Throw Exceptions with custom stack trace.

Question

Is it possible to throw an exception (could be any exception) with a customized stack trace?

As a concrete example: lets say I have a set of some small static utility methods which might throw exceptions. However I would like the exception to appear to have originated from the previous method instead of the utility method (I want to ignore the 1st frame of the trace).

Answer 1

Catch it in the outer method & create a new exception and throw it.

try
{
   Class.StaticMethod();
}
catch (Exception e)
{
   throw new Exception("Some error occurred");
}

Answer 2

The StackTrace property is virtual - create your own derived Exception class and have the property return whatever you want.

Answer 3

Messing around with the stack trace really doesn't sound like a good idea, even if it is possible (I'm doubtful of that). Tell me, why would you want to do that anyway? The .NET framework itself (the BCL) often uses static utility methods to throw exceptions, in the way that you suggest (ThrowHelper is its name in at least some parts of the framework), and it certainly does hide anything in the stack trace.

Here's an example stack trace from a test I just ran:

   at System.ThrowHelper.ThrowArgumentOutOfRangeException(ExceptionArgument argument, ExceptionResource resource)
   at System.ThrowHelper.ThrowArgumentOutOfRangeException()
   at System.Collections.Generic.List`1.get_Item(Int32 index)
   at HelloWorld.Program.Main(String[] args) in C:\...\Program.cs:line 23
   at System.AppDomain._nExecuteAssembly(Assembly assembly, String[] args)
   at System.AppDomain.ExecuteAssembly(String assemblyFile, Evidence assemblySecurity, String[] args)
   at Microsoft.VisualStudio.HostingProcess.HostProc.RunUsersAssembly()
   at System.Threading.ThreadHelper.ThreadStart_Context(Object state)
   at System.Threading.ExecutionContext.Run(ExecutionContext executionContext, ContextCallback callback, Object state)
   at System.Threading.ThreadHelper.ThreadStart()

As you can see, the BCL uses the ThrowArgumentOutOfRangeException method, and it's clearly visible in the stack trace. If you want to mark the helper method with the DebuggerNonUserCode attribute, then that would seem fair enough to me (though it's not done in the BCL).