---
description: "Learn more about: Unhandled C++ exceptions"
title: "Unhandled C++ exceptions"
ms.date: "11/04/2016"
helpviewer_keywords: ["event handlers [C++], unhandled exceptions", "catch keyword [C++], handler not found", "exceptions [C++], unhandled", "C++ exception handling, unhandled exceptions", "unhandled exceptions [C++]"]
ms.assetid: 13f09c53-9254-4407-9db9-14e730e047cc
---
# Unhandled C++ exceptions

If a matching handler (or ellipsis **`catch`** handler) cannot be found for the current exception, the predefined `terminate` run-time function is called. (You can also explicitly call `terminate` in any of your handlers.) The default action of `terminate` is to call `abort`. If you want `terminate` to call some other function in your program before exiting the application, call the `set_terminate` function with the name of the function to be called as its single argument. You can call `set_terminate` at any point in your program. The `terminate` routine always calls the last function given as an argument to `set_terminate`.

## Example

The following example throws a `char *` exception, but does not contain a handler designated to catch exceptions of type `char *`. The call to `set_terminate` instructs `terminate` to call `term_func`.

```cpp
// exceptions_Unhandled_Exceptions.cpp
// compile with: /EHsc
#include <iostream>
using namespace std;
void term_func() {
   cout << "term_func was called by terminate." << endl;
   exit( -1 );
}
int main() {
   try
   {
      set_terminate( term_func );
      throw "Out of memory!"; // No catch handler for this exception
   }
   catch( int )
   {
      cout << "Integer exception raised." << endl;
   }
   return 0;
}
```

## Output

```Output
term_func was called by terminate.
```

The `term_func` function should terminate the program or current thread, ideally by calling `exit`. If it doesn't, and instead returns to its caller, `abort` is called.

## See also

[Modern C++ best practices for exceptions and error handling](../cpp/errors-and-exception-handling-modern-cpp.md)