Improve Error Handling and Add Some Documentation

1 files changed, 11 insertions, 0 deletions

diff --git a/python/architecture.py b/python/architecture.py
index c72f8048..e0ccfeeb 100644
--- a/python/architecture.py
+++ b/python/architecture.py
@@ -1056,6 +1056,11 @@ class Architecture(with_metaclass(_ArchitectureMetaClass, object)):
 			log.log_error(traceback.format_exc())
 
 	def _assemble(self, ctxt, code, addr, result, errors):
+		"""
+		This function calls the `assemble` command for the actual architecture plugin.
+		If the plugin does not provide an `assemble(self, code, addr)`-style function,
+		it uses the default function provided in CoreArchitecture.
+		"""
 		try:
 			data = self.assemble(code, addr)
 			if data is None:
@@ -1064,6 +1069,10 @@ class Architecture(with_metaclass(_ArchitectureMetaClass, object)):
 			ctypes.memmove(buf, data, len(data))
 			core.BNSetDataBufferContents(result, buf, len(data))
 			return True
+		except ValueError as e:  # Overriden `assemble` functions should raise a ValueError if the input was invalid (with a reasonable error message)
+			log.log_error(traceback.format_exc())
+			errors[0] = core.BNAllocString(str(e))
+			return False
 		except:
 			log.log_error(traceback.format_exc())
 			errors[0] = core.BNAllocString("Unhandled exception during assembly.\n")
@@ -1769,6 +1778,8 @@ class Architecture(with_metaclass(_ArchitectureMetaClass, object)):
 		.. note :: It is important that the assembler used accepts a syntax identical to the one emitted by the \
 		disassembler. This will prevent confusing the user.
 
+		If there is an error in the input assembly, this function should raise a ValueError (with a reasonable error message).
+
 		:param str code: string representation of the instructions to be assembled
 		:param int addr: virtual address that the instructions will be loaded at
 		:return: the bytes for the assembled instructions