c++ exception : throwing std::string

Yes. std::exception is the base exception class in the C++ standard library. You may want to avoid using strings as exception classes because they themselves can throw an exception during use. If that happens, then where will you be?

boost has an excellent document on good style for exceptions and error handling. It's worth a read.

A few principles:

1. you have a std::exception base class, you should have your exceptions derive from it. That way general exception handler still have some information.

2. Don't throw pointers but object, that way memory is handled for you.

Example:

struct MyException : public std::exception
{
   std::string s;
   MyException(std::string ss) : s(ss) {}
   ~MyException() throw () {} // Updated
   const char* what() const throw() { return s.c_str(); }
};

And then use it in your code:

void Foo::Bar(){
  if(!QueryPerformanceTimer(&m_baz)){
    throw MyException("it's the end of the world!");
  }
}

void Foo::Caller(){
  try{
    this->Bar();// should throw
  }catch(MyException& caught){
    std::cout<<"Got "<<caught.what()<<std::endl;
  }
}

All these work:

#include <iostream>
using namespace std;

//Good, because manual memory management isn't needed and this uses
//less heap memory (or no heap memory) so this is safer if
//used in a low memory situation
void f() { throw string("foo"); }

//Valid, but avoid manual memory management if there's no reason to use it
void g() { throw new string("foo"); }

//Best.  Just a pointer to a string literal, so no allocation is needed,
//saving on cleanup, and removing a chance for an allocation to fail.
void h() { throw "foo"; }

int main() {
  try { f(); } catch (string s) { cout << s << endl; }
  try { g(); } catch (string* s) { cout << *s << endl; delete s; }
  try { h(); } catch (const char* s) { cout << s << endl; }
  return 0;
}

You should prefer h to f to g. Note that in the least preferable option you need to free the memory explicitly.