Why can't I catch a generic exception in C#?

Solution 1:

Bizarre behavior here...

VS2k8 console app. The following:

try
{
    throw new T();
}
catch (T tex)
{
    Console.WriteLine("Caught passed in exception type");
}
catch (Exception ex)
{
    Console.WriteLine("Caught general exception");
}

results in "Caught general exception".

But, remove the (useless) variables from the catch statements:

try
{
    throw new T();
}
catch (T)
{
    Console.WriteLine("Caught passed in exception type");
}
catch (Exception)
{
    Console.WriteLine("Caught general exception");
}

results in "Caught passed in exception type"!!!

Update:

Heheh... Its a bug: https://connect.microsoft.com/VisualStudio/feedback/ViewFeedback.aspx?FeedbackID=362422&wa=wsignin1.0

Source? Here. Why does catch(TException) handling block behaviour differ under the debugger after installing Visual Studio 2008?

Solution 2:

It works without Debug

http://social.msdn.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/csharpgeneral/thread/0b0e5bc9-fab2-45b1-863b-40abae370475

Ugly workaround (you may add #if DEBUG) :

  try
  {
    throw new T();
  }
  catch (Exception dbgEx)
  {
    T ex = dbgEx as T;
    if (ex != null)
    {
      Console.WriteLine(ex.Message);
    }
  }