Getting String value from enum in Java

Question

I have a enum defined like this and I would like to be able to obtain the strings for the individual statuses. How should I write such a method?

I can get the int values of the statuses but would like the option of getting the string values from the ints as well.

public enum Status {
    PAUSE(0),
    START(1),
    STOP(2);

    private final int value;

    private Status(int value) {
        this.value = value
    }

    public int getValue() {
        return value;
    }
}

This answer will help you understand http://stackoverflow.com/questions/17606866/how-to-set-a-value-of-a-variable-of-an-object-in-an-arraylist/17607004#17607004 — Prasad Kharkar, Jul 19 '13 at 08:50
@ArnaudDenoyelle: You should avoid using ordinal(), see Joshua Bloch "Effective Java" — GarfieldKlon, Aug 03 '15 at 12:38
@GarfieldKlon I agree. I don't (and will never) advise to rely on `ordinal()` because adding a value in the enum will shift every enum's ordinal. I wanted to point out that the OP duplicated the `ordinal()`'s behavior. — Arnaud Denoyelle, Aug 03 '15 at 12:46
http://stackoverflow.com/a/6667403/2205307 here look at this. It might help. — ossobuko, Jan 16 '16 at 12:18

score 126 · Accepted Answer · answered Jul 19 '13 at 08:47

126

if status is of type Status enum, status.name() will give you its defined name.

answered Jul 19 '13 at 08:47

harsh

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@JoeMaher `toString()` seems to be the preferred way as per the official documentation: "Most programmers should use the toString() method in preference to this one, as the toString method may return a more user-friendly name." (http://docs.oracle.com/javase/6/docs/api/java/lang/Enum.html#name()) – Carsten Aug 29 '16 at 06:05
12

@Carsten `status.name()` is appropriate if you want to use it in the code (for accuracy and consistency), `status.toString()` is appropriate if you want to show it to the user (for readability). – intcreator Nov 16 '16 at 19:33

score 50 · Answer 2 · answered Jul 19 '13 at 08:48

50

You can use values() method:

For instance Status.values()[0] will return PAUSE in your case, if you print it, toString() will be called and "PAUSE" will be printed.

answered Jul 19 '13 at 08:48

Juvanis

25,802
5
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Right, just to add `Status.values()[0]` would be of type `Status` not `String`. – harsh Jul 19 '13 at 08:51

score 12 · Answer 3 · edited Nov 16 '17 at 11:33

12

Use default method name() as given bellows

public enum Category {
        ONE("one"),
        TWO ("two"),
        THREE("three");

        private final String name;

        Category(String s) {
            name = s;
        }

    }

public class Main {
    public static void main(String[] args) throws Exception {
        System.out.println(Category.ONE.name());
    }
}

edited Nov 16 '17 at 11:33

bora.oren

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answered May 19 '16 at 11:26

Biswajit Karmakar

9,799
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1

why not overriding toString to return name ?? – Mohammed Housseyn Taleb Jan 06 '17 at 00:10
8

Returns what? ONE or one, there is a difference (the enum name or its value) – Mercury Feb 13 '17 at 00:03
How to print "One", "Two", I mean the value String for the enum? – Arefe Mar 10 '21 at 03:11

score 9 · Answer 4 · answered Jul 19 '13 at 08:55

You can add this method to your Status enum:

 public static String getStringValueFromInt(int i) {
     for (Status status : Status.values()) {
         if (status.getValue() == i) {
             return status.toString();
         }
     }
     // throw an IllegalArgumentException or return null
     throw new IllegalArgumentException("the given number doesn't match any Status.");
 }

public static void main(String[] args) {
    System.out.println(Status.getStringValueFromInt(1)); // OUTPUT: START
}

score 0 · Answer 5 · answered Nov 16 '17 at 11:20

I believe enum have a .name() in its API, pretty simple to use like this example:

private int security;
public String security(){ return Security.values()[security].name(); }
public void setSecurity(int security){ this.security = security; }

    private enum Security {
            low,
            high
    }

With this you can simply call

yourObject.security()

and it returns high/low as String, in this example

PaxLightning · Answer 6 · 2022-02-15T07:45:19.897

0

You can use custom values() method:

public enum SortType { Scored, Lasted;

     public int value(){
         return this == Lasted ? 1:0;
     }
}

edited Feb 15 '22 at 07:45

answered Feb 15 '22 at 05:31

PaxLightning

69
3

Getting String value from enum in Java

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