Exceptions

// index.php
<?
error_reporting(0);
require_once('db.php');
$db = new Database( 'root', 'asdf', 'zen' );
if( is_string( $db ) )
{
    echo $db;
}

// db.php
<?
class Database
{
    function __construct( $user, $password, $database )
    {
        try
        {
            $dbObject = new mysqli( 'localhost', $user, $password, $database );
            if( $dbObject->connect_error )
            {
                throw new Exception( $dbObject->connect_error );
            }
        }
        catch( Exception $e )
        {
            return 'Error: '.$e->getMessage();
        }
        return $dbObject;
    }
}