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ErrorBox[boxes]

is a low-level box construct that represents boxes that cannot be interpreted in input or output.

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Examples  
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ErrorBox

ErrorBox[boxes]

is a low-level box construct that represents boxes that cannot be interpreted in input or output.

Details

  • ErrorBox[boxes] typically displays as the raw form of boxes together with underlining that indicates parts that cannot be interpreted.
  • An explicit ErrorBox is typically generated by a failed call to MakeExpression.
  • When the front end reads an invalid box structure from a Notebook or Cell expression, it generates an implicit ErrorBox, but it preserves the original structure when the expression is written out.
  • ErrorBox is displayed as a pink box. The pink box may have a tooltip or contents that help to indicate the nature of the error.

Examples

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Basic Examples  (2)

MakeExpression generates ErrorBox structure when incomplete syntax is detected:

Wolfram Language code: MakeExpression["1+", StandardForm]

Displaying the ErrorBox shows a pink box:

Wolfram Language code: RawBoxes[%]

An invalid box argument may generate an ErrorBox:

Wolfram Language code: CellPrint[Cell[BoxData[FractionBox["1", "2", "3"]], "Output"]]

Scope  (3)

An implicit ErrorBox may indicate a bad graphics expression:

Wolfram Language code: Graphics[{Circle[{0, 0}], Disk[1]}]

An implicit ErrorBox in a control or Dynamic indicates a message during evaluation:

Wolfram Language code: Dynamic[1 / 0]

A bad option value on the right-hand side can lead to an implicit ErrorBox:

Wolfram Language code: Framed[x, FrameMargins -> fish]

Properties & Relations  (2)

An ErrorBox generated by the kernel typesetting can be read using NotebookRead:

Wolfram Language code: CellPrint[Cell[BoxData[MakeExpression["1+", StandardForm]], "Output", CellTags -> "example1"]]
Wolfram Language code: NotebookRead[Cells[CellTags -> "example1"]]

Erroneous boxes display as an ErrorBox, but NotebookRead mirrors the bad input:

Wolfram Language code: CellPrint[Cell[BoxData[SuperscriptBox["1", "2", "3"]], "Output", CellTags -> "example2"]]
Wolfram Language code: NotebookRead[Cells[CellTags -> "example2"]]
Wolfram Research (1996), ErrorBox, Wolfram Language function, https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/ErrorBox.html.

Text

Wolfram Research (1996), ErrorBox, Wolfram Language function, https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/ErrorBox.html.

CMS

Wolfram Language. 1996. "ErrorBox." Wolfram Language & System Documentation Center. Wolfram Research. https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/ErrorBox.html.

APA

Wolfram Language. (1996). ErrorBox. Wolfram Language & System Documentation Center. Retrieved from https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/ErrorBox.html

BibTeX

@misc{reference.wolfram_2026_errorbox, author="Wolfram Research", title="{ErrorBox}", year="1996", howpublished="\url{https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/ErrorBox.html}", note=[Accessed: 07-October-2026]}

BibLaTeX

@online{reference.wolfram_2026_errorbox, organization={Wolfram Research}, title={ErrorBox}, year={1996}, url={https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/ErrorBox.html}, note=[Accessed: 07-October-2026]}