How to pass argument to an Exception in Python?

Last Updated : 07 Oct, 2021

There might arise a situation where there is a need for additional information from an exception raised by Python.
Python has two types of exceptions namely, Built-In Exceptions and User-Defined Exceptions.
Why use Argument in Exceptions?
Using arguments for Exceptions in Python is useful for the following reasons:

It can be used to gain additional information about the error encountered.
As contents of an Argument can vary depending upon different types of Exceptions in Python, Variables can be supplied to the Exceptions to capture the essence of the encountered errors. Same error can occur of different causes, Arguments helps us identify the specific cause for an error using the except clause.
It can also be used to trap multiple exceptions, by using a variable to follow the tuple of Exceptions.

Arguments in Built-in Exceptions:

The below codes demonstrates use of Argument with Built-in Exceptions:
Example 1:

Python3

try:
    b = float(100 + 50 / 0)
except Exception as Argument:
    print( 'This is the Argument\n', Argument)

Output:

This is the Argument
 division by zero

Example 2:

Python3

my_string = "GeeksForGeeks"

try:
    b = float(my_string / 20)
except Exception as Argument:
    print( 'This is the Argument\n', Argument)

Output:

This is the Argument
 unsupported operand type(s) for /: 'str' and 'int'

Arguments in User-defined Exceptions:

The below codes demonstrates use of Argument with User-defined Exceptions:
Example 1:

Python3

# create user-defined exception  
# derived from super class Exception 
class MyError(Exception): 
  
    # Constructor or Initializer 
    def __init__(self, value): 
        self.value = value 
  
    # __str__ is to print() the value 
    def __str__(self): 
        return(repr(self.value)) 
  
try: 
    raise(MyError("Some Error Data")) 
  
# Value of Exception is stored in error 
except MyError as Argument: 
    print('This is the Argument\n', Argument)

Output:

This is the Argument
 'Some Error Data'

Example 2: