How to retreive an error description for a given error number in SQL Server?

[balasiva]

select * from master..sysmessages where error = @error_number


------------
balasiva at 8/3/00 4:50:46 PM

if i get an error, how do i store that error message into variable other than using sysmessage table




------------
at 8/4/00 7:56:43 AM


select * from master..sysmessages where error = @error_number


------------
balasiva at 8/3/00 4:50:46 PM