Java: set error header in servlet

When something goes wrong in the servlet, here is how to set the error header.

protected void doPost(HttpServletRequest request, 
    HttpServletResponse response) throws ServletException,
    IOException {
  PrintWriter out = response.getWriter();
  try {
    // Try something that can go wrong..
  } catch (Exception exception) {
    // Make sure to LOG the exception ... 

    // Then report back something the client can use..
    String message = "Bad error: reason.....";
    response.setHeader("status", message);
    response.setStatus(500);
    out.print(message);
  }
}

In the client code, Javascript can be used to access the error status itself and the error message on the request object as request.getResponseHeader("status"); and request.status; respectively. I don't cover here how the Javascript gets the request object.