Nested try Blocks in Python: Handling Exceptions within Exceptions

In a Python program, if there is another try-except construct either inside either a try block or inside its except block, it is known as a nested-try block. This is needed when different blocks like outer and inner may cause different errors. To handle them, we need nested try blocks.

We start with an example having a single "try − except − finally" construct. If the statements inside try encounter exception, it is handled by except block. With or without exception occurred, the finally block is always executed.

Example 1

Here, the try block has "division by 0" situation, hence the except block comes into play. It is equipped to handle the generic exception with Exception class.

It will produce the following output −

General Exception
inside outer finally block

Example 2

Let us now see how to nest the try constructs. We put another "try − except − finally" blocks inside the existing try block. The except keyword for inner try now handles generic Exception, while we ask the except block of outer try to handle ZeroDivisionError.

Since exception doesn't occur in the inner try block, its corresponding generic Except isn't called. The division by 0 situation is handled by outer except clause.

It will produce the following output −

Division by 0
inside outer finally block

Example 3

Now we reverse the situation. Out of the nested try blocks, the outer one doesn't have any exception raised, but the statement causing division by 0 is inside inner try, and hence the exception handled by inner except block. Obviously, the except part corresponding to outer try: will not be called upon.

It will produce the following output −

This is outer try block
Division by 0
inside inner finally block
inside outer finally block

In the end, let us discuss another situation which may occur in case of nested blocks. While there isn't any exception in the outer try:, there isn't a suitable except block to handle the one inside the inner try: block.

Example 4

In the following example, the inner try: faces "division by 0", but its corresponding except: is looking for KeyError instead of ZeroDivisionError. Hence, the exception object is passed on to the except: block of the subsequent except statement matching with outer try: statement. There, the zeroDivisionError exception is trapped and handled.

It will produce the following output −

This is outer try block
inside inner finally block
Division by 0
inside outer finally block


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