the program logic is inside the catch block, it should be inside the try block. Since your code is inside the catch block it will only get executed when an error happens. Also the try block is empty so the catch block will never get executed. So your code outside the try/catch block is dealing with uninicialized variables. Also since your description variables are string, there is no need to use int.parse(). Also you should consider using .TryParse() methods instead of parse() methods since it allows you to check whether the values are properly formatted or not without having to use a try/catch block. try ' code here catch ex as formatException ' handle error here catch ex as exception ' handle error here end try Visit my website at http://www.nirandas.com ----- Original Message ----- From: Marvin Hunkin To: programmingblind@xxxxxxxxxxxxx Sent: Wednesday, September 10, 2008 2:24 AM Subject: Visual Basic Programming Exception Problems Hi. well, doing a college subject, and doing the beginning visual basic programming book, using 2005, even though using visual basic.net 2008 express, jaws 9 standard, and windows vista home premium. now, doing a project where you have a price for a bail cleark, and the despcription as callateral. then you have a 10% discount, and then have the input as text boxes, then have the numbered amount and the discount, added, then displayed in text boxes, and use exception error trapping. now, got the problem, either when i click the calculate button, jaws either crashes, or when i run it from windows explorer, and the bin / debugg, says i have a exception unhandler problem. can any one point me to tracking down this problem? will post my code below. maybe copy and paste it run it in vb.net express 2008, and see what is the problem. is, and how to fix it. cheers Marvin. ps: so far, this is the first time encounted this problem. did not have the problem, when i was doing the main example from the chapter 3, programming in visual basic, from milspaw, and MaGraw Hill Publishing. 'Program: Bond 'Programmer: Marvin Hunkin 'Date: Monday September 8 2008 'Description: Calculate Bond Bail Amount of 10% 'Display Bail Amount, Description and Total Amount of Bail with a 10% added to the Amount. Public Class bondForm 'Constant Const Amount_Price_Decimal As Decimal = 0.1D Private Sub calculateButton_Click(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles calculateButton.Click 'Calculate the price and percentage. Dim priceDecimal As Decimal Dim amountDecimal As Decimal Dim descriptionString As String Dim itemDescription As String With Me 'Convert values to Integer. Try Catch ex As Exception priceDecimal = Decimal.Parse(priceTextBox.Text) amountDecimal = Decimal.Parse(amountTextBox.Text) descriptionString = Integer.Parse(descriptionTextBox.Text) itemDescription = Integer.Parse(itemTextBox.Text) 'Calculate values. priceDecimal = amountDecimal * Amount_Price_Decimal priceDecimal = priceDecimal - amountDecimal End Try Try Catch priceException As FormatException MessageBox.Show("Price must be numeric.", "Data Error", _ MessageBoxButtons.OK, MessageBoxIcon.Exclamation) End Try Try Catch descriptionException As FormatException MessageBox.Show("Description must be text.", "Data Error", _ MessageBoxButtons.OK, MessageBoxIcon.Exclamation) End Try .priceTextBox.Text = priceDecimal.ToString("C") .descriptionTextBox.Text = descriptionString.ToString() .amountTextBox.Text = amountDecimal.ToString("C") .itemTextBox.Text = itemDescription.ToString() End With With priceTextBox() .Focus() .SelectAll() .Clear() End With End Sub Private Sub clearButton_Click(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles clearButton.Click 'Clear Text Boxes. priceTextBox.Clear() amountTextBox.Clear() descriptionTextBox.Clear() End Sub Private Sub exitButton_Click(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles exitButton.Click 'Exit the project. Me.Close() End Sub Private Sub itemTextBox_Click(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles itemTextBox.Click End Sub End Class