How should OOB Silverlight 4 app show unhandled errors to UI? (HtmlPage)

Question

I have a SL OOB app (it only runs OOB) and was wondering about the ReportErrorToDOM code in the app.xaml.css:

From what I understand, HtmlPage wont work in OOB as there is no DOM/HTML? Is that why this code is wrapped in a TryCatch block? (this is the default for a new SL4 app).

To get my OOB app to display unhandled errors to the UI, should I judt replace the HTMLPage with a MessageBox.Show?

I can't find anything on Google about this, opinions appreciated...

  private void ReportErrorToDOM(ApplicationUnhandledExceptionEventArgs e)
    {
        try
        {
            string errorMsg = e.ExceptionObject.Message + e.ExceptionObject.StackTrace;
            errorMsg = errorMsg.Replace('"', '\'').Replace("\r\n", @"\n");

            System.Windows.Browser.HtmlPage.Window.Eval("throw new Error(\"Unhandled Error in Silverlight Application " + errorMsg + "\");");
        }
        catch (Exception)
        {
        }
    }

Answer 1

As an initial starting position yes you should replace the code with code that uses MessageBox.Show to display the error.

What is appropriate for a production quality release will depend on the type of application. Strictly speaking if your application has encountered an unhandled exception it would be in an indeterminate state so a message box and/or the replacing of the root visual might make sense.

If its a game then simply swallowing the error might even be appropriate or just noting it in some log.