrace);

            exception = exception.InnerException;
        }

        return stringBuilder.ToString();
    }

Then you can call it like this:

try
{
    // invoke code above
}
catch(MyCustomException we)
{
    Debug.Writeline(FlattenException(we));
}

Answer 3

1. Create Method: If you pass your exception to the following function, it will give you all methods and details which are reasons of the exception.

public string GetAllFootprints(Exception x)
{
        var st = new StackTrace(x, true);
        var frames = st.GetFrames();
        var traceString = new StringBuilder();

        foreach (var frame in frames)
        {
            if (frame.GetFileLineNumber() < 1)
                continue;

            traceString.Append("File: " + frame.GetFileName());
            traceString.Append(", Method:" + frame.GetMethod().Name);
            traceString.Append(", LineNumber: " + frame.GetFileLineNumber());
            traceString.Append("  -->  ");
        }

        return traceString.ToString();
}

2. Call Method: You can call the method like this.

try
{
    // code part which you want to catch exception on it
}
catch(Exception ex)
{
    Debug.Writeline(GetAllFootprints(ex));
}

3. Get the Result:

File: c:\MyProject\Program.cs, Method:MyFunction, LineNumber: 29  -->  
File: c:\MyProject\Program.cs, Method:Main, LineNumber: 16  --> 

Answer 4

Recommend to use LINQPad related nuget package, then you can use exceptionInstance.Dump().

For .NET core:

• Install LINQPad.Runtime

For .NET framework 4 etc.

• Install LINQPad

Sample code:

using System;
using LINQPad;

namespace csharp_Dump_test
{
    public class Program
    {
        public static void Main()
        {
            try
            {
                dosome();
            }
            catch (Exception ex)
            {
                ex.Dump();
            }
        }

        private static void dosome()
        {
            throw new Exception("Unable.");
        }
    }
}

Running result:

LinqPad nuget package is the most awesome tool for printing exception stack information. May it be helpful for you.