How can I handle exceptions from an external source, eg a 404?

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So my goal is, using Google Appscripts, to call an external API for addresses, which returns a JSON/array with that information. 90% of the time, the API is fine. However, sometimes, I can legitimately call an address that is not in the API database, so the API gives me a 404 in this case.

My problem: When the API returns a 404, it ends the Appscript program that I am writing. How do I check the API response so that I can see if it is returning a 404 before I attempt to access it, which shuts the program down prematurely?

What I would like to do is to have the code: 1) understand an error has happened but still continue the program, 2) by creating an empty array in lieu of the property address data I am searching for. I know how to do 2), but I can’t do 1 – I can’t trigger the creation of that array based on the knowledge that a 404 call happened. Please help!

Thank you so much in advance!!

I have no idea what to try – I’m not sure I understand the handling exceptions portion of Appscript, because this is calling an external database and not an internal Google database, then returning a 404, so I don’t know what applies and what does not.

Assuming that you call the API with UrlFetchApp, there are two ways to deal with it:

  1. Disable exceptions on unsuccessful requests by setting muteHttpExceptions: 
    const options = {
  'method': 'get',
  'muteHttpExceptions': true
  // Include other necessary options like headers
};

const response = UrlFetchApp.fetch(apiUrl, options);
const responseCode = response.getResponseCode();

if (responseCode === 200) {
  // Success, process the data
} else if (responseCode === 404) {
  // Handle 404 error
  console.log("API returned 404: Address not found");
} else {
  // Handle other types of errors
  console.log("Error with response code: " + responseCode);
}
  2. Wrap UrlFetchApp in try/catch block: 
    try {
  const response = UrlFetchApp.fetch(apiUrl);
  const data = JSON.parse(response.getContentText());

  // Process your data
  // ...

} catch (e) {
  // Check if the error is a 404
  if (e.message.includes("404")) {
    console.log("API returned 404: Address not found");
    // Handle 404 specific logic
  } else {
    // Handle other types of errors
    console.log("Error: " + e.message);
  }
}

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