Passing enums to functions

Question

Possible Duplicate:
C# Iterating through an enum? (Indexing a System.Array)

All I want to do is write a function that can take any enum as a parameter and print the values of that enum but it doesn't seem possible:

For example, I'd like to do this:

void PrintEnumValues(Enum e) { ... }

enum Example1 { a, b }
enum Example2 { one, two }

PrintEnumValues(Example1);
PrintEnumValues(Example2);

Is something like this possible?

Try actually writing it, and see if you can prove yourself wrong. — BoltClock, Dec 07 '11 at 10:08
Do you mean you want your output to be "a b" or "a" or "0" or "0 1"? I.E. do you mean to print out the whole set or only one instance? When you say values do mean the string representation or the int? — Buh Buh, Dec 07 '11 at 10:14

score 9 · Accepted Answer · answered Dec 07 '11 at 10:09

class Program
{
    enum Example1 { a, b }
    enum Example2 { one, two }

    static void Main()
    {
        PrintEnumValues(default(Example1));
        PrintEnumValues(default(Example2));
    }

    static void PrintEnumValues(Enum e) 
    {
        foreach (var item in Enum.GetValues(e.GetType()))
        {
            Console.WriteLine(item);         
        }
    }
}

score 2 · Answer 2 · answered Dec 07 '11 at 10:12

2

possible but you need to make reflection body of PrintEnumValues.

...
PrintEnumValues(typeof(Example1));
...


void PrintEnumValues(Type type)
{
 //sample: Enum.GetNames(type)
 //sample: Enum.GetValues(type)
}

answered Dec 07 '11 at 10:12

Nuri YILMAZ

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score 1 · Answer 3 · answered Dec 07 '11 at 10:12

1

You can use Enum.GetValues() and pass the type of the enum to get an array of the values.

answered Dec 07 '11 at 10:12

ChristiaanV

5,401
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score 0 · Answer 4 · answered Dec 07 '11 at 10:13

Here is my suggestion for you:

void PrintEnumValues<TEnum>() 
{
    if (!typeof(Enum).IsAssignableFrom(typeof(TEnum)))
    {
        return;
    }
    foreach (var name in Enum.GetNames(typeof(TEnum)))
    {
        // Print name
    }
}

Call that function like that:

PrintEnumValues<Example1>(); 
PrintEnumValues<Example2>();

score 0 · Answer 5 · answered Dec 07 '11 at 10:16

    enum Example1 
    { a, b }
    enum Example2 
    { one, two }

    public T[] GetEnumMembers<T>() where T : struct
    {
        T[] values = (T[])Enum.GetValues(typeof(T));
        return values;
    }

Then use this as:

    var values = GetEnumMembers<Example1>();

Buh Buh · Answer 6 · 2011-12-07T10:29:25.443

0

You said in your comment I'm not asking about iterating. So I assume you want to print "a":

PrintEnumValues(Example1.a);

NOT

PrintEnumValues(Example1);

edited Dec 07 '11 at 10:29

answered Dec 07 '11 at 10:24

Buh Buh

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Passing enums to functions

6 Answers6