How to catch SQLServer timeout exceptions

brodie_2231 0
Viewed 113585

I need to specifically catch SQL server timeout exceptions so that they can be handled differently. I know I could catch the SqlException and then check if the message string Contains "Timeout" but was wondering if there is a better way to do it?

try
{
    //some code
}
catch (SqlException ex)
{

    if (ex.Message.Contains("Timeout"))
    {
         //handle timeout
    }
    else
    {
         throw;
    }
}
error-handling sql-server .net c#
6 Answers

To check for a timeout, I believe you check the value of ex.Number. If it is -2, then you have a timeout situation.

-2 is the error code for timeout, returned from DBNETLIB, the MDAC driver for SQL Server. This can be seen by downloading Reflector, and looking under System.Data.SqlClient.TdsEnums for TIMEOUT_EXPIRED.

Your code would read:

if (ex.Number == -2)
{
     //handle timeout
}

Code to demonstrate failure:

try
{
    SqlConnection sql = new SqlConnection(@"Network Library=DBMSSOCN;Data Source=YourServer,1433;Initial Catalog=YourDB;Integrated Security=SSPI;");
    sql.Open();

    SqlCommand cmd = sql.CreateCommand();
    cmd.CommandText = "DECLARE @i int WHILE EXISTS (SELECT 1 from sysobjects) BEGIN SELECT @i = 1 END";
    cmd.ExecuteNonQuery(); // This line will timeout.

    cmd.Dispose();
    sql.Close();
}
catch (SqlException ex)
{
    if (ex.Number == -2) {
        Console.WriteLine ("Timeout occurred");
    }
}
Jonathan_69100

Updated for c# 6:

    try
    {
        // some code
    }
    catch (SqlException ex) when (ex.Number == -2)  // -2 is a sql timeout
    {
        // handle timeout
    }

Very simple and nice to look at!!

user_22557090

Whats the value for the SqlException.ErrorCode property? Can you work with that?

When having timeouts, it may be worth checking the code for -2146232060.

I would set this up as a static const in your data code.

Rob_Cooper_8320

I am not sure but when we have execute time out or command time out The client sends an "ABORT" to SQL Server then simply abandons the query processing. No transaction is rolled back, no locks are released. to solve this problem I Remove transaction in Stored-procedure and use SQL Transaction in my .Net Code To manage sqlException

user_113776780
user_18620750
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