Right, it's the same idea. I've done both in the past. The text message is easier to deal with, but then I usually end up wanting more info somewhere along the line (like the error #, method, line #) and then I start to like the idea of an XML string vs. something like "123;My Error;MyMethod;58" and parsing that.

It's 6 one way, 12 * .5 the other.

>>>That's interesting. Did you consider or try using an "out" parameter as Kelly suggested? Same conceptual approach, just a different implementation.<
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>Sounds like basically the same thing ... the string parameter that's passed by reference will contain XML instead of an "error message". Or at least, that's what it sounds like Kelly was suggesting.
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>~~Bonnie