def tryGet[T <: Any](_expression: => T, _defaultVal: T = null): T =
{
	try _expression catch {case e: Exception => _defaultVal}
}

//does exist
val herp = tryGet[String](Files.readAllLines(Paths.get("K:/Temp/herp.txt")).toArray.mkString, "Error reading text")

//doesn't exist
val derp = tryGet[String](Files.readAllLines(Paths.get("K:/Temp/derp.txt")).toArray.mkString, "Error reading text")

//doesn't exist
val flerp = tryGet[String](Files.readAllLines(Paths.get("K:/Temp/flerp.txt")).toArray.mkString)

val int1 = tryGet[Int](Integer.parseInt("52"), -1)
val int2 = tryGet[Int](Integer.parseInt("52a"), -1)

println(herp)
println(derp)
println(flerp)
println(int1)
println(int2)


//The output:
> line 1line 2line 3
> Error reading text
> null
> 52
> -1