Handling exceptions

[Anthony5347]

Hello, I am reading a C++ book, and am in the section of handling exceptions. I am wondering why the exception handler, when handling strings, must use a pointer to a char? For example, look at the parameter list of the catch statement:

 try
 {
     quotient = divide(num1, num2);
     cout << "The quotient is " << quotient << endl;
 }
 catch (char *exceptionString)
 {
     cout << exceptionString;
 }

I received an error when I used: catch (char exceptionString)
Why?

[MiiNiPaa]

Because type of thrown parameter must match catching type. So if you throw pointer to char array. you must catch pointer to char array.

[xenovia12]

what book are you reading?

[Anthony5347]

Starting Out With C++: Early Objects 7/E by Tony Gaddis

[xenovia12]

okay thank you.