After discussion on this topic (very helpful), I suggest to place following code into <boost/throw_exception.hpp>: #include <boost/detail/workaround.hpp> ... #if !(defined BOOST_NO_EXCEPTIONS) # define BOOST_TRY { try # define BOOST_CATCH(x) catch(x) # define BOOST_RETHROW throw # define BOOST_CATCH_END } #else # if BOOST_WORKAROUND(__BORLANDC__, BOOST_TESTED_AT(0x564)) # define BOOST_TRY { if ("") # define BOOST_CATCH(x) else if (!"") # else # define BOOST_TRY if (true) # define BOOST_CATCH else if (false) # endif # define BOOST_RETHROW # define BOOST_CATCH_END } #endif These macros are NOT intended as recomended practice for users. They exist only to avoid having similar macros in Circular Buffer, Indexed Set and Serialization each. These macros: - do not produce warnings (VC/Intel/BCB) with or w/o exceptions enabled, - work within if/else statement, - are hopefully ugly enough so users will prefere RAII in application code, - do not conflict within Boost (1.31). As they are written for "internal purpose" only they do not need to be oficially documented, IMO. /Pavel