struct myStupidCustomString {
  myStupidCustomString(char const *what) : what (what) {}
  char const *what;
};

void throws() {
  throw myStupidCustomString("here is some really useful information");
}

// The external library can provide a function, or you can provide a wrapper, which
// extracts information from "unknown" exception types.
std::string extract_from_unknown_external_exception() {
  try { throw; }
  catch (myStupidCustomString &e) {
    return e.what;
  }
  catch (...) {
    throw;  // Rethrow original exception.
  }
}

void example() {
  try { throws(); }
  catch (...) {
    try {
      std::string extracted = extract_from_unknown_external_exception();
      std::cout << "extracted: " << extracted << '\n';
    }
    catch (...) {
      // Chain handlers for other types; e.g. exception types from other libraries.
      // Or do something generic for the unknown exception.

      // Or rethrow the original unknown exception:
      throw;
    }
  }
}

int main() {
  example();
  return 0;
}

extracted: here is some really useful information